Philip Ayers was born in rural Georgia, and grew up in urban NC. He presently lives and has a studio in Millstone, New Jersey. His work has been included in numerous museum and gallery exhibitions of contemporary art since 1976, including the Queens Museum of Art, the Chrysler Museum of Art, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the New Jersey State Museum of Art, Newport Museum in Newport, Rhode Island, Indiana University Art Museum and Florida International University Art Museum, amoung others. Philip has been a three time recipient of Artists Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, all in painting, a grant from The Pollack-Krasner Foundation, and several Individual Artists Fellowships from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. His work is in numerous art collections nationally Including the Chase Manhattan Bank collection, the Chrysler Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, amoung others. He has taught at Rutgers University, University of New Haven, Indiana University at Bloomington, and presently teaches at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York.
Selected Exhibitions
2007 Rubelle & Norman Shafler Gallery, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, Faculty Exhibit
2006 The New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, NJ, NJSCA Fellowship Exhibition, Color Catalogue
2003-2004 Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia, "The Bold 80s: A Collector's Vision"
2001 Abercombie Gallery, McNeese State U., Lake Charles, Louisiana, "Drawing Invitational"
1998 Forum Gallery, 745 Fifth Avenue, New York City, “It's Still Life”
1997-98 The Noyes Museum Of Art, Oceanville, NJ, “Mindscapes” Five Person Exhibit
1997 Forum Gallery, 745 Fifth Avenue, New York City, “New Figuration, Familiar Faces, New Faces”
1996 Forum Gallery, New York City, “Men and Machines”
1996 The Noyes Museum, Oceanville, New Jersey, “New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship Exhibit” , Catalogue
1995 The Brotsky Gallery, The Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, “Philip Ayers” Solo
1994 New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, “New Jersey Arts Annual”, Catalogue
1994 Newport Art Museum, Newport, Rhode Island, “Landscape as Metaphor”, Catalogue
1993 Fitchburg Museum, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, “Landscape as Metaphor”, Catalogue
1992 Steibel Modern, New York City, “Nature Fabrilis”
1992 Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, “30 Years”
1990 Ruth Siegel Gallery, New York City, “Philip Ayers” Solo
1988 The Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, New Jersey, Catalogue
1988 Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, Maine , Fresco Competition; Winning Designs
1988 Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, California, “Reveal”
1988 Florida International University, Miami, Florida, “American Art Today - Narrative Painting” Color Catalogue
1988 Los Angeles Art Expo, Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, California
1987 Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, California, “Philip Ayers, Paintings“ Solo
1987 Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, California, “Figure in Context”
1986 Semaphore Gallery, New York City, “Philip Ayers” Solo
1986 Art et Industrie, New York, “Art for Money Benefit” for Fashion Moda
1986 William Paterson College, Wayne, New Jersey, “American Landscape”
1986 Semaphore Gallery, New York City, “Onieric”
1986 Queens Museum, Queens, New York, “Televisions Impact on Contemporary Art” Catalogue
1986 Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana, “Painting and Sculpture Today” Catalogue
1986 Semaphore East, New York City, “Semaphoria”
1984 Indiana University Museum of Art, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, Faculty Show, Catalogue
1983 Indiana University Museum of Art, Bloomington Indiana
1982 Allan Stone Gallery, New York City
1982 New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, New Jersey Catalogue
1982 University of New Haven, New Haven, Connecticutt
1981 Creative Arts Center, New Haven, Connecticut, NEAs from Connecticut
1979 Organization of Independent Artists, 76 Federal Plaza , New York , New York
1978 Organization of Independent Artists, Art in Public Spaces Exhibition, New York, New York
1976 Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPY
1995 Newark Sunday Star Ledge Sept.3, Eileen Watkins Review, “Philip Ayers at ETS”
1994 New American Paintings: Mid-Atlantic Region. Open Studios Press, Needham, Massachusetts, “Philip Ayers”
1994 The New York Times (New Jersey section), July 5, William Zimmer, “A Robust Presentation....At State Museum”, Arts Annual (painting & sculpture) New Jersey State Museum
1994 The Trenton Times, May 20, Janet Piggot, “Proof of New Jerseys Aesthetic Vigor”, Arts Annual (painting & sculpture) New Jersey State Museum
1994 Art, New England, April-May; Alicia Faxon, “Landscape as Metaphor”, Newport Art Museum, Newport, Rhode Islands
1994 The Providence Journal-Bulletin, Jan. 14,94; Review, Bill Van Siclen, “Landscape as Metaphor”, Newport Art Museum , Newport, Rhode Island.
1992 New York Times, July 3. Review. Holland Cotter, “Nature Fabrilis”.
1988 WNJN-TV State of the Arts Segment, October and November, “Philip Ayers”
1988 The Miami Herald, May 6. Review. “American Painting Today”., Florida International University 1988 The Miami Herald, May 20. Review. American Painting Today., Florida International University
1987 Art Forum, May issue. S. Freudenheim, “Suburban Hamlets”.
1987 Los Angeles Times, September 18. Review. “Philip Ayers”.
1987 Art Scene, Los Angeles, California, Vol.7, No.2, October. Continuing and Recommended: “Philip Ayers , Koplin Gallery”
1987 New York Times, September. Review. “Televisions Impact on Art, Queens Museum”.
1986 Arts Magazine, May issue. Album: “Philip Ayers”, pp.114-115.
1986 Downtown, No.10, June 4. Cover. Andy Sichel, “Expecting the Barbarians” pp.4-5.
1986 Appearances, No.13, Fall/Winter. pp. 7, 58.
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2004 New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Individual Artists Fellowship in Painting1993 New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Artist Fellowship in Painting
1990 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant
1987 National Endowment for the Arts, Individual Artists Fellowship in Painting
1986 New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Artists Fellowship in Painting
1982 National Endowment for the Arts, Individual Artists Fellowship in Painting
1980 National Endowment for the Arts, Individual Artists Fellowship in Painting
EDUCATION
1976 Rutgers University M.F.A., New Brunswick, New Jersey
1972-summer Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, Maine & New York, New York
1973 Massachusetts College of Art B.F.A., Boston, Massachusetts (Award in Painting)
1967-70 Atlanta College of Art, Atlanta, Georgia (Ford Foundation Scholarship Student)
Philip Ayers teaches in Foundation at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.