James Reid

James Patrick Reid has been painting since childhood – historical scenes, portraits, and landscapes. He studied at the Catholic University of America and the New York Studio School, and earned a master’s degree in painting at Indiana University.

A particular interest, which has grown over the years following his spiritual awakening at age fifteen, is the intersection of art with theology and the spiritual life. He has written and lectured much on this subject, beginning with an M.Div. thesis at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary.

Reid comes to Benedictine College after decades of teaching painting and drawing in New York City, at the Art Students League, the New York Academy, and the Fashion Institute of Technology, as well as teaching online the history and theory of Catholic art for the Franciscan University of Steubenville.

His paintings can be viewed at JamesPatrickReid.com and SacredPaintings.org, and some of his published writings can be found at TheCatholicThing.org and TheImaginativeConservative.org.

Research / Studio Interests:

Traditional and innovative techniques in oil, egg tempera, acrylic, and watercolor painting; artistic anatomy; pictorial composition; the inventive processes and technical procedures of old and modern masters; the theological dimension of form in art; the connections of visual art with music, literature, philosophy, sports, and science.

Solo Exhibitions:

2021    MORRIS GALLERY FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, Missouri Valley College, Marshall, Missouri

2020    THE CONVENT AT SAINT MICHAEL’S, New York City

2017    THE FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY OF STEUBENVILLE, Steubenville, Ohio.

2016    THE PAINTING CENTER, New York City.

2014    GOGGLEWORKS CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Reading, Pennsylvania.

2004    ART LAB GALLERY, Staten Island, New York.

1995    VITERBO COLLEGE ART GALLERY, La Crosse, Wisconsin.

1991    MONGEON GALLERY, Portland, Oregon.

1988    EXHIBIT A GALLERY, Savannah, Georgia.

1988    THE STONY BROOK SCHOOL, Stony Brook, NY

Published Writings:

“Invisible Things Clearly Seen: Visual Art in the Drama of Salvation,” in the Saint Austin Review, Volume 17, No.1 (January/February 2017)        

“True to Nature: The Metaphysics of Representation in Art,” in American Arts Quarterly, Winter, 1998.

“Vital Form and Radiant Light: A Painter Explores the Photographs of Christopher Burkett,” in Intimations of Paradise: the Photography of Christopher Burkett, Westwind Arts, 1999.

“Modern Art and Iconography,” in Prosopon, April 2000.

“Modern Mystics: Kandinsky and Matisse,” in Seen, volume 1, 2000.

Online: “Art and the Transfiguration of the World,” at The Imaginative Conservative.org, August 10, 2017.

Online: Various articles at The Catholic Thing.org