Professor of Art
Director of the Nutting Gallery at West Liberty University
Hall of Fine Art, office #202
(304) 336-8433
bfencl@westliberty.edu
website:
Mailing Information:
208 University Dr.
Hall of Fine Arts, CUB 125
West Liberty, WV 26074
Education
, MFA in Drawing, 2000
, BFA in Illustration, 1990
Solo Exhibitions
2026 – “Strange Vases,” Waterloo Arts, Cleveland, OH (Jan. 2026)
2025 – “Strange Vases,” Summit Gallery, Weirton, WV
2025 – “Likelihood of Confusion, Bloomfield Richwood, Richwood, WV
2022 – “Modern Punchinello,” Works on Paper gallery, Sinclair College, Dayton, OH
2021 – “The Situation We Find Ourselves In,” Not Sheep Gallery, Columbus, OH
2015 – “Plein Air and More,” Etc. Gallery, Wheeling, WV
2012 –“Human Behavior,” Gallerie Chiz, Pittsburgh PA, reviewed in the Pittsburgh Tribune Live
2010 – “The Paintings of Brian Fencl,” Della Brown Taylor Gallery, West Virginia State
University, WV
2008 – “I’m Not That Innocent,” Morehead State University, KY
Group and Juried Exhibitions
2025 – “Body of Work,” Hammond Harkins Galleries, Columbus, OH
2025 – “Introduction,” Hammond Harkins Galleries, Columbus, OH
2024 – “Out of View,” FKM Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2023 – “WV Governor’s Biennial Art Exhibition,” State Museum, Charleston, WV
2022 – “Best of WV,” David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery, Tamarack, WV
2021 – “WV Governor’s Biennial,” State Museum of West Virginia, Charleston, WV
2021 – “Small Works Show at Kilburn Mill,” New Bedford, MA
2021 – “WV Governor’s Biennial Art Exhibition,” State Museum, Charleston, WV
2020 – “Social Studies,” Beckley Arts Center, Beckley, WV
2019 – “Wheeling 250 Celebration,“ Wheeling Artisan Center, Wheeling, WV
2019 – “Teachable Moment,” David L Dickerson Fine Arts Gallery, Tamarack, WV
2017 – “Crosscurrents Juried Exhibition,” Stifel Fine Arts Center, Wheeling, WV
2011 – “I’ve Got a Secret,” Forbes Galleries, NYC
2010 – “Have You Been Here? Two Artists Views of Wheeling”, Wheeling Artisan Center,
Wheeling, WV
2007 – “Pigments of the Imagination,” Gallerie Chiz, Pittsburgh, PA
Artist Residency’s
Arts, Letters & Numbers, spring residency | 2025
NYAA x Voice NFT Residency, Digital Residency | 2022
Cuttyhunk Island Artist Residency | Cuttyhunk, MA | 2019
Artist In Residence, The International School of Painting, Drawing and Sculpture, Umbria, Italy | 2005
Academic Awards
- West Liberty University Teacher of the Year (awarded by faculty and administrators), West Liberty University, West Liberty | 2022–2023
- College of Arts and Communication Professor of the Year, awarded by Student Government Association | West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV | 2018–2019
- Professor of the Year, West Liberty State College, voted on by the students and
awarded by the Student Government Association | 2006-2007
Awards and Grants
2025 – Professional Development Grant | West Virginia Division of Culture and History
2022 – Juror Award, Best of West Virginia | Tamarack, WV
2021 – Award of Excellence, WV Governor’s Biennial Exhibition | Charleston, WV
2017 – Merit Award, Best of West Virginia | Tamarack, WV
2017 – Juror Award “Crosscurrents,” Stifle Fine Arts, Wheeling, WV
2009 – Best of Show, Persad Center Celebrate Life, Celebrate Art Auction** | Pittsburgh, PA
2008 – Best of Show, West Virginia Arts and Crafts Guild 7th Annual Juried Competition,
Parkersburg Arts Center, Parkersburg, WV
2005 – Professional Development Grant, West Virginia Division of Culture and History.
West Liberty University, Professor of Art, August 2002 to present.
- Director of the Nutting Gallery, West Liberty University, 2020 to present
- Chair Department of Journalism, Communication Studies and Visual Art, June 2009 to May 2020
- Responsible for teaching all levels of drawing, art history 1 thru 3, survey of non-western art, art appreciation for the art major, color theory, illustration, and Mentor for Honors Society students
- College Board AP Studio Art Portfolio Reader, 2017 to present
- Interim Assistant Department Chair, Arts and Communications, July 2008 –June 2009
- Responsible for organizing the Art Department’s annual Extreme Art Night since 2002.
- Responsible for academic advising
- Art studio coordinator
- Elected to Faculty Senate (April 2004 to 2018)
West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts,
- Master Instructor for the Visual Arts, 2008 -2010, West Liberty University
- Instructor of Digital Media, 2011, Davis and Elkins University
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Lecturer and demonstration, Fall 2007
- “Drawing From the Past” lecture and demonstration on how artists have traditionally trained from plaster casts
- “Mise En Page and the Museum” five week drawing course taught in the museums galleries
- Taught two sections of “I can’t draw” for the museum’s education department
Creator and Organizer of “Paint Oglebay Park”, 2006 to 2015
- Two-day plein air painting event organized with the support of Oglebay Institute, West Liberty University and Artworks Around Town
- Annual event (now called Paint the Ohio Valley) in its 15th year and run by the Artworks Around Town
Wheeling Jesuit University, Adjunct faculty, Spring 2004-2007. Courses taught: drawing one, art appreciation and introduction to watercolor
University of Colorado at Denver, Honorarium faculty, Spring 2001 to Summer 2002, Courses taught: basic drawing, drawing 2, intermediate drawing, painting 1 and 2