My life is being used to explore the artistic expression of my soul for the betterment of all around me. The artwork I create is largely automatic. My work relates to the struggles of black and brown people, women, LGBTQ people, anyone disenfranchised, disabled, objectified, outcast, and everyone society discriminates against. Aesthetic beauty with philosophical weight and immovable hope are my goals.
B. 1982, Illinois
Solo Exhibitions
2024 BudapeSt. Louis, Untitled Fine Art, St. Louis, MO
2023 Impressions of Kansas City, Kansas City Public Library, 2024 Kansas City, KS
2022 Life Lottery, Untitled Fine Art, St. Louis, MO
2021 Habitat, Angad Arts Hotel, St. Louis, MO
2021 3, 6, 9 Formations, Untitled Fine Art, St. Louis, MO
2019 Paths to the Kingdom, Parish Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2018 Notations, Twisted Pair Gallery, DuQuoin, IL
2017 Environments, Houska Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2017 Neighborhoods, Concrete Ocean Art Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2016 Dilations of Nostalgia, Serendipity Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2012 Sprayful Days, Vergette Gallery, Carbondale, IL
2012 Confluence and Cause, Art Alley Gallery, Carbondale, IL
2011 Everyday Elements, The Gallery Space, Murphysboro, IL
Group Exhibitions
2026 Winter Group Show, Untitled Fine Art, St. Louis, MO
2023 9th Annual Salon International Art Résilience, Musée de peinture de Saint-Frajou, Saint-Frajou, France
2022 Spring Show, Untitled Fine Art, St. Louis, MO
2022 8th Annual Salon International Art Résilience, Musée de peinture de Saint-Frajou, Saint-Frajou, France
2021 7th Annual Salon International Art Résilience, Musée de peinture de Saint-Frajou, Saint-Frajou, France
2021 Innovations, ISEA 30th Annual International Open Juried Exhibition, Mission Point Resort, Mackinac Island, MI
2021 Spring Acquisition, Untitled Fine Art, St. Louis, MO
2020 Art Saint Louis XXXVI, Art St. Louis, St. Louis MO
2020 International Society of Experimental Artists 29th Annual International Open Juried Exhibition, Art Gallery of St. Albert, St. Albert, Alberta, Canada (catalogue)
2020 6th Annual Salon International Art Résilience, Musée de peinture de Saint-Frajou, Saint-Frajou, France
2020 On the Surface, Attleboro Arts Museum, Attleboro, MA
2020 Five Points Small Works Juried Exhibition, Five Points Gallery, Torrington, CT
2020 Small Works Juried Exhibition, Kent State University Downtown Gallery, Kent, OH
2019 The Last Hotel Grand Opening Exhibition, The Last Hotel, St. Louis, MO
2019 2019 Summer Group Show, Houska Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2019 ALL Cityscapes Art Competition & Exhibition, Contemporary Art Gallery Online
2019 Urban, Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building, St. Charles Community College, St. Charles, MO
2018 Quadratfuß International Juried Exhibition 2018, Gallery 66, San Fidel, NM
(catalogue)
2018 Symbolic, Art Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO
2018 Group Exhibition, Houska Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2017 International Society of Experimental Artists 26th Annual Juried Exhibition, Big Arts Center for the Arts, Sanibel, FL
*juried by Jade Dellinger, Director of Bob Rauschenberg Gallery (catalogue)
2017 Eclipse, Art Hack Day, @4240 Building, Cortex District, St. Louis, MO
*installation in collaboration with Robin Rath
2017 Group Exhibition, Houska Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2016 Ceramic Tile Juried Exhibition, Pewabic Art Center, Detroit, MI
2016 Superstars, Houska Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2016 Bank of the Arts National Juried Exhibition, Craven Arts Council, New Bern, NC
2016 Art @Des Peres Hospital Exhibition, Des Peres Hospital, St. Louis, MO
(catalogue)
2016 Quadratfuß Juried Exhibition, NX² Gallery, Berlin, Germany (catalogue)
Exhibitions (Curation)
2021 “Aesthetics of Mis (use): Degraded Neo-Minimalist Metal and Wood Dimensional Sculpture,” Jay Hall, Untitled Fine Art, St. Louis, MO, Co-Curator, 09/11–10/08/2021.
2021 “3, 6, 9 Formations,” J.B. Nearsy, Untitled Fine Art, St. Louis, MO, Co-Curator, 06/12-08/07/2021.
Residencies
2023 Artist Residency, Hungarian Multicultural Center, Budapest, Hungary
Awards
2023 Artist Support Grant, Regional Arts Commission, St. Louis, MO
2020 Merit Award, International Society of Experimental Artists 29th Annual International Juried Exhibition
2020 June Artist of the Month, Envision Arts, www.envisionartshow.com
2019 Fifth Place, ALL Cityscapes 2019 Art Competition & Exhibition, Contemporary Art Gallery Online
2019 Metroscapes Contest Award Winner, Metroscapes Arts in Transit Competition
2018 Second Place, Quadratfuß International Juried Exhibition 2018, Gallery 66, San Fidel, NM
2016 Honorable Mention, Ruin and Revival Juried Exhibition, Framations Gallery, St. Charles, MO
Gallery Affiliation
Untitled Fine Art, St. Louis, MO
Cerebra Gallery, Kansas City, MO
Corporate Collections
St. Louis Mercantile Library, St. Louis, MO
Angad Arts Hotel, St. Louis, MO
Clayton Behavioral, Ladue, MO
RP Coatings, Murphysboro, IL
Private Collections
Atlanta, GA
Denver, CO
Austin, TX
Ladue, MO
St. Louis, MO
Chicago, IL
Carbondale, IL
Murphysboro, IL
Washington, DC
Ft. Myers, FL
Colorado Springs, CO
Denver, CO
Commissions & Public Art
2023-25 [God] “nears” [God], public service murals, St. Louis, MO
2019 MetroScapes, Arts in Transit, Inc., St. Louis, MO
2019 Chop, Chop, Chili, Nestle Purina Petcare Company, research team mural, St. Louis, MO
2017 Corporate Art Commission, Bloxels, color selection and application of 86 new product color possibilities, St. Louis, MO
2016 SoHo Mural, Social House Bar and Martini Lounge, Carbondale, IL
2015 Town Brewing History Mural, Brews Brothers Taproom, Murphysboro, IL
2015 Jane’s, Jane’s Consignment, Carbondale, IL
2014 Troubled Waters Mural, The Heavy Anchor, St. Louis, MO
Creative Direction/Design
Graff Builder (creative mobile application)
Dopamine Recital (design/fashion)
Professional Organizations
International Society of Experimental Artists
La Résilience en Art
Community and Social Cause Involvement
World Pediatric Project, volunteer and teacher
Little Bit of Haven Temporary Medical Housing, volunteer and teacher
Acts 1:8 Mission Society Charity Dinner and Auction, auction
The art of PAWS, auctions
NAMI Annual Gala, auction
Divinemoira Art for the Angels, auction
Bibliography
Michael Hanna, “J.B. Nearsy,” Artist Feature Catalog 10 (2025): 88-91.
Canvas Rebel Magazine, “Meet J.B. Nearsy”, Canvas Rebel Magazine, 17 October 2022, https://canvasrebel.com/meet-j-b-nearsy/
Voyage STL Magazine, “Life & Work with JB Nearsy”, Voyage Magazine, 9 September 2021. Web. 10 September 2021, https://voyagestl.com/interview/life-work-with-j-b-nearsy-wright-of-benton-park-west/.
Cover and Featured Artist, Envision Arts Magazine Volume 5, 2020
Life at Southern. “Social House Mural Time Lapse.” YouTube. YouTube, 2 July 2015. Web. 19 October 2015, https://youtu.be/8gM6-wQ6tyY .