Professor of Art
Director of the Nutting Gallery at West Liberty University
Hall of Fine Art, office #202
(304) 336-8433
bfencl@westliberty.edu
website: fenclstudio.com
Mailing Information:
208 University Dr.
Hall of Fine Arts, CUB 125
West Liberty, WV 26074
Education
New York Academy of Art, MFA in Drawing, 2000
Art Center College of Design, BFA in Illustration, 1990
Solo Exhibitions
2026 – “Strange Vases,” Waterloo Arts, Cleveland, OH (Jan. 2026)
2025 – “Strange Vases,” Summit Gallery, Weirton, WV
2025 – “Likelihood of Confusion, Bloomfield Richwood, Richwood, WV
2022 – “Modern Punchinello,” Works on Paper gallery, Sinclair College, Dayton, OH
2021 – “The Situation We Find Ourselves In,” Not Sheep Gallery, Columbus, OH
2015 – “Plein Air and More,” Etc. Gallery, Wheeling, WV
2012 –“Human Behavior,” Gallerie Chiz, Pittsburgh PA, reviewed in the Pittsburgh Tribune Live
2010 – “The Paintings of Brian Fencl,” Della Brown Taylor Gallery, West Virginia State
University, WV
2008 – “I’m Not That Innocent,” Morehead State University, KY
Group and Juried Exhibitions
2025 – “Body of Work,” Hammond Harkins Galleries, Columbus, OH
2025 – “Introduction,” Hammond Harkins Galleries, Columbus, OH
2024 – “Out of View,” FKM Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2023 – “WV Governor’s Biennial Art Exhibition,” State Museum, Charleston, WV
2022 – “Best of WV,” David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery, Tamarack, WV
2021 – “WV Governor’s Biennial,” State Museum of West Virginia, Charleston, WV
2021 – “Small Works Show at Kilburn Mill,” New Bedford, MA
2021 – “WV Governor’s Biennial Art Exhibition,” State Museum, Charleston, WV
2020 – “Social Studies,” Beckley Arts Center, Beckley, WV
2019 – “Wheeling 250 Celebration,“ Wheeling Artisan Center, Wheeling, WV
2019 – “Teachable Moment,” David L Dickerson Fine Arts Gallery, Tamarack, WV
2017 – “Crosscurrents Juried Exhibition,” Stifel Fine Arts Center, Wheeling, WV
2011 – “I’ve Got a Secret,” Forbes Galleries, NYC
2010 – “Have You Been Here? Two Artists Views of Wheeling”, Wheeling Artisan Center,
Wheeling, WV
2007 – “Pigments of the Imagination,” Gallerie Chiz, Pittsburgh, PA
Artist Residency’s
Arts, Letters & Numbers, spring residency | 2025
NYAA x Voice NFT Residency, Digital Residency | 2022
Cuttyhunk Island Artist Residency | Cuttyhunk, MA | 2019
Artist In Residence, The International School of Painting, Drawing and Sculpture, Umbria, Italy | 2005
Academic Awards
- West Liberty University Teacher of the Year (awarded by faculty and administrators), West Liberty University, West Liberty | 2022–2023
- College of Arts and Communication Professor of the Year, awarded by Student Government Association | West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV | 2018–2019
- Professor of the Year, West Liberty State College, voted on by the students and
awarded by the Student Government Association | 2006-2007
Awards and Grants
2025 – Professional Development Grant | West Virginia Division of Culture and History
2022 – Juror Award, Best of West Virginia | Tamarack, WV
2021 – Award of Excellence, WV Governor’s Biennial Exhibition | Charleston, WV
2017 – Merit Award, Best of West Virginia | Tamarack, WV
2017 – Juror Award “Crosscurrents,” Stifle Fine Arts, Wheeling, WV
2009 – Best of Show, Persad Center Celebrate Life, Celebrate Art Auction** | Pittsburgh, PA
2008 – Best of Show, West Virginia Arts and Crafts Guild 7th Annual Juried Competition,
Parkersburg Arts Center, Parkersburg, WV
2005 – Professional Development Grant, West Virginia Division of Culture and History.
West Liberty University, Professor of Art, August 2002 to present.
- Director of the Nutting Gallery, West Liberty University, 2020 to present
- Chair Department of Journalism, Communication Studies and Visual Art, June 2009 to May 2020
- Responsible for teaching all levels of drawing, art history 1 thru 3, survey of non-western art, art appreciation for the art major, color theory, illustration, and Mentor for Honors Society students
- College Board AP Studio Art Portfolio Reader, 2017 to present
- Interim Assistant Department Chair, Arts and Communications, July 2008 –June 2009
- Responsible for organizing the Art Department’s annual Extreme Art Night since 2002.
- Responsible for academic advising
- Art studio coordinator
- Elected to Faculty Senate (April 2004 to 2018)
West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts,
- Master Instructor for the Visual Arts, 2008 -2010, West Liberty University
- Instructor of Digital Media, 2011, Davis and Elkins University
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Lecturer and demonstration, Fall 2007
- “Drawing From the Past” lecture and demonstration on how artists have traditionally trained from plaster casts
- “Mise En Page and the Museum” five week drawing course taught in the museums galleries
- Taught two sections of “I can’t draw” for the museum’s education department
Creator and Organizer of “Paint Oglebay Park”, 2006 to 2015
- Two-day plein air painting event organized with the support of Oglebay Institute, West Liberty University and Artworks Around Town
- Annual event (now called Paint the Ohio Valley) in its 15th year and run by the Artworks Around Town
Wheeling Jesuit University, Adjunct faculty, Spring 2004-2007. Courses taught: drawing one, art appreciation and introduction to watercolor
University of Colorado at Denver, Honorarium faculty, Spring 2001 to Summer 2002, Courses taught: basic drawing, drawing 2, intermediate drawing, painting 1 and 2