Artist Statement Aaron Feltman is a recent graduate from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with a BFA in painting. In the summer of 2019, he participated in the Yale Norfolk Summer Residency alongside 24 rising seniors from art schools across the country. He is currently based in Huntington, New York.
In his work, Aaron explores themes of desire that often get confronted by a combating force of repression. Lush layers of vibrating colors attract a viewer and force them to engage with the reality of the figure depicted. An interplay of inventive color with a western-rationalized body produces a dichotomy between a desire for freedom and a longing for stability in an ever-changing world. Thus, Aaron finds inspiration for his figures from a Western canon, often quoting specific paintings from art history and redefining them in relation to his time and personal experiences of gender and sexuality. He also draws inspiration from the irrational color worlds of Bonnard and the geometrically defined compositions of Balthus and Arshille Gorky’s early figure paintings. In examining where these formal concerns intersect, Aaron begins to construct worlds of his own that make this psychological friction visible. |
CV
Education:
2020 BFA, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2020 Certificate, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Residencies:
2019 Yale Norfolk Summer Art Residency, Norfolk, CT
Exhibitions:
2020 PAFA Emerging Artists, The Plastic Club, Philadelphia, PA
The Art Student Exhibition, William Way LGBT Community Center, Philadelphia, PA
PAFA Alumni Exhibit, Borrelli's Chestnut Hill Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2019 118th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Stonewall @ 50, Leonard Pearlstein Gallery, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
14th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, William Way LGBT Community Center, Philadelphia, PA
2018 117th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
WayGay's 2018 Juried Exhibition, William Way LGBT Community Center, Philadelphia, PA
2017 Philly Art Schools Show, Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2016 National Youngarts Awards Showcase Exhibition, Sotheby’s Auction House, New York, NY
Chashama’s Pre-Gala Kickoff Party, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY
Linked: Philly Art Schools, Gallery 128, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Long Island’s Best Young Artists, Hecksher Museum of Art, Huntington, NY
2015 Long Island’s Best Young Artists, Hecksher Museum of Art, Huntington, NY
Huntington Art Council’s High Arts Showcase, Main Street Gallery, Huntington, NY
2014 Long Island’s Best Young Artists, Hecksher Museum of Art, Huntington, NY
Nightmare on Main Street, Main Street Gallery, Huntington, NY
Awards:
2020 The Fine Arts Venture Fund Award
2019 The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant
The Raymond D. & Estelle Rubens Travel Scholarship
The Fine Arts Venture Fund Award
Lambert and Emma Wallace Cadwalader Prize for Portraiture
The Gamblin Paint Prize
2018 Robert and Alice Carlen Memorial Endowment
Samuel David Memorial Prize for Cast Drawing
Eleanor S. Gray Prize for Still Life
Benjamin West Prize
2016 National Youngarts Merit Winner in Visual Arts
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Portfolio Silver Key
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Painting Gold Key
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Drawing and Illustration Gold Key
Friends of Oheka scholarship
Long Island Scholar Artist Winner
Long Island’s Best Young Artists: 2nd place
Joan Alberti Fine Arts scholarship
2015 Long Island’s Best Young Artists: People’s Choice Award
2014 Long Island’s Best Young Artists: 4th place
Publications:
2020 . Pineapple Zine, January 19th, http://pnpplzine.com/index.php/2020/01/19/aaron-feltman/
2016 Newsday, Long Island Arts Alliance Arts Scholar Artist Awards, April 18th
The Long-Islander Newspaper, High Schoolers’ Art Featured at Heckscher, May 12th
2015 The Long-Islander Newspaper, High School Students Tops in Heckscher Exhibit, April 2nd
Public Collections:
Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Curating:
2020 Gilbert Lewis: Awkward Tenderness, William Way LGBT Community Center, Philadelphia, PA
2020 BFA, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2020 Certificate, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Residencies:
2019 Yale Norfolk Summer Art Residency, Norfolk, CT
Exhibitions:
2020 PAFA Emerging Artists, The Plastic Club, Philadelphia, PA
The Art Student Exhibition, William Way LGBT Community Center, Philadelphia, PA
PAFA Alumni Exhibit, Borrelli's Chestnut Hill Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2019 118th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Stonewall @ 50, Leonard Pearlstein Gallery, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
14th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, William Way LGBT Community Center, Philadelphia, PA
2018 117th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
WayGay's 2018 Juried Exhibition, William Way LGBT Community Center, Philadelphia, PA
2017 Philly Art Schools Show, Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2016 National Youngarts Awards Showcase Exhibition, Sotheby’s Auction House, New York, NY
Chashama’s Pre-Gala Kickoff Party, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY
Linked: Philly Art Schools, Gallery 128, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Long Island’s Best Young Artists, Hecksher Museum of Art, Huntington, NY
2015 Long Island’s Best Young Artists, Hecksher Museum of Art, Huntington, NY
Huntington Art Council’s High Arts Showcase, Main Street Gallery, Huntington, NY
2014 Long Island’s Best Young Artists, Hecksher Museum of Art, Huntington, NY
Nightmare on Main Street, Main Street Gallery, Huntington, NY
Awards:
2020 The Fine Arts Venture Fund Award
2019 The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant
The Raymond D. & Estelle Rubens Travel Scholarship
The Fine Arts Venture Fund Award
Lambert and Emma Wallace Cadwalader Prize for Portraiture
The Gamblin Paint Prize
2018 Robert and Alice Carlen Memorial Endowment
Samuel David Memorial Prize for Cast Drawing
Eleanor S. Gray Prize for Still Life
Benjamin West Prize
2016 National Youngarts Merit Winner in Visual Arts
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Portfolio Silver Key
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Painting Gold Key
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Drawing and Illustration Gold Key
Friends of Oheka scholarship
Long Island Scholar Artist Winner
Long Island’s Best Young Artists: 2nd place
Joan Alberti Fine Arts scholarship
2015 Long Island’s Best Young Artists: People’s Choice Award
2014 Long Island’s Best Young Artists: 4th place
Publications:
2020 . Pineapple Zine, January 19th, http://pnpplzine.com/index.php/2020/01/19/aaron-feltman/
2016 Newsday, Long Island Arts Alliance Arts Scholar Artist Awards, April 18th
The Long-Islander Newspaper, High Schoolers’ Art Featured at Heckscher, May 12th
2015 The Long-Islander Newspaper, High School Students Tops in Heckscher Exhibit, April 2nd
Public Collections:
Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Curating:
2020 Gilbert Lewis: Awkward Tenderness, William Way LGBT Community Center, Philadelphia, PA