Originally from southwestern Pennsylvania, Brian Ferrell is a creator of sculpturally functional furniture and hollowware. His work varies greatly in size from tableware and shelving, to dining sets and lounge chairs. These pieces utilize materials such as carved wood, pewter, steel, and stainless steel cable. Regardless of scale, all of his pieces begin with a common object, and in various ways, slightly abstract these everyday items, giving them the dual purpose of sculpture and function. Brian received his BFA in jewelry/metals in 2001 from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Immediately following, he attended the program in Artisanry at University of Massachusetts- Dartmouth where he graduated with his MFA also in jewelry/metals in 2004. Setting up his studio in Haverhill, MA, Brian showed his work in various locations around New England. At the same time, he also worked as a Studio Assistant to Dan Dailey, the world-renowned glass artist at his facility in New Hampshire. Brian currently lives and works in Jeannette, Pennsylvania, and shows his work regularly in group and solo exhibitions on local and national levels. He is one of the few artists to have a solo exhibition on the grounds of Fallingwater in Mill Run, PA. In addition to teaching at Seton Hill University, he is also on the Board of Directors for the Society of North American Goldsmiths, an international organization which promotes and supports the work of metal and jewelry artists. His artwork can be seen in publications such as American Craft Magazine, “500 Tables” from Lark Books, CAST, and is part of many private collections in locations in the US, UK, Germany, and Dubai.

Education

• M.F.A. - Jewelry/Metals, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth (North Dartmouth, MA) 2004
• B.F.A. - Major: Jewelry/Metals, Minors: Drawing, Art History. Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Indiana, PA) 2001

Publications

• 2018- “Wood works well in the right hands—Making Furniture Beautiful”. Pittsburgh Post Gazette. 4/30/2018
• 2017- “The Art of Functioning Furniture”—Pittsburgh Local Magazine. Fall 2017
• 2017- “Jewelers Employ Alternative Materials for non-traditional Works”. Mar, 1, 2017 Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA
• 2016- “Cast: Art and Objects Made Using Humanity’s Most Transformational Process” Jen Townsend & Renee Zettle-Sterling. Schiffer Publishing.
• 2015- “Your Personal Hangups”—Gail M. Brown. Center for Art in Wood. Schiffer Publishing.

Awards

• NICHE Award Winner—Philadelphia Buyers Market, Philadelphia, PA. *2013 Award Winner for Metal Hollowware
• NICHE Award Finalist. Functional Seating. The Rosen Group.
• 2017- Juror- Craft Boston. Boston Massachusetts
• 2018- Juror- Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. State College, PA
• 2020- PG&H Design Challenge Winner. Coaster designs for Church Brew Works. Pittsburgh, PA
• 2020- Juror- Erie Arts & Culture Established Artist Fellowship Grant.
• 2017 NICHE Award Finalist for Functional Seating Design
• 2013 NICHE Award Winner for Hollow Ware Design

Organizations

• Society of North American Goldsmiths- Board of Directors 2014-2019. President- 2019

Presentations

• 2019- The Return of the Casual Pewtersmith. Alchemist Picnic- Touchstone Center for Craft. Farmington, PA
• 2019- Pewter Casting workshop. Nazareth College. Rochester, NY
• 2018- Collaboration in the Studio-- Educators Dialogue, SNAG Conference, Portland, OR.
• 2018- Fallingwater Architectural Residency. Workshop Instructor to students from University of Oklahoma.
• 2018- Lecture and Pewter demonstration. San Jose State University. San Jose, CA.
• 2017-Fallingwater Architectural Residency. Workshop Instructor to students from University of Missouri.
• 2017- Educational Scaffolding in Craft—Educators Dialogue, SNAG Conference, New Orleans, LA.
• 2014- Touchstone Center for Craft- Keystone Metals Forum. Pewtersmithing Lecture and Demonstration.

Performances

• 2018 Contemporary Spoons—East Carolina University. Greenville, NC. Adorned Spaces—SNAG Conference. Portland, OR
• Recent Solo Exhibitions
• 2019 “The Unknown Landscape”—Margaret Calacino Gallery, Nazareth College. Rochester, NY
• 2017 “Exchange”— The Deans Gallery, University of Louisiana- Lafayette. Lafayette, LA.
• 2012 “Transitions of Form”-- Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg, PA. “Brian Ferrell: The Space Between”- Hoyt Institute for the Arts, New Castle, PA.
• ________________________________
• 2020 Locally Sourced—Carnegie Museum of Art. Pittsburgh, PA
• Selected Group and Juried Exhibtions
• 2019 Amalgam at Adorned Spaces—SNAG Conference, Chicago, IL Pennsylvania Metals Invitational—Brockway Center for Arts and Technology. Brockway, PA
• 2018 Artists Who Teach—Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg, PA Contemporary Spoons—East Carolina University. Greenville, NC. Allegheny Metals at Adorned Spaces—SNAG Conference. Portland, OR Monmade Exhibit—Pittsburgh International Airport, Pittsburgh, PA
• 2017 Allegheny Metals Club. Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. Pittsburgh, PA American Craft Today: Chairs. Bascom Center for the Visual Arts, Highlands, NC. Two Decades Delights—Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art. Ligonier, PA. “20/20”—Marion Cage Gallery. New Orleans, LA Out of Hand Benefit Auction. Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA
• 2016 Interpretations Biennial Teapot Exhibit. Craft Alliance, St. Louis, MO. “Our Cups Runneth Over”. Society for Arts and Crafts. Boston, MA Cup of Love show. Craft Alliance, St. Louis, MO Out of Hand Benefit Auction. Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2016 Faculty Exhibit, Harlan Gallery. Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PA Cooperation Garnish—Baltimore Jewelry Center, Baltimore, MD Cooperation Garnish—Brooklyn Metal Works, Brooklyn, NY Cooperation Garnish—Thomas Mann I/O Gallery, New Orleans, LA
• 2015 Residence & Residents: An Exhibition of Somewhat Regional Makers-- Seton Hill University Harlan Gallery. Greensburg, PA Behold: Modern Metal Vessels—Lillstreet Art Center. Chicago, IL Cooperation Garnish—SNAG Conference exhibit. Boston, MA Cooperation Garnish—Velvet di Vinci Gallery, San Francisco, CA Cooperation Garnish—Equinox Gallery, San Antonio, TX
• 2014 “fif-Tea: 14th Biennial Teapot Exhibition” — Craft Alliance. St. Louis MO Art We use—Dairy Barn Arts Center. Anthens OH. What are you thinking?—Alumni Exhibit. University of Massachusetts- Dartmouth. North Dartmouth, MA UMD Alumni Exhibit-- SNAG Conference pop-up exhibit. Boston, MA Residence & Residents: An Exhibition of Somewhat Regional Makers. Seton Hill University Harlan Gallery. Greensburg, PA

Achievements

• Collections
• Collection of Bill White, Houston, TX
• Lobby sign and entry table. 8th & Penn Apartments. Pittsburgh, PA
• Private Collections, New York City, Chicago, Pittsburgh. Bristol, UK, Dubai, UAE.
• Sloan Art Center, Loch Haven University, Loch Haven, PA
• Green Building Alliance. Pittsburgh, PA
• Sonny Kamm Teapot Collection, Los Angeles, CA
• Wornick Collection, Napa, CA