Born

Louisville Kentucky 1982

Senior Lecturer, Univerity of Kentucky 2014-Present

Education

2012 - Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, Maine
2011 - M.F.A. Fine Arts, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2005 - B.F.A. University of Louisville, Kentucky

Artist in Residence

Kaaysá Art Residency, Boiçucanga, Brazil 2024
Walkaway House, North Adams MA 2024
Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Mt. San Angelo VA 2021 & 2022
Visual Muze Residency, West Harlem Art Fund, Governor’s Island, NYC 2022
Joseph A Fiore Art Center at the Maine Farmland Trust, Belfast Maine 2020
Vermont Studio Center,
Johnson, VT, 2019, 2018 & 2015
MASS MoCA, North Adams, Massachusetts, 2016
Jentel Foundation, Banner, WY 2016
Millay Colony for the Arts, Austerlitz, NY, 2015
Yaddo, Saratoga Springs, NY, 2014
Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center, Washington DC, 2014
MacDowell Colony, Peterborough, New Hampshire, 2013
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, Maine 2012
서울시 창작공간 Seoul Art Space Geumcheon, Seoul, Korea 2012

Solo / Two Person Exhibitions


The Kentuckian

2022 West Sixth Brewing, Lexington KY
2021 Maine Farmland Trust Gallery, Belfast, ME

Why buy the cow

2021 The Sheldon Gallery, St Louis MO
2021 Pace Gallery, Southern Indiana University, Evensville, IN
2020 Institute 193, Lexington KY
2019 Food Connection, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY
2018 University of New Mexico-Taos, Taos, NM

Cinco Etapas del Duelo: Reflections

2016 Bodley Bullock House, Junior League of Lexington, Lexington, KY
2015 Swanson Reed Contemporary, Louisville Photo Biennale, Louisville Ky

Tooth & Nail

2014 Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, Ca

The Inherent Pull

2010 Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Pittsburgh, Pa

Neither Here Nor There

2009 Zephyr Gallery, Louisville Ky

Can you hear me yes I can hear you

2008 Swanson Reed Contemporary, Louisville, Ky

One Step Back

2007 - 930 Mary Art Center, Louisville, Ky

Select Group Exhibitions / Screenings


2025

Documenting Kentucky:  Three Photographic Surveys, Frazier Museum, Louisville KY

2024

Labor & Materials, 21C Museum Hotel, Lexington KY
Governor's Derby Exhibition, Kentucky State Capitol, Frankfort KY

2023

The Elastic Mind, The South Gallery, Broward College, Miami FL

2022

Labor & Materials, 21C Museum Hotel, Kansas City MA
Art that Marks Time, West Harlem Art Fund, Governor’s Island NP/10, NYC
UL Hite Art Institute 75th Anniversary Alumni Exhibition, Cressman Center, Louisville KY

2020

BallotBox, Louisville Metro Hall, Commission on Public Art, Louisville KY
BallotBox, 21c Museum Hotel, Louisville KY

2019

Opposite Walls, Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture Foundation, NYC
Environment Documenta, LoosenArt, Rome Italy
Lest We Forget, Video Collection, 21 Museum Hotel Lexington, KY
In Relation to the Land, Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO
Ugliness, Latitude, Chicago IL
Screening, Lincoln Short Film Fest, Lincoln NE
State of Photography, Louisville Photo Biennial, The Galleries at Georgetown College, KY
Time, Parachute Factory, Lexington Ky

2018

Origins of the American-Style Donut II, Steel House Projects Rockland ME
Modern Tribalism, Woody Gaddis Gallery, Dept of Mass Communications, University of Central Oklahoma OK
Cube Art Project, One year public screening, Director’s Choice Award, City of Lincoln, Lincoln NE
Film Screening, SPE Midwest Regional Conference UK, Lexington, KY
Welcome Home, The Galleries at Georgetown College, Georgetown KY
Raw Hide, Neon Heater, Finlay, OH
Wish you were here, East/West Galleries, Texas Woman's University, Denton TX

2017

Intimate View, Garner Center, New England School of Photography, Boston MA
Biennial 29, South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend, IN
Faculty Series: Vol.1, Bolivar Gallery, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY
Personals, Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture New York Space, NYC
Demographically Speaking, Curated by Daniel Pfalzgraf, Lexington Art League, Lexington, KY

2016

Supermarket 2016, Stockholm Independent Art Fair, Stockholm, Sweden
Screening, Lexington Film League Showcase: James R Southard, Lexington 21C Museum Hotel, Lexington KY 2016
Hole History Show, Asymmetrick Arts, Rockland Maine
Inaugural Exhibition, 21C Museum Hotel, Lexington KY

2015

Kingston Sculpture Biennial, Kingston NY
MWSPE Invitational, Cressman Center for the Visual Arts, Louisville KY
6th International Videoart Festival of Camagüey, Camagüey, Cuba
Archive Exhibition, Louden House, Lexington Art League, Lexington KY
Cinema Killed the Video Star, PUBLIC Contemporary Art Space, Louisville KY

2014

SkowheganPERFORMS, Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City, New York
Transformations, Cur: Jeffrey Skinner & Laura Skinner, Pyro Gallery, Louisville KY

2013

Screening, 5th International Videoart Festival of Camagüey, Camagüey, Cuba
This house is just like your house: Works from Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, Screening, Maine Int'l. Film Festival, Waterville Me
Louisville Visual Arts Association 2013 Photo Biennial, Louisville, Ky
Friend-Field, Collaboration w/ Felipe Castelblanco, Sprout Grant, Bloomfield & Garfield, Pittsburgh Pa

2012

서울시 창작공간 Seoul Art Space Geumcheon, Seoul, South Korea
Making it: Now! Hite Gallery, University of Louisville, Louisville Ky
Screening, The Drift, Allegany River, Pittsburgh Pa

2011

Participant in BYOB Venezia, Internet Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Venice Italy
Chain Letter: Boston, Samsøn, Boston, Ma
Screening, Two-Minute Film Festival, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh Pa
New Insight Exhibition, Art Chicago, Chicago IL
Up Down Up Down, MFA Thesis Exhibition, Miller Gallery, Pittsburgh Pa

2010 & Earlier

Hel·Pitts·Sinki·Burgh Collaboration, Galleria Fafa, Finnish Academy of Art, Helsinki Finland
BYOB, Space Gallery, Pittsburgh Pa
Moscow International Biennale For Young Art "Qui Vive?", Moscow, Russia
Art Scouts, Arlington Arts Center, Arlington Va
Paducah Photo 2010, Yeiser Art Center, Paducah Ky
Quite in the Land?, Future Tenant, Pittsburgh Pa
Rehearse, Rewind, Repeat, Ohio University Seigfred Gallery, Athens, Oh
Infinity, UnSmoke Artspace, Braddock Pa
Athens Video Art Festival, City of Athens, Greece
Pittsburgh Billboard Arts, The city of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Pa
New Members Exhibition, Zephyr Gallery, Louisville Ky
Masters Mystery Art Show, Florida International University, Miami, Fl
LexArt: Photography: What Now?, Louden House, Lexington, Ky
A Collection of Memory, Rererato Gallery, Portland Or

Teaching/Lecture/Panelist

Senior Lecturer, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 2014 - Present
Artist Lecture, 21C Museum Hotel, Lexington & Louisville KY 2024
Artist Lecture, U.S. Army Cadet Command, Fort Knox Army Base, KY 2023
Exhibition Committee, Exhibition on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery AL March, Hall Heritage Center at Campsite, Selma Alabama 2022-2023
Artist Lecture, University of Southern Indiana, School of Art, Evansville IN 2021
Visiting Artist Lecture, The Sheldon Gallery, St. Louis, MO 2021
MacDowell Colony Fellowship Executive Committee Workshare Lecture, July 2020
Curator and Educator, Shelter in Place, Parachute Factory, 2020
Conference Lecture, Society for Photographic Education Mid West Regional Conference, Milwaukee WI 2019
Visiting Artist Lecture, Department of Art and Design, University of Southern Indiana 2019
Participating Presenter, PechaKucha presentation, Bemis, Omaha Creative Institute & The Union, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha NE 2018
Visiting Lecture, School for the Creative Performing Arts, Lexington, Ky 2017
Visual Arts Fellowship Jury, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson VT 2016 & 2017
Judge, 4th & 5th Annual Young Artists Competition, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY 2016 & 2017
Curator & Teacher, Dreamwork, Collaboration between A-S 385 Digital Methods course, DanceBlue & UK Children’s Hospital Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic. Lexington KY 2017
Screening & Lecture, Lexington Film League Showcase: James R Southard, Lexington 21C Museum Hotel, Lexington KY 2016
Visiting Lecture, Sheridan Artists' Guild, Sheridan WY 2016
Southeastern Regional Liaison, Fellows Executive Committee, MacDowell Colony, NYC 2014
Adjunct Professor, Bellarmine University, Louisville, Ky, Fall 2013
Adjunct Professor, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pa, Fall 2012 & Spring 2013
Adjunct Professor, Hite Art Institute at University of Louisville, Louisville Ky 2011
Adjunct Professor, Kentucky School of Art at Spalding University, Louisville Ky 2011
Scholarship Panel; Photography, Scholastic Art Award, Louisville Metor Region, Louisville KY 2015
VisitingClass Critic, Photography Dept, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Oh, 2013
Independent Study Advisor, School of Art, Carnegie Mellon University,Pittsburgh Pa, Spring 2013
Visiting Lecturer, A Residency's Influence, Kentucky School of Art, Louisville, KY 2014
Visiting Class Lecturer, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 2014
Visiting Class Lecturer, Pace University-New York City, NYC 2014
Visiting Lecturer, Osher Lifelong Learning Inst @ Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh Pa 2012
Visiting Lecturer, Tooth & Nail, Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea 2012
Visiting Lecturer, Tooth & Nail, Kaywon School of Art & Design, Anyang, Korea, 2012
Visiting Lecturer, Tooth & Nail, Seoul Art Space Geumcheon, Seoul, Korea 2012
Visiting Lecturer, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School, Midland PA 2011
Judge, St. James' Art Scholarship Committee, Louisville Ky 2011
Instructor, CFAC, Louisville Visual Arts Association, Louisville Ky 2011
Instructor, 2D: Imaging Photography Seminars, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA 2011
Pre-college Instructor, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA 2010
Teaching Assistant, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA 2008-2011
Photography Instructor, Kentucky Youth Associates, Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville KY 2008
Photo Editor, Bejeezus Magazine, Louisville KY 2007-2008


Commissioned Works

Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Limited Print Run, Fundraiser for EKY Flood Victims, KY 2022
Mayoral Portrait, Jim Gray, City Hall, Lexington KY 2021
Commissioned Portrait Series, Lexington Community Creatives, 21C Museum Hotel, KY 2021
Kentucky Editor, Lenscratch States Project, Lenscratch Fine Art Photography Daily. www.lenscratch.com 2019
Contributing Writer and Photographer, Five Lakes, Twenty Seven Artists, Three Weeks, UnderMain, Under-main.com Kentucky 2019
Contributing Writer and Photographer, James’s X-Country Art Journey, Burnaway, Atlanta GA 2018
Contributing Writer, Southern Artist on NYC and what could have been; Bulletin #13, Droste Effect Magazine, NYC 2018
Contributing Photographer, Art Basel is Decadent and Depraved , Bitter Southerner, Online Publication, Atlanta, GA 2017
Contributing Writer, The PAPER, Louisville KY Jan 2012 - June 2012
Contributing Photographer, Weird Kentucky, Sterling Publishing, New York, New York 2007
Photo Essay, Birthplace of a Kentucky Original. Bejeezus Magazine, Louisville, Ky, Aug 2007
Photo Editor, Bejeezus Magazine, Louisville Ky 2007-2008


Bibliography

Radio Interview, Arts Connect, WEKU, NPR, May 2024
Podcast Interview, ARTthrob Arts Radio Hour, Kate Savage May 2024
You should have seen it: Lost/ Destroyed Artwork Zine, Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture NYC, Jan 2024
You might need a microscope and a history book to appreciate every detail of former Lexington Mayor Jim Gray’s official Portrait
, WUKY NPR Radio, Lexington KY, Aug 2023
On on the Walls: Rob Southard's Bluegrass Portraits Series highlights Lexington Treasure, Ace Magazine, Magazine and website, July 2022
Kentucky National Guard documented in Kentucky visual history series, KY National Guard Newsletter, ky.ng.mil, Nov 23rd 2021
Exhibit features work from resident artists from 2020, SunJournal.com, Jan 25th 2021
Artebella on the Radio: ArtxFM Radio Interview for Ballotbox Exhibition
, LVAA PUBLIC Radio Show, ArtxFM online radio, Sept 24th 2020
Q&A, Artist Check-In, 21C Museum Hotels.com, July & Sept 2020, Louisville Kentucky
Featured Photographer, State Project; Kentucky, Lenscratch, May 2019
Radio Interview, Eastern Standard, WEKU, NPR, July 11th 2019
Featured Exhibition Artist, Shift, Light Leaked Mag, Feb 2018
Featured Artist, Oxford American, Winter Issue, Conway AR 2017
Featured Artist, Wotisart Magazine, United Kingdom October 2017
Featured Artist, A5 Magazine, United Kingdom, June 2017
Featured Artist, Vignette: James R Southard, Artebella, Louisville Visual Arts Association, June 19th 2018
Featured Artist, Average Art Magazine, What is Art? United Kingdom, Dec 2016
Sited, Rödén, Ida. “Artist Residency – none are alike” Art Magazine Volume, www.volym.info, Stockholm, Sweden. Vintage 13 2015
Program Manager’s Pick, March Snapshots: Photography’s Shifting Landscape, Divya Rao Heffley, Programe Manager, Hillman Photo Initiative, Carnegie Museum of Art Blog. Apr 2nd 2015
Southard, James. "PARTY" make8elievemag, www.make8elieve.com, Ohio & Switzerland March issue 2014
Tripolett, Jo Anne. "Behind the Scenes: Photographer JRS lets us in on his process" Leo Weekly Journal. Jan 1st 2014 Louisville KY
Pabis, Ania & Southard, James. "People will laugh". EIN Magazine, Fall 2013 Issue, Berlin, Germany 2013
NPR Radio Interview on young professionals and college debt, Essential Pittsburgh, , May 10th 2013
"News at Noon" TV interview, WHAS11, Louisville Ky, Oct 4th 2013
ArtxFM Radio Interview on Studio Practices, LVAA PUBLIC Radio Show, ArtxFM online radio, Oct 4th 2013
Playpanopticon, Monthly Art Magazine, Seoul, South Korea, Apr 2012
Reaves, Kelly. “Kelly’s Artropolis Picks.” GapersBlock.com, Chicago Illinois, 29th April 2011
Shaw, Kurt. "Review - Exhibits at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, a collection of viewpoints." Pittsburgh Tribune, 2nd June 2010
Thomas, Mary. "Art Reviews: Exhibit creates cool spot to explore at Center for the Arts." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2nd June 2010
People-Watching, Courier Journal, Louisville Ky Dec 28 2007
Heilenman, Diane. "Body Anxious: Critic's Pick" Courier Journal, Louisville Ky July 22nd 2007
Southard, James. (Photo Essay), "Birthplace of a Kentucky Original". Bejeezus Magazine, Louisville, Ky, Aug 2007
WDC Photoshop Challenge, What Digital Camera Magazine, Haywards Heath, England, June 2007
Profile: James R. Southard, Velocity Weekly, Louisville, Ky March 2007
Tarcography, Leo Weekly Magazine, Louisville, Kentucky, April 2005

Awards, Collections & Honors

Travel Grant, Great Meadows Foundation, KY 2016,'17,'18, '19 & '24
LexArts Project Grant, Lexington KY 2023-2024
Collection, 21C Museum Hotel; Laura Lee Brown & Steve Wilson, Louisville KY
Collection, City of Lexington Kentucky, Official Mayoral Portrait: Jim Gray
Finalist for Creative Capitol Grant, NYC 2019
VSC / Merit Grant Fellowship, Johnson, VT 2019 & 2020
VSC / Pollock-Krasner Foundation Fellowship, Johnson, VT 2018
Artist’s Retreat Invitational, Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, Pine Mountain, KY 2017
Al Smith Fellowship, Kentucky Arts Councel, KY 2016
Collection, The Museum of Photography, Hanmi Tower, South Korea
Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant, New York NY 2015
Vermont Studio Center Fellowship, Johnson, VT 2015 & 2019
Denbo Fellowship, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, Washington DC 2014
Merit Award, 2013 LVAA Photo Biennial, Juror: Henry Horenstein, Louisville, Kentucky
Leon Levy Foundation Grant 2013
Sprout Grant, Friend-Field Collab Project with Felipe Castelblanco, Pittsburgh Pa 2013
Kentucky Arts Council Individual Artist Professional Development Grant 2010
CMU Graduate Assistant Scholarship, Pittsburgh PA 2008 - 2010
Featured Artist, Myartspace.com, Palo Alto, California, 2008, 2010 & 2011
SPE Mid-Atlantic Conference Scholarship S.P.E.M.A. Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, 2008
Merit Award, LexArt League, Lexington Kentucky, 2007
WDC Photoshop Challenge, What Digital Camera Magazine, Haywards Heath, England, 2007
General Paint Scholarship Fund, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, Colorado, 2007
William Randolf Hearst Endowed Scholarship, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, Colorado 2006
Artists Workshops: Len Jenshel 2006, David Hilliard 2007, Phyllis Bramson 2008, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, Colorado
Film Makers Lab Scholarship, Louisville, Kentucky, 2005
Best Cinematography Award, Can’t Dance Film Festival, 2005
Mood-Altering Award, Can’t Dance Film Festival, 2005


James Robert Southard
Member, Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels
www.jamesrsouthard.com