M.F.A. University of Missouri, Columbia, 2005
B.F.A. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 2001
Nick Peña (b. Joliet, Illinois) is a visual artist and art educator with 10+ years of teaching art in higher education. His research focuses on the contemporary American landscape, the American Dream, and the effects that ideal has on both our environment and our national psyche. His paintings and installations play off the contrasts between past and present, representation and abstraction, and stability and instability. He has received numerous awards and his work has been exhibited throughout the United States and featured in New American Paintings. He’s participated as an artist in residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Crosstown Arts, and North Louisiana Virtual Residency, The Ross Lynn Charitable Foundation in partnership with North Central Louisiana Arts Council.
Contact
Solo Exhibitions
2022 Familial (Selected Works from 2005-2018), Tennessee Arts Commission, Virtual Exhibition, Dec. '22.
2021 E C H O E S, George Caleb Bingham Gallery, University of Missouri, Columbia MO. Oct ‘21
2020 house, non-house… geometry and echos, Tipton Gallery Johnson City, TN. Oct ‘20
shelf life, Slocumb Gallery – Eastern Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Oct ‘20
2019 Cyclical, Channel to Channel, Nashville, TN. January 2019
2018 Sectional Views: One Nation Under…, Todd Art Gallery – Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN. November 2018
2015 Crosscut, Beverly & Sam Ross Gallery – Christian Brothers University, Memphis, TN. August 2015
2014 Processing the Ideal, Mallory/Wurtzburger Gallery – Dixon Gallery, Memphis, TN. July 2014
2013 What Lies Beneath, Kresge Gallery - Lyon College, Batesville, AR. November 2013
What Lies Beneath, Eggman & Walrus, Santa Fe, NM. July 2013
National & Juried exhibitions
2023
Boom, Bust, Repeat, Urban Art Commission, Billboard Gallery, Memphis, TN FALL ‘23
Young Gifted and Dope Episode III, Marshal Arts, Memphis, TN Jan. '23
Jet Lag, Martha and Robert Fogelman Galleries of Contemporary Art, Memphis, TN Jan. ’23
2022
CBU Faculty Exhibition, Beverly and Sam Ross Gallery, Nov. '22.
2021
Glimpses from the Great Pause, 2020 North Louisiana Virtual Residency, Ruston, LA. Dec. ‘21
AtTest, 2021 Projects, Memphis, TN. January ’21
2020
February Exhibition, Sager Braudis Gallery, Columbia, MO. February ’20
2019
Unfolding: The Next Chapter in Memphis, Arts Memphis, Memphis, TN. June ‘19 (Juried by Kenneth Wayne Alexander)
Negative Space, Crosstown Arts, Memphis, TN. July ’19 (Juried by Aubree Penney)
2018
The Art of the South, Crosstown Arts, Memphis, TN. July ’18 (Juried by Brian Jobe)
Land-S(r)raping, Living Arts, Tulsa, OK. May ’18 (Juried by Jessica Borusky)
February Exhibition, Sager Braudis Gallery, Columbia, MO. February ’18
2017
Better Homes & Gardens, Crosstown Arts, Memphis, TN. October ‘17
New American Paintings, No. 130, Juried Exhibition in Print, Southern Competition. June ‘17 (Juried by Veronica Roberts)
Mallory/Wurtzburger: A Retrospective at Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, TN. January ’17 (Juried by Laura Grey McCann)
2016
The Art of Science: Hyde Gallery, Memphis, TN. November ’16 (Juried by Melissa Farris)
The Man Show: L Ross Gallery, Memphis, TN. June ’16 (Juried by Carl E. Moore and Melissa Farris)
2015
Across The Divide: Thoughts and Dialogues on International Art Education and Intercultural Perspectives, Beijing Normal University Art Gallery, Beijing, China (6/4/2015-6/20/2015)
Circuitous Succession Epilogue II, Masonic Contemporary (Memphis Scottish Rite) Memphis, TN. November ’15 (Juried by Jason Miller)
2014
Inspired Resistance: Crosstown Arts Gallery, Memphis, TN. February ’14 (Juried by Ian Lemmonds)
2013
Present Tense: The Art of Memphis from 2001-Now, Dixon Gallery, Memphis, TN. February ‘13 (Juried by John Weeden)
2011
Text + Texture: an intersection of academics and the arts, SCAD, Savannah, GA. November ’11 (Juried by Dan Cameron)
ARTAFACTOR, 2011, Carrier Hall in Memphis TN. May ‘11
DUG Soil Invitational, 2011 at SOIL Gallery in Seattle WA. April ‘11
2010
Commission for LeBonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis TN, August, ‘10
CBU Faculty Exhibition, Beverly and Sam Ross Gallery, Memphis TN, November, ‘10
FRACKING: Art and Activism Against the Drill, Exit Art, New York NY, December, ‘10
2009
Bakers Dozen, Material, Memphis, TN, May ‘09 (Juried by Niki Johnson)
Multiplicity, Union Street Gallery, Chicago Heights, IL. March ‘09 (Juried by Barbara Cooper)
ARTIST LECTURES / PROGRAMMING ACTIVITIES
2022
Artist Talk, Familial (Selected Works from 2005-2018), Tennessee Arts Commission, Virtual Exhibition, Dec. '22.
2021
Visiting Artist Lecturer, University of Missouri, George Caleb Bingham Gallery, Columbia, MO.
2020
Virtual Artist Lecturer, Eastern Tennessee State University, Tipton Gallery, Zoom
North Louisiana Virtual Residency - Artist Talk, Zoom
Panel Discussion, Slow Art Saturday, Sager Braudis Gallery, Columbia, MO
2019
Pecha Kucha: Resident Artist Talk, Crosstown Arts Summer Residency, Memphis, TN
2018
Artist Lecture, Sectional Views: One Nation Under…, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN
Panel Discussion, Material and Viewership, Living Arts, Tulsa, OK
Artist Lecture, Slow Art Saturday, Sager Braudis Gallery, Columbia, MO
Artist Lecture, The Way of The World, Sager Braudis Gallery, Columbia, MO
2016
Panel Discussion, Hustle: Fine Tuning your Studio Practice, Crosstown Arts, Memphis, TN
Artist Lecture, Pecha Kucha 20x20: The Art of Teaching Art, Crosstown Arts, Memphis, TN
Artist Talk, L Ross Gallery, Memphis, TN
2015
Artist Lecture, Masonic Contemporary (Memphis Scottish Rite) Memphis, TN
Artist Lecture, The Beverly & Sam Ross Gallery, Memphis, TN
Co-programmer of the 4th Annual Honors Art Break, CBU Campus, Memphis, TN
2017
Artist Lecture, Visiting Artist Program, University of Mississippi, Oxford MS
Artist Tour/Lecture, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, TN
2014
Artist Lecture, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, TN
Artist Tour/Lecture, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, TN
Artist Workshop, Painting with Oils, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis TN
Co-programmer of the 3rd Annual Honors Art Break, CBU Campus, Memphis, TN.
Programmer, 2nd Annual Tiny Circus Stop Motion Animation Workshop/Lecture, CBU Campus, Memphis TN.
2013
Artist Lecture, Lyon College Campus, Batesville, AR
Juror, Annual Juried Student Exhibition, Lyon College Campus, Batesville, AR.
Artist Workshop, Painting with Acrylics, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis TN
Programmer, Tiny Circus Stop Motion Animation Workshop/Lecture, CBU Campus, Memphis TN.
Co-programmer of the 2nd Annual Honors Art Break, CBU Campus, Memphis, TN.
2012
Co-programmer of the 1st Annual Honors Art Break, CBU Campus, Memphis, TN.
2011
Co-programmer of Moveable Type Lecture / Workshop, CBU Campus, Memphis, TN.
2009
Guest Lecturer, Summer Youth Program, Urban Art Commission, Memphis, TN.
PUBLIC COLLECTION / COMMISSION
2023 Private Commission, Bass Berry and Sims, Memphis TN, March ‘23
Bass, Berry & Sims Collection, Memphis TN. March ’23
2022 Private Commission, Perkins-Everett Lighting Agency, Memphis TN, Oct. ‘22
2021 Memphis International Airport Collection, Memphis International Airport, Memphis, TN. Sept. ’21
2020 Movable Collection, City of Memphis - Public Library, Memphis, TN. June ’20
2019 WCC Mural, Wonder / Cowork / Create, Memphis TN March ‘19
2017 Colombia, Fine Arts Poster, Memphis in May International Airport, Memphis, TN February ‘17
2014 Razzle Dazzle’Em, South Main Mosaic (Public Art Program), Memphis, TN October ‘14
2010 Going Up, LeBonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis, TN August ‘10
2004 Momentum, Art Inside the Park, Memorial Park, Jefferson City, MO July ‘04
RESIDENCIES
2020
North Louisiana Virtual Residency, The Ross Lynn Charitable Foundation in partnership with North Central Louisiana Arts Council. Virtual, June/July
2019
Artist Residency, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Spring Pentaculum, Gatlinburg, TN. May
Artist Residency, Crosstown Arts, Memphis, TN. June/July
Committee work
2023
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Interpretive Planning Committee, Nov. 2023 - Dec. of 2025
Locate Arts, Registry Advisory Committee, March 2023 - March 2024 - Present
Shelby County Gov’t, Office of Community Engagement and Outreach, Art & Culture: Shelby County Nonprofit Committee, Sept. 2023 - Present