Brian Fencl
Artist Statement
My work serves as a reminder of the ephemerality of life, inviting viewers to reflect on the beauty, possibility, and ambiguity of what it means to be alive. My "trickster transformers" are modern-day Punchinellos—figures that explore the vulnerabilities of the human experience and the transient nature of our existence. Rooted in pop-surrealist philosophies, my work draws from the intersection of everyday life, dreams, and an eye towards history.
For over thirty years, I’ve lived with these pop-symbolist figures, evolving alongside them. They have become my most authentic creative expression, a visual language through which I navigate the complexities of being human.
Bio
Brian Fencl is a painter (b.1968, Colorado) and educator based in West Virginia. He earned his MFA in Drawing from the New York Academy of Art and his BFA in Illustration from Art Center College of Design, located in Pasadena, California. Brian is a Professor of Art at West Liberty University where he served as Chair of the Department of Media and Visual Art for over twelve years and is currently the director of the Nutting Gallery on campus. His work can be seen in exhibitions throughout West Virginia, Ohio and Pittsburgh, PA.
His core mission is a devotion to possibilities.