Justin Gibbens
E D U C A T I O N
2003 Scientific Illustration Certificate – University of Washington, Seattle, WA
2002 Traditional Chinese Painting Exchange Program – Anhui University, Hefei, China
1998 Bachelor of Arts, Art (drawing, painting); Art History Minor – Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA
S E L E C T E D S O L O E X H I B I T I O N S
2021 Birds and Beast – Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, Spokane, WA
2020 Turn Around Time – Eveleth Green Gallery, Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA
2019 Liminal Spaces – Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
2018 Stranger Things – Centennial Center Gallery, Kent, WA
2017 Sea Change – G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, WA
2016 Weird Science – Boswell Corner Gallery, North Idaho College
Peaceable Kingdom – Confluence Gallery and Art Center, Twisp, WA
2015 unNatural Histories – Clymer Museum, Ellensburg, WA
Sepulchre – MAC Gallery, Wenatchee Valley College, Wenatchee, WA
2014 Shapeshift – Loft Gallery, Ellensburg, WA
Avatars and Shapeshifters – PUNCH Gallery, Seattle, WA
2013 Wonderland (w/ artist Renee Adams) – the brink gallery, Missoula, MT
Are we not drawn onward to new erA (w/ artist Renee Adams) – PUNCH Gallery, Seattle, WA
2011 Spiderland – G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, WA
Peaceful Death and Pretty Flowers (w/ artist Renee Adams) – PUNCH Gallery, Seattle, WA
2010 Hydras and Basilisks – PUNCH Gallery, Seattle, WA
Birds of Paradise – Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
2008 Unnatural History (w/ artist Nealy Blau) – G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, WA
Animal Spell (w/ artist Amy Ross) – PUNCH Gallery, Seattle, WA
2007 Relations – Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
Birds and Bees – PUNCH Gallery, Seattle, WA
2005 Specimens – Chase Gallery, Spokane, WA
2004 Barnacle Dogs and Zebra Mussels – Gallery 423, Ellensburg, WA
2003 Ontogeny Recapitulates Phylogeny – Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA
Beetle, Branch and the Biologic – Artemis Gallery, Seattle, WA
2002 Fin, Flipper, Flounder – Stewart and Williams Funeral Home, Ellensburg, WA
2001 Various works – Esvelt Gallery, Columbia Basin College, Pasco, WA
Great White Silence – Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA (w/ artist Renee Adams)
1998 Walkabout – Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA
1997 A Balance Between Forces – Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, Ellensburg, WA
S E L E C T E D G R O U P E X H I B I T I O N S
2021 PUNCH Fire House Project, Thorp, WA
Sitka Art Invitational, World Forestry Center, Portland, OR
Cascadia: Flora and Fauna of the North Cascades – Confluence Gallery, Twisp, WA
Images of the Shrub-Steppe – Boxx Gallery, Tieton, WA
2020 Metamorphosis – Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR
Picturing Science in Illustration and Art – Blue Galleries at the Center for the Visual Arts, Boise State University, Boise, ID
The Beginning of Everything: An Exhibition of Drawings – Katherine E. Nash Gallery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
2019 Boxing Day (PUNCH Projects) – Discovery Lab Warehouse, Ellensburg, WA
Gallery One Instructors Show – Eveleth Green Gallery, Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA
Strange Birds | Group Invitational Show – Smith and Vallee Gallery, Edison, WA
2018 The Woods (PUNCH Projects) – Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA
2017 BEST IN SHOW: New Works from Kittitas County Juried Artists – Confluence Gallery and Art Center, Twisp, WA
ARTS AT THE PORT Juried Exhibition – Anacortes Arts Fest, Anacortes, WA
Here's to the Future – G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, WA
Kent Summer Art Exhibit – Centennial Center Gallery, Kent, WA
BARNSTORM at the Bluestone (PUNCH Projects) – Model KE building, Ellensburg, WA
2016 Phylogeny Contemporary at the Aqua Hotel – Aqua Art Fair, Miami, FL
Hit and Run – PUNCH Gallery, Seattle, WA
Natural Causes – CASS Contemporary, Tampa, FL
Nature’s Call: Natural History of the West by the GNSI NW – Clymer Museum, Ellensburg, WA
2015 Metamorphosis – Larson Gallery, Yakima, WA
Out of Sight – King Street Station, Seattle, WA
National Juried Exhibition – Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA
WUNDERKAMMER: Artifacts, False Memories and Projections – Foss Waterway Seaport, Tacoma, WA
Westward Bound: PUNCH Gallery meets Clymer – Clymer Museum of Art, Ellensburg, WA
Imaginature – Kirkland Arts Center, Kirkland, WA
2014 The Scientific Eye: Art & Science – North Seattle College, Seattle, WA
A Contemporary Bestiary – Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Willamette University, Salem, OR
2013 Hybrids and other Strange Amalgamations – Seattle Art Museum Gallery, Seattle, WA
Yakima River Diaries – Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, Ellensburg, WA
2012 Make Space – Gage Academy of Art, Seattle, WA
Winging It – Heiner Contemporary, Washington, DC
2011 The Shape of the Problem – Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
Wild/Life – Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner, WA
Seattle as Collector – Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA
Washington Art Consortium: Northwest Art on Paper – Western Gallery, Western WA University, Bellingham, WA
2010 Bestiary – Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center, Cincinnati, OH
Mystic Sons of Morris Graves Invitational Exhibition – Tashiro Kaplan Arts Building, Seattle, WA
Narrative Animal Imagery – San Luis Obispo Art Center, San Luis Obispo, CA
The Secret Language of Animals – Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma, WA
The Fantastical – Project 4 Gallery, Washington, DC
Country Cousins: an Exploration of Contemporary Frontier Myth – Evergreen Gallery, Olympia, WA
2009 Below the Surface: A 21st-Century Look at the Prarie – Faulconer Gallery, Grinnell, IO
Tales from an Imaginary Menagerie – Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto, CA
2008 Nature Freak – Kirkland Arts Center, Kirkland, WA
Birdwatch – Sun Valley Center for the Arts, Ketchum, ID
2007 Introductions 2007 – Seattle Art Museum Gallery, Seattle, WA
Crawl Space Centennial – Crawl Space Gallery, Seattle, WA
Come Undone – Allston Skirt Gallery, Boston, MA
2006 12th Annual International Exhibition – Soho20 Gallery, New York, NY
24th Annual Juried Exhibition – Pleiades Gallery, New York, NY
Contagion – Washington Ensemble Theatre, Seattle, WA
As the Crow Flies − Tacoma Contemporary’s Woolworth Windows, Tacoma, WA
Seattle Erotic Art Festival – Consolidated Works, Seattle, WA
Emerging Artist Exhibition – Limner Gallery, Phoenecia, NY
Round One – PUNCH Gallery, Seattle, WA
2005 unNatural History – Kittredge Gallery, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA
History and Prophecy: a Bestiary for the 21st Century – SOIL Gallery, Seattle, WA
Point of Departure – Esvelt Gallery, Columbia Basin College, Pasco, WA
Intersections: Works on Paper – Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, Ellensburg, WA
Seattle Erotic Art Festival – Consolidated Works, Seattle, WA
2002 Exhibition of Chinese and American Students – Jiu Liumi Gallery, Hefei, China
Summer Painting in China – Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, Ellensburg, WA
2003 Traces of the Homeostay-puff – Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA
2001 Move On – Arrowspace Gallery, Olympia, WA
M.A.A.G. (McMurdo Anti Art Gallery) – McMurdo Station, Antarctica
2000 15th Annual Ross Island Art Show – McMurdo Station, Antarctica
S E L E C T E D H O N O R S & A W A R D S
2021 Director's Choice Award, Central WA Artists' Exhibition, Larson Gallery, Yakima, WA
2020 Jordan Schnitzer Printmaking Residency, Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, Otis, OR
2019 McMillen Artist Community (MAC) Fellowship, Robert E. McMillen Foundation – Washington State
Joshua Tree Highlands Artist Residency, Joshua Tree, CA
2017 Harold E. Tayer Memorial Award – Central WA Artists Exhibition, Larson Gallery, Yakima, WA
People's Choice Award – Art's at the Port Juried Exhibition, Anacortes Arts Fest, Anacortes, WA
Peggy Schaake Award – Kittitas County Juried Art Exhibit, Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA
Project Award (BARNSTORM at the Bluestone) CEllensburg Arts Commission, Ellensburg, WA
2016 4Culture Project Grant – 4Culture, Seattle, WA
Honorable Mention – Indiana University East National Juried Art Exhibition: Art + Science – Richmond, IN
2015 Bob & Donna Villbrandt Award – Central WA Artists Exhibition, Larson Gallery, Yakima, WA
2015 Best in Show – Kittitas County Juried Art Exhibit, Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA
2013 Eldean Adams Award for Watercolor – Kittitas County Juried Art Exhibit, Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA
Jeffrey M. Reynolds Award – Central WA Artists Exhibition, Larson Gallery, Yakima, WA
2012 Best in Show – WA State Juried Art Competition, Collective Visions Gallery, Bremerton, WA
Artist Residency – Jentel Artist Residency Program, Banner, WY
2011 Best in Show – 44th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Allied Arts Center, Yakima, WA
Contemporary Northwest Art Awards finalist – Portland Art Museum
2010 Marge Corman Memorial Award – Kittitas County Juried Art Exhibit Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA
2009 Excellence in Drawing Award – Central WA Artists Exhibition, Larson Gallery, Yakima, WA
2008 Artist Trust Fellowship Award – Washington State
2007 Artist Trust GAP Award – Washington State
2006 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Award
Drawing Center’s Viewing Program – The Drawing Center, New York, NY
2005 Best in Show, Best Drawing – Art Guild of Soap Lake’s Winterfest – City Hall, Soap Lake, WA
Karen Raine Memorial Award – Central WA Artists Exhibition, Larson Gallery, Yakima, WA
2004 Board of Directors Award (Best of Show) – Juried Exhibit, Allied Arts Center, Yakima, WA
Peggy Schaake Award – Kittitas County Juried Art Exhibit, Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA
2003 Dr. & Mrs. Aboulhosn Award – Central Washington Exhibition, Larson Gallery, Yakima, WA
2001 Tina Solberg Award – Kittitas County Juried Art Exhibit, Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA
1988 1st Place, Sixth Grade Level – Color-A-Saurus Dinosaur Drawing Contest, Tri Cities, WA
A P P O I N T M E N T S
VP of public relations/marketing – PUNCH Projects, Ellensburg, WA [2016 – present]
Art Instructor for artists with disabilities, Gallery One/Alley Cat Artists, Ellensburg, WA [2009 – present]
VP of public relations/marketing – PUNCH Gallery, Seattle, WA [2006 - 12]
M U R A L S & P U B L I C A R T C O M M I S S I O N S
2021 Birds of a Feather – Central Transit Bus Shelter, Ellensburg, WA
2019 Skulls and Rainbows – Iron Horse Brewery, Ellensburg, WA
2017 Nature/Nurture – Stan Bassett Youth Center in Ellensburg, WA w/ Will Bow; project funded by the Ellensburg Arts Commission
2015 Pacific Northwest Legends: a Natural History – a series of eight 7’ x 17.5’ public murals w/ Will Bow for the City of Spokane, WA in BNSF Tunnel on Post Street; project funded by Spokane Arts Commission
2015 Washington State’s Emblems and Icons: a Natural History – design selected for Kelda Martensen's
Spring Mural painting class on the campus of North Seattle College, Seattle, WA
S E L E C T E D P U B L I C A T I O N S & M E D I A C O V E R A G E
2019 Muñez, Stephanie, "Thorp artist illustrates new book by David Guterson." Wake Up Northwest, KNDO 23/KNDU 25
(an NBC-affiliated television station), Yakima, WA, October 21, 2019
Harwood, Rodney, "Turn Around Time..." The Daily Record, October 15, 2019
Guterson, David, "Turn Around Time." Illustrated this book-length walking poem, Mountaineers Books, Seattle, WA
Muir, Pat; “Local artists who are transcending ‘local artist’ status.” Yakima Herald-Republic’s SCENE, Aug. 15, 2019
Shaw, Leslie; “Visiting illustrator adds touch of whimsy to fauna.” Hi-Desert Star, April 17, 2019
2018 Muir, Pat, "Eight Central Washington Artists to Watch in 2018." The Yakima Herald-Republic, January 17, 2018
Upchurch, Michael, "'Sea Change,' allusions to climate change among what's new at galleries.' The Seattle Times, January 5, 2018
Lynx, David, "The Art Scene: Artists take a trip deep into 'The Woods'." The Yakima Herald-Republic, January 3, 2018
2017 "Daisy Chain" selected for cover of The Stranger's Seattle Art and Performance publication, Winter 2017, Vol. 6, No. 4
2015 Peterson, Clyde, “A curated guide to this weekend’s biggest art fairs,” Crosscut.com, July 31, 2015
2015 Ponnekanti, Rosemary; “Museum of wonder: “Wunderkammer” at the Foss Seaport.” The News Tribune, July 21, 2015
2014 “Justin Gibbens: Master Draftsman,” Juxtapoz Magazine blog, February 3, 2014
Nastia Voynovskaya; “Justin Gibbens’ Paintings Celebrate Wildlife.” Hi-Fructose Magazine blog, March 5, 2014
2013 Eben Wragge-Keller; "super natural." Missoula Independent, July 11, 2013
Krysti Shallenberger; "Unnatural by Nature." Missoulian, July 5, 2013
2012 Jenkins, Mark; “Washington’s Best Art Gallery Shows of 2012.” The Washington Post, December 6, 2012
Jenkins, Mark; “Heiner’s ‘Wingin It’: Striking photos, painting, collages of birds.” The Wa Post, July 5, 2012
Williams, Austin; “Where Science and Imagination Collide.” American Artist Watercolor mag., Summer 2012
2011 Williams, Austin; “25 Artists to Watch.” American Artist Watercolor magazine, Fall 2011
2010 Jane Durrell; “Bestiary (Review).” City Beat blog, Wednesday, November 17, 2010
2009 Melrod, George; “Unnatural Selection.” Art ltd., March/April 2009
Samson, Jonah; artist profile posted on Cool Hunting blog, April 16, 2009
ANNALEMMA, Issue No. 4
2008 Norris, Molly; “Unnatural History.” Art Access, December 2008/January 2009, Vol. 17, No. 10
Beal, Suzanne; “Artist Profile: Justin Gibbens” Art ltd., July/August 2008
Farr, Sheila; “Putting and unnatural face on nature.” Seattle Times, Friday, April 18, 2008
Lippens, Nate; “Jumble up your sense of reality and imagination with works by three artists.”
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Friday, April 11, 2008
Studio Visit Magazine, Issue II. February 2008
2007 Lippens, Nate; “Northwest creatures come to life in Gibbens’ Birds and Bees’.”
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Friday, February 9, 2007
2006 Ponnekanti, Rosemary; “Peek into Windows for artful eyefuls.” The News Tribune, Dec. 24, 2006
Scott, Carrie E. A.; “And the Galleries Marched in Two by Two.” Visualcodec, May Issue, 2006
Chansanchai, Athima; “Erotic, Erotic.” Seattle Post Intelligencer, Monday, March 27, 2006
2005 Graves, Jen; “Natural Beauty.” The News Tribune, September 25, 2005, p. E.01
P U B L I C C O L L E C T I O N S
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture
ArtsWA
CHI Franciscan Harrison Medical Center
City of Kent, WA (Portable Works Collection)
Tacoma Art Museum
Grinnell College
Microsoft
4Culture/King County (Portable Works Collection)
City of Seattle, WA (Seattle City Light, Seattle Utilities: Portable Works Collections)
City of Shoreline, WA (Portable Works Collection)