Michael Ferris
miferrisjr@yahoo.com
michaelferrisart.com
One Person Exhibitions
2021 Extra-Human: The Art of Michael Ferris, The Museum for Art in Wood,
Philadelphia, PA
2014 Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL
Rockford University, Rockford, IL
2012 Kindred: Sculpture & Process Drawings, Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL
Lehman College, Bronx, NY
2010 Figurative Sculpture and Drawings, George Adams Gallery, NYC
Sculpture and Process Drawings, Packer Schopf Gallery, Chicago, IL
2009 Edinboro University, Edinboro, PA
Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI
Hope College, Holland, MI
2008 New Sculpture, George Adams Gallery, New York, NY
2007 Works on Paper, Packer Schopf Gallery, Chicago, IL
2006 As Beautiful As, ATM gallery , New York, NY
2005 Monsters and Immortals, Aron Packer Gallery, Chicago, IL
2003 The Artist’s Studio, Aron Packer Gallery, Chicago, IL
Roswell Museum and Art Center, Roswell, NM
Paintings, Sculpture and Drawings, Quincy Art Center, Quincy, IL
2002 The Artist's Studio, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL
Preparatory Graphics, Illinois Institute of Art, Chicago, IL
The Ongoing Narrative, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL
2001 Heads - New Sculpture, Wood Street Gallery, Chicago, IL
New Work, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS
1999 Portraits, Wood Street Gallery, Chicago, IL
1997 New Work, Wood Street Gallery, Chicago, IL
1996 MFA Thesis Exhibition, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Selected Group Exhibitions
2025 The Elizabeth Raphael Founder's Prize Award Exhibition (upcoming),
Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA
Busted (upcoming), Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, MI
2024 Craftforms, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
The Art Of Craftsmanship, Peters Valley School of Craft, Layton, NJ
2021 Height X Width X Depth, Bradbury Art Museum, Jonesboro, AK
2017 Facial Profiling, C24 Gallery, NY, NY
2016 NYFA Hall of Fame Gala 2016, Pop-up Exhibition, 583 Park Avenue, NY, NY
Face To Face: Artists' Self-Portraits from the Collection of Jackye and Curtis
Finch, Julie Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn, AL
Changes: New Identities, Ideologies and Technologies, NYFA McKinsey &
Company, NY, NY
2015 Triacontagon: A celebration of 30 Years of the NYFA Artists’ Fellowship Program,
Westbeth Gallery, NY, NY
Face To Face: Artists' Self-Portraits from the Collection of Jackye and Curtis
Finch, The Baker Museum, Naples, FL
2014 Woodpeckers, Glike Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Portraits, Expanded, Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, Brattleboro, VT
Face to Face, Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, MT
Bronx Speaks: No Boundries, Bronx Museum, Bronx, NY
2013 Eye to I...3,000 Years of Portraits, Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY
Face To Face: Artists' Self-Portraits from the Collection of Jackye and Curtis
Finch, Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, AR
Context - Miami, Packer Schopf Gallery, Miami, FL
2012 An Exhibition of YoungArts Alumni, Northern Trust Art Gallery, Chicago, IL
Anonymous: The Contemporary Portrait, Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, NY
Core 77: Five Boroughs-Five Designers, New York, NY
Linked, Purdue University Art Gallery, West Lafayette, IN
Home Is Where the Bronx Is, Longwood Art Gallery, Hostos College, Bronx, NY
Form Follows Figure, Northeastern Illinois University Art Gallery, Chicago, IL
2011 In The House, Northern Illinois Unversity Art Museum, Dekalb, IL
Hand Space/Mind Space, Gallery for Contemporary Art, Indiana Univ. Northwest,
Gary, IN
Inked: Tattoo Imagery in Contemporary Art, Northern Illinois Univ., Dekalb, IL
The Uncommon Portrait, Portsmouth Museum of Art, Portsmouth, NH
Size Matters, George Adams Gallery, New York, NY
2010 Pulse Fair, Packer Schopf Gallery-Chicago, Miami, FL
stAGES of Transition, Northern Illinois University Art Museum, Dekalb, IL
Beat 2 the X, Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, IN
Cover Stories: The Art of the Book Jacket, Printworks Gallery, Chicago, IL
New and Classic, George Adams Gallery, New York, NY
Art Chicago, Packer Schopf Gallery, Chicago, IL
The Figure Five Ways, Skidmore College, Schick Gallery, Saratoga Springs, NY
REAL(ists), Ringling College of Art and Design, Selby Galleries, Sarasota, FL
2009 Anthem: an all-american dystopia, Longwood Gallery, Hostos College, Bronx, NY
Gallery Artists, George Adams Gallery, New York, NY
The Poetic Dialogue Project, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH
The Poetic Dialogue Project, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN
The Poetic Dialogue Project, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago IL
Coming Attractions, Bucheon Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2008 2008 Collector's Show, Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AR
Aqua Art Fair, Miami FL, Bucheon Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Art Chicago 2008, George Adams Gallery, Chicago, IL
2007 Art Miami, George Adams Gallery, Miami, FL
DIALOGUES:Heads, George Adams Gallery, New York NY
Sosabeol International Art Expo, GyeongGi-do, Korea
The Besser Collection, de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA
Roswell Artist-in-Residence Program 40th Anniversary, Roswell Museum & Art Center, Roswell, NM
Figure This, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX
Art Chicago 2007, George Adams Gallery, Chicago, IL
Bridge Art Fair 2007, Packer Schopf Gallery, Chicago, IL
2006 2006 Collector's Show, Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AR
NADA Art Fair, ATM gallery, Miami, FL
Bridge Art Fair 06, Aron Packer Gallery, Miami, FL
Drawing Discoveries, The Arts Center, St. Petersburg, FL
Tomorrow's Drawing Today, Turner Carroll Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
ATM Art Fair, Painting Group Show, ATM Gallery, New York, NY
Group Show, George Adams Gallery, New York, NY
Inner Limits, Abrons Arts Center, New York, NY
Shot in the Arm, Northern Illinois University, NIU Museum, Dekalb, IL
2005 Art Chicago, Aron Packer Gallery, Chicago, IL
“Face Paint” a portrait show, Bucheon Gallery, San Francisco, CA
American Academy of Arts and Letters, Painting and Sculpture Exhibition, New
York, NY
Reconfigure, ADA Gallery, Richmond, VA
Out of the Ordinary: The Collection of John Beck, Indiana University,
Bloomington, IN
2004 Queens International, Queens Museum,Flushing, NY
Frisbee Art Fair, Aron Packer Gallery, Miami, FL
Irrational Exuberance, Stefan Stux Gallery, New York, NY
Only Human, Van Brunt Gallery, New York, NY
Recognize, ADA Gallery, Richmond, VA
Not of Iron, Illinois State Museum - Rend Lake, IL
All About Drawing, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
2003 Not of Iron, Illinois State Museum - Springfield, IL
Not of Iron, Illinois State Museum - Lockport, IL
About Face: Contemporary Portraits, University of Southern Indiana, New
Harmony, IN
Transition, Indiana University-Northwest, Gary, IN
2002 Not of Iron, Illinois State Museum - Chicago, IL
SOFA fair, Aron Packer Gallery, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
Ferris, A Family of Artists, Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL
1st LUC Print Biennial, Loyola University, Chicago, IL
2001 Skin Deep, The Islip Museum of Art, Islip, NY
Snow Globes Invitational, Lyonswier Gallery, Chicago, IL
Americas 2000, Minot State University, Minot, ND
Narrative Sampler, Lyonswier Packer Gallery, Chicago, IL
2000 Area 2000, Aurora University, Aurora, Illinois
Small Works 23rd National, Harper College, Palatine, IL
Mirror on the Millennium: Self-Portraits, Quincy Art Center, Quincy, IL
6th Great Plains National, Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS
Peck Arts Center National, Central Wyoming College, Riverton, WY
Gallery Artists, Wood Street Gallery, Chicago, IL
Plain Art 2000, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS
1999 Vicinity 1999, Norris Cultural Arts Center, St. Charles, IL
18th Annual Hoyt National, The Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, New Castle, PA
ANA 28, Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT
The 49th Annual Quad-State Art Exhibition, Quincy Art Center, Quincy, IL
1998 Small Packages, Wood Street Gallery, Chicago, IL
Sculptural Narrative, Suburban Fine Arts Center, Highland Park, IL
Grants / Awards
2024 Virginia A. Groot A. Groot Foundation, Second place grant
BRIO Grant in Drawing, Bronx Council on the Arts, Bronx, NY
2021 BRIO Grant in Sculpture, Bronx Council on the Arts, Bronx, NY
2013 Saltonstall Residency, Ithaca, NY
2012 Arts-in-Education Grant, Bronx Council on the Arts, Bronx, NY
Arts Fund Grant, Bronx Council on the Arts/ DCA, Bronx, NY
SPARC Grant, Bronx Council on the Arts/ DCA, Bronx, NY
2011 BRIO Grant in Sculpture, Bronx Council on the Arts, Bronx, NY
Sculpture Space Residency, Utica, NY
2009 New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), Fellowship in Sculpture
BRIO Grant in Sculpture, Bronx Council on the Arts, Bronx, NY
2005 George Sugarman Foundation Grant, Novato, CA
2004 Henry Street Settlement Artist-in-Residence Program, NY, NY
2003 Marie Walsh Sharpe Space Program, NY, NY
2002 Roswell Artist-in-Residence, Roswell Museum Foundation, Roswell, NM
Emerging Artist Grant, American Craft Council, NY, NY
1999 Illinois Arts Council Fellowship
Vicinity 1999, NCAC, St. Charles, IL
1997 Community Arts Assistant Program Grant, Chicago Dept. of Cultural Affairs
1991 Peter T. Bowen Drawing Competition Award, KCAI
1988 Liquitex Product Scholarship Award
1987 Kansas City Art Institute Full Tuition Scholarship
YoungArts, National Foundation for the Advancements in the Arts, Miami, FL
Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Washington D.C.
Professional / Teaching Experience
2011-present
College Now, University Heights High School, Bronx NY, (Teaching drawing, painting, art history)
2024
Community Portraits Workshop, NYPL Morris Park Bronx, (taught classes in portrature with Rosemarie Fiore, workshop funded by BCA Arts Fund grant)
2011-2019
JASA, Van Courtland Senior Center, Bronx NY, (taught classes in painting and drawing. In 2012 taught multiple session workshop funded by BCA / DCA SPARC grant)
2011-2018
Arturo A. Schomburg Satellite Academy, Bronx, NY, (taught painting, drawing, sculpture and ceramic classes.
In 2012 taught multiple session workshop on the graphic novel funded by a BCA / DCA Arts in Education Grant.)
2012-16
Artists' Advisory Committee, New York Foundation for the Arts.(NYFA), NYC
2016
Panelist, Fiscal Sponsorship Panel- April, NYFA New York Foundation for the Arts, NYC
2015
Panelist, Fiscal Sponsorship Panel- Oct, NYFA New York Foundation for the Arts, NYC
Panelist, Fiscal Sponsorship Panel- April, NYFA New York Foundation for the Arts, NYC
Panelist, Fiscal Sponsorship Panel - Jan, NYFA New York Foundation for the Arts, NYC
2014
Artist Lecture, Rockford University, Rockford, IL
Panel Process Observer, Drawing, Printmaking and Bookmaking Panel, NYFA New York Foundation for the Arts, NYC
2013
Artist Lecture, New York Studio Residency Program, Brooklyn, NY
Artist Lecture, Lehman College, Bronx, NY
Panel Process Observer, Photography, NYFA New York Foundation for the Arts, NYC
Panelist, Emergency Relief Fund- March, NYFA New York Foundation for the Arts, NYC
2012-2013
Mind-builders Creative Arts Center, Bronx NY (multiple session workshop funded by BCA Arts Fund Grant)
2012
Bronx High School for the Visual Arts, Bronx, NY (drawing workshop)
Panelist, NYFA Emergency Relief Fund – Dec, New York Foundation for the Arts, NYC
Artist Lecture, Bronx Museum of Art, 1040 Lounge Art Lecture Series, Bronx, NY
Sculpture Demo, youth fine arts program, Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL
Artist Lecture, Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL
Drawing and Sculpture Demo, Lehman College, Bronx, NY
Artist Lecture, Lehman College, Bronx, NY
Drawing Demo, Northeastern University, Chicago, IL
2011
Visiting Artist and Lecture, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
Panelist, New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), Sculpture Fellowships, NYC
Panelist, Residencies, Columbia University, NYC
Drawing Demo, WCC - SUNY- Center for the Arts, White Plains, NY
2010
Panelist, Individual Artist Grants, Ohio State Council for the Arts, Columbus, OH
Visiting Artist, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL
Visiting Artist, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL
Artist Lecture & Drawing Demo, Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove, IL
Artist Lecture, Live Skype Talk, Wexner Center for The Arts, Columbus, OH
Artist Lecture, Westchester Comm. College-Center for the Arts, White Plains, NY
2009 - 2010
WCC SUNY, Center for the Arts, White Plains, NY, (taught basic drawing, painting & sculpture )
2009
Visiting Artist and Lecture, Edinboro University, Edinboro, PA
Visiting Artist and Lecture, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI
Visiting Artist and Lecture, Hope College, Holland, MI
Visiting Artist and Lecture, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL
2008
Visiting Artist and Lecture, South Carolina University, Columbia, SC
Panelist, Ohio State Expo, Ohio State Council for the Arts, Columbus, OH
2006
Artist Lecture, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL
Artist Lecture, Hunter College, New York, NY
Panelist, CUNY Research Awards in the Arts, New York, NY
2005
Artist Lecture, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX
Artist Lecture, The Chicago Academy for the Arts, Chicago, IL
2004
Visiting Artist and Lecture, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL
Visiting Artist and Lecture, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR
Artist Lecture, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
Visiting Artist and Lecture, Western Illinois University, Macomb, I
2001
Visiting Artist and Lecture, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS
Artist Lecture, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, M
2001 - 2000
Visiting Assistant Professor (full-time), Illinois State University, Normal, IL (taught painting and drawing)
1997 - 2000
Visiting Assistant Professor (full-time), Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL (taught painting and drawing)
1997
Visiting Artist and Lecture, Illinois Institute of Art, Chicago, IL
Visiting Artist and Lecture, Centre College, Danville, KY
Artist Lecture, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL
1996
Chicago Academy for the Arts, summer program, (taught drawing workshop)
Bibliography
Collin Knoff, “The Art of Michael Ferris” Popular Woodworking, 2022
Darnelle Radford, Interview with Michael Ferris, Broad Street Review, 2022
Corey Qureshi, “Carved with Love: The Center for Art in Wood presents Extra-Human: The Art of Michael Ferris”, Broad Street Review, 2022
The Figure, Painting, Drawing and Sculpture, Rizzoli, 2014
Face to Face, Catalog, Yellowstone Museum of Art, 2014
Voynovskaya, Nastia, Michael Ferris Jr's Reclaimed Wood Sculptures, Hi Fructose Magazine online, August, 2013
Hey! Magazine, Modern Art & Pop Culture, Paris, France, 2013
Hodara, Susan, Seeing and Being Seen, Across Millenniums, A Review of 'Eye to I...3,000 Years of Portraits,' at the Katonah Museum, New York Times, Nov, 15 2013
Eye to I...3,000 Years of Portraits, Catalog, Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY
Face To Face, Catalog, Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, AR, 2013
Ise, Claudine, "The adventurously atypical Elmhurst Art Museum", The Chicago Tribune, August 8, 2012
Samuels, Tanyanika, "That Heady Feeling", The New York Daily News, Feb 17 2012
BronxNet Community Television interview, Open 2.0, March, 2012
Hildwine, Jeriah, Gallery Roundup: The Body, Chicago Art Magazine, October 11, 2010
Creo Magazine, Salvaged Narratives, Fall, 2009
Ruble, Casey. Review for Kelli Williams at Leo Koenig Gallery, Art in America, October 2007
The Besser Collection Catalog, DeYoung Museum, 2007
McGarrell, Ann. "The Roswell Artist-in-Residence Program: An Anecdotal History." Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2007
Weinberg, Lauren. “Monsters and Immortals”, Time Out Chicago, Chicago, IL, Nov 10-17,2005
Roberts-Pullen, Paulette. “Mind over Matter”, Style Weekly, Richmond, VA April 13 2005
Robinson, Walter. Queens International, Queens Museum, Artnet, New York, NY, Nov 22, 2004
Gibson, Lydia. “Spiritualizing the Wood”, Chicago Journal, Chicago, IL, Nov 13, 2003
Camper, Fred. “Critic’s Choice - Michael Ferris Jr.”, Chicago Reader, Chicago, IL, Nov 7, 2003
Thodos, Diane. "The Artist's Studio (Revisited)", Art Critical.com, October, 2003
Bates, Geoffrey. “Not of Iron”, The Living Museum Magazine, Illinois State Museum, Spring 2003
Brunetti, John. “Rearview Mirror; Not of Iron”, Dialogue Magazine, Columbus, OH, March, 2003
Thodos, Diane. “Chicago’s Finest; The Ferris Family Affair with Art”, CAC Chicago Artists’ News, Chicago IL, March 2003
Glatt, Cara. “Illinois Artists Take on Postmodern Culture”, Hyde Park Herald, Chicago, IL, Jan 15, 03
Camper, Fred. “Critic’s Choice - Not of Iron”, Chicago Reader, Chicago, IL, Jan 10, 2003
Isaacs, Deanna. “The Readers Guide to Arts and Entertainment”, The Chicago Reader, Chicago, IL, Nov, 29 2002
Pritsker, Ellen. “Art Turns the Ferris Wheel”, Pioneer Press, Evanston, IL, Nov 28, 2002
Stein, Lisa. “A Similar Artistic Muse Propels The Ferris Family”, Chicago Tribune, Chicago, IL, Nov 22, 2002
Keating, Nancy. Art Review: “Skin Deep” at Islip Art Museum, Islip Bulletin, Islip, NY, Dec 13, 2001
Stapley, Caprice. "A Dichotomy of Human Experience and the Unnoticed" The Review
Kansas City, MO, May 2001
Stein, Lisa. "These Sculptures Tell Tales" Pioneer Press, Highland Park, IL, May 28, 1998
Rueter, Thad "State of the Arts; The Most Notable Gallery Shows" Bloomington Voice, Bloomington, IN, April 25 - May 2, 1996
Calhoon, Sharon L. "Still Saying WOW; Larger than Life Talent" Nuvo Newsweekly, Indianapolis, IN, April 18-25, 1996
Education
1996 - MFA, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
1991 - BFA, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Missouri
1990 - Brighton Polytechnic, Brighton, England