Brian E. Bailey was born in Lancaster, Massachusetts. Formerly a professor at the School of Visual Arts in New York, he now paints and teaches privately in New Jersey. Following a successful career that spanned several decades as a noteworthy illustrator, he began to focus his energies on more personal artistic pursuits. He has won numerous awards for his work in pastel and has been featured in select exhibitions both nationally and abroad. Most recently his work was exhibited at the International Pastel Biennial in Suzhou, China, as well as several exhibitions at the Butler Museum of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio. His work is in several public and private collections including the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C.
As an artist working in a realist tradition, he tries to create singular contemporary images that speak to the fragility of both the natural world and the human condition. The stillness of his painting offers the viewer a moment of both contemplation and reflection.
“In my painting there is nothing I take away, nor give artifice to enhance the quiet permanence of a subject’s beauty.”
—Brian Bailey MP PSA, MC IAPS
EXHIBITIONS / AWARDS
2024
International Association of Pastel Societies
IAPS Pastel World Exhibition 12th Master Circle Division
“Peaches with Veil”
SCNY 43rd Annual Open Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Exhibition
“Listen”
Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
Pastel Society of America 52nd Annual Exhibition
“The Ring”
National Arts Club, New York, NY
2023
Art on Paper NY
“Veil” Artego Gallery Booth 9
New York, NY
Sotheby’s Exhibition and Auction
16th International ARC Salon
“The Note” selected for a live auction and exhibition
Sotheby’s New York, NY
16th International ARC Salon
Thee works selected as finalists in the three categories;
Figurative — “Dream”, Portraiture —“The Note”, Fully from Life — “Squash and Pear”
SCNY 42nd Annual Painting, Sculpture and Graphics Exhibition
George Inness Jr. Memorial Award “Forms”
Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
International Association of Pastel Societies
IAPS Spring Juried Exhibition 10th Master Circle Division
Silver Award “Dream”
SCNY Open New York Figurative Exhibition
“Dream”
Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
Pastel Society of America 51st Annual Exhibition
“Sway”
National Arts Club, New York, NY
Bulter Institue of American Art
Selected exhibition of twenty works form PSA 50th Annual
“Dream”
Youngstown, OH
International Association of Pastel Societies
IAPS Juried Fall Webshow 11th Master Circle Division
“Ponder”
Pastel Society of Eastern Canada
Pixel Pastel 2023
Two works selected an exhibited: “Essence” & “Recline”
Pastel World
First Chinese International Pastel Art Magazine
Interview / Gallery
Outside In — Life of a Figure Model
Independent film interview and poster art for select film festivals
2022
Pastel Society of America 50th Annual Exhibition “Enduring Brilliance”
“Sueno” (Dream) Pastelagram Award
National Arts Club, New York, NY
Salmagundi Club “Drawings from Life”
Two works “Essence”& “Seated Nude” selected and exhibited
Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
Hudson Valley Art Association 89th National Juried Exhibition
“Forms” Art Spirit Foundation Dianne B. Bernhard Award for Excellence in Pastel
Lyme Art Association, Old Lyme, CT
IAPS 2022 Pastel World Exhibition, Master Circle Division
“Window”, Exhibited, Demonstration, Workshop
International Association of Pastel Societies Albuqurque, NM
Belskie Museum of Art and Science
Faculty Show, TASOC
“Forms”, “Listen”, “Essence”
Closter, New Jersey
Red Rock Pastel Society of Nevada Juried Exhibition
“The Note” Honorable Mention Award
International Association of Pastel Societies
IAPS Juried Web Show 9th Master Circle Division
“Peaches with Veil”
3rd China Zhuhai International Pastel Invitation Exhibition
Invited to exhibit by Zhuhai Xiangzhou Pastel Alliance
“Cipolla”
Zhuhai, China
5th China Biennial International Pastel Exhibition
“The Note”
Suzhou, China
2021
Mod Portrait 2021 selected for group international exhibition, “The Note”
Caja Rural de Aragon Palace, Zaragosa, Spain. 1st Exhibition
European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM), Barcelona, Spain. 2nd Exhibition
Exhibited eight pastel works. Moscow, Russia
Artlife Fest 2021
International Contemporary Art Fair / Exhibition
Lecture, Master Class - unable to attend due to Covid restrictions
Exhibited ten pastel works. Moscow, Russia
“Art of Pastel” selected for international exhibition of contemporary and historic pastels
“Squash with Leaf”, “Squash”
Penza Museum, Penza, Russia
National Pastel Society of Russia, Annual Exhibition,
“Squash with Leaf” Honorable Mention Award
Moscow, Russia
15th Arc Salon, Art Renewal Center International Annual Exhibition
“Listen” selected and exhibited at Sotheby’s New York, NY
followed by an exhibition at the European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM)
Barcelona, Spain
15th Arc Salon, Art Renewal Center International Annual Exhibition
“Cipolla” awarded Honorable Mention in Still Life Category
15th Arc Salon, Art Renewal Center International Annual Exhibition
Received finalist status in three separate categories, Figurative, Fully from Life,
Still Life for three works; “Listen”, “Cipolla”, “Squash with Leaf”
Pastel Society of America 49th Annual Exhibition “Enduring Brilliance”
“The Note”, National Arts Club, New York, NY
International Biennial Pastel d’Opale Guest of Honor
Exhibition of Works, Workshops / Demonstrations
Saint-Leonard, France
2020
Artlife Fest 2020
International Contemporary Art Fair / Exhibition
Lecture, Master Class - unable to attend due to Covid restrictions
Exhibited eight pastel works. Moscow, Russia
Pastel Society of America 48th Annual Exhibition “Enduring Brilliance”
“Window”, National Arts Club, New York, NY
4th China Biennial International Pastel Exhibition
3rd Prize, Ming Gallery, Suzhou, China
International Biennial Pastel d’Opale Guest of Honor
Exhibition of Works, Workshops / Demonstrations
Saint-Leonard, France
37th International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) Juried Exhibition
“Cipolla”
Best Nude Runner Up Award and Finalist “Contemplation”
14th Annual International ARC Salon
Art Renewal Center
Exhibition : Sotheby’s
New York, NY
Mikhail Zakin Gallery : Visual Thinking Exhibition
The Art School at the Old Church
Demarest, New Jersey
Juror, 2020 Pastel Society of the West Coast
34th Annual Pastel International Exhibition
2019
Prix de Pastel (Grand Prize) “Listen”
5th Master Circle Exhibition
Thirteenth Biennial IAPS Convention
Awards Judge : Liliane Desmaret, President of the Societe Pastellistes de France
International Association of Pastel Societies
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Best Nude Runner Up Award and Finalist “Contemplation”
14th Annual International ARC Salon
Art Renewal Center
Exhibition / Awards Ceremony : MEAM Museum
Barcelona, Spain
Finalist “Wave”
14th Annual International Arc Salon
Art Renewal Center
Painters in Pastel Award “Forms”
47th Annual Exhibition
Juror of Awards : Dr. Marcus B. Burke, Curator of The Hispanic Museum, NY
Pastel Society of America
National Arts Club NY
Faculty Exhibition : Mikhail Zakin Gallery
The Art School at the Old Church
Demarest, New Jersey
Pure Pastel - Contemporary Works by Today’s Top Artists
Juror of Awards : Connecticut Pastel Society 2019
Renaissance in Pastel 26th Annual National Juried Exhibition
Slater Memorial Museum, Norwich CT
Jury of Selection : International Association of Pastel Societies
35th Juried Exhibition
Instructor : Thirteenth Biennial IAPS Convention
International Association of Pastel Societies
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Invitee to instruct and exhibit 100 Year Anniversary of China Pastel
4th International Pastel Biennale
Suzhou, China
2018
First Award (Grand Prize) “Contemplation”
3rd International Pastel Biennale
Suzhou, China
47th Annual Exhibition “Wave”
Pastel Society of America
National Arts Club NY
Finalist “Deep”
13th Annual International Arc Salon
Art Renewal Center
Finalist “Tide”
13th Annual International Arc Salon
Art Renewal Center
Pratique Des Arts : Featured Artist ; “Invitation a’ la Contemplation”
Special Edition Pastel
Pastelagram : Featured Artist ; “Theater of Meanings”
Pastel Society of America
Instructor
3rd International Pastel Biennale
Suzhou, China
Juror of Awards : Pastel Society of New Jersey
13th Annual Juried Exhibition
Rahway, New Jersey
2017
Art Spirit Foundation Dianne B. Bernhard - Gold Medal Award
45th Annual Exhibition
Curator of Awards : Charlotta Kotik, Brooklyn Museum of Art
Pastel Society of America
National Arts Club NY
Butler Institute of American Art
Selected Works Exhibition
Curator: Dr. Louis A. Zona
Youngstown OH
2016
2nd International Pastel Biennial
Selected Artist Exhibition
Suzhou, CHINA
Founders Award
Twenty Eighth Juried Exhibition
Curator of Awards: Jimmy Wright President Pastel Society of America
International Association of Pastel Societies
Salmagundi Club NY
Pastel Societies of the Southeast Award
44th Annual Exhibition
Curator of Awards: Mark D. Mitchell, Yale University Art Gallery
Pastel Society of America
National Arts Club NY
Butler Institute of American Art
Selected Works Exhibition
Curator: Dr. Louis A. Zona
Youngstown OH
International Association of Pastel Societies
Twenty Ninth Juried Exhibition
2016 Web Show
Inducted into Master Circle
International Association of Pastel Societies
Work included in “Best of Pastel” Volume 2
Pastel Workshop – PSA
National Arts Club NY
2015
Art Spirit Foundation Dianne B. Bernhard - Gold Medal Award
Curator of Awards: Linda Downs, College Art Association
43rd Annual Exhibition
Pastel Society of America
National Arts Club NY
Arc Salon Finalist - Still Life Category
Art Renewal Center – “Unity”
Arc Salon Finalist - Still Life Category
Art Renewal Center – “Depletion”
Pastel Journal
Featured Artist Article
Pastel Demonstration / PSA Annual Exhibition
National Arts Club NY
2014
Founders Award (Grand Prize)
Curator of Awards: Marjorie Shelley, Metropolitan Museum of Art
42nd Annual Exhibition
Pastel Society of America
National Arts Club NY
Butler institute of American Art
Selected Works Exhibition
Curator: Dr. Louis A. Zona
Youngstown OH
Awarded title of Master Pastelist
Pastel Society of America
2013
Pastel Society of America
41th Annual Exhibition NY
Butler Institute of American Art
Selected Group Exhibition OH
2012
American Artists Professional League Award
Pastel Society of America
40th Annual Exhibition NY
Butler Institute of American Art
Selected Group Exhibition OH
2011
Arc Salon Finalist Figurative Category
Art Renewal Center
Pastel Society of America
39th Annual Exhibition NY
Allied Artists of America
96th Annual Exhibition NY
2010
2nd Prize IAPS 17th Juried Exhibition
International Association of Pastel Societies
Arc Salon Finalist Figurative Category
Art Renewal Center
Arc Salon Finalist Still Life Category
Art Renewal Center
Pastel Society of America
38th Annual Exhibition NY
Allied Artists of America
97th Annual Exhibition NY
2009
Joseph V. Giffuni Memorial Award
Pastel Society of America
37th Annual Exhibition NY
Signature Member
Pastel Society of America
Butler Institute of American Art
Selected Group Exhibition OH
Audubon Artists
Salmagundi Club NY
Annual Exhibition
2008
Red Dot Exhibition
Art Students League NY
OTHER AWARDS
Society of Illustrators NY
Art Directors Club of New York
Communication Arts
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
National Portrait Gallery
Smithsonian Institution Washington D.C.
Francois Mitterrand - President of France
Permanent Collection
Andrew Lloyd Webber - Composer
Permanent Collection
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
United States Postal Service
AEGON Insurance Company
CLIENT LIST
TIME
U.S. News & World Report
Fortune
U.S. Postal Service
IBM
Wall Street Journal
Philadelphia Inquirer
Sports Illustrated
CBS Sports Superbowl XXI
Simon & Schuster
Bantam Doubleday Dell
St. Martin’s Press
As well as a variety of other publications and corporations both nationally and internationally.
EDUCATION
Philadelphia College of Art BFA
CONTINUED STUDIES
Art Students League of New York
New York Academy of Art
TEACHING
1987 -1992 School of Visual Arts, NY
1992 – present Private Studio/ Atelier 2018 – present The Art School at the Old Church /NJ