Adam Benet Shaw

Bio

 

Adam Benet Shaw is an award-winning painter, illustrator, and comic creator based in Springdale, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee. Shaw studied painting at the Cleveland Institute of Art in Ohio and the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland. He continues enhancing his skills through workshops and weekly figure drawing sessions at Studio Paradiso in Seattle and The SmArt School online.

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His work has been shown in over fifty group and solo exhibits and can be found in homes and corporate offices across the US, including New York, Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Grand Junction, Seattle, Little Rock, Birmingham, and Memphis.

 

Adam specializes in oil and acrylic paintings, figurative portraits, charcoal drawings, murals, illustrations for books, graphic novels, magazines, and designs for the gaming and movie industries. 

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His work is featured in publications by Dark Horse, Image Comics, Slave Labor Graphics, Dynamite, Akashic, Pro Se Publishing, Moonstone, Airship 27 Productions, New American Painting and Southwest Art Magazine.

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Statement

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"Influences on my work include illustrators from the early twentieth century and books about science, mythology and religion. In my paintings, I am attempting to create my own alternate mythologies and stories. They deal with themes of sadness, creativity, nature, evolution and the uncertainty of man’s future on this sphere.

I grew up around pools and lakes and am drawn to water imagery. I also like the idea of cropping figures dimensionally in space. In my water series, the figures inhabiting them are attempting to peer though a symbolic barrier, searching for something. The mystery or ambiguity of the search interests me.

Creating graphic novels is quite challenging because of its’ multi-faceted nature, much like playing the role of writer, actor, director, and producer of a film all at once. I choose to focus particularly on the expression of characters and exploring adaptations of the text that are not overtly literal. 

My aim in all of my work, whether it is painting or illustration, is to convey aspects of the human experience that are difficult, if impossible, to articulate in words, allowing me to emotionally connect with viewers."

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Exhibitions & Publications

2023

• Infected by Art #11 Magazine competition

• Nude Nite, Orlando

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2022

• Infected by Art #10 Magazine competition

2021

• Dia de los Muertos Festival Exhibition, Fenix Gallery, Fayetteville, Arkansas

• Southwest Art Magazine- Artistic Excellence Competition

2020
  •  Nude Nite, Tampa, Florida
  •  New Year, New Visions, Stern Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2019
  • Seattle Erotic Art Exhibition, Seattle Center
  • The Contemporary Figure, Western Colorado Center for the Arts, Grand Junction, Colorado
2018
  •  Solo show Adorn Design Studio, Seattle, Washington
2016
  •  Solo exhibition of Illustration and cover art, 901 Comics, Memphis Tennessee
  •  "Surface and Light", Solo exhibition, Arkansas Capital Corporation Group, Little Rock, Arkansas
2014
•  Nude Nite, Tampa, Florida
2013
•  Solace in Numbers, Solo Exhibition, Memphis Jewish Community Center, Memphis, Tennessee
•  Solo exhibition, Buckman Performing Arts Center, Memphis, Tennessee
2012
•  Real People, Old Courthouse Art Center, Crystal Lake, Illinois
2011
•  Art of the Graphic Novel, Memphis Jewish Community Center, Memphis, Tennessee
2010

• Sivads of March, Broad Street Art Walk

2009
• A Class of Hicks, Memphis College of Art, Memphis, Tennessee     
2008
• Delta Exhibition 50th Annual, Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, Arkansas
2007
• Drawings, Drawings, Drawings, Hawthorn Gallery, Birmingham, Alabama
• Red Clay Survey, Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville, Alabama
2006
• 1 of 5 artists to help complete a 138 foot Mural of "The History of Cotton" designed by David Mah – Cotton Exchange Museum, Memphis, Tennessee
• Erotica, Group show, David Mah Gallery, Memphis, Tennessee
2005
• Holiday Show, David Mah Gallery, Memphis, Tennessee
• Holiday Show, Hawthorn Gallery, Mountain Brook, Alabama
• St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Pavilion – Permanent Exhibition – Portraits of founders and St. Jude
• The Process Revealed, Mid-South Cartoonist Association –  
• Red Clay Survey, Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville, Alabama
• Something of Our Common Feeling, Delta Axis at Marshall Arts, Memphis, Tennessee
2004
• Solo Exhibition, David Mah Gallery, Memphis, Tennessee
• PowerHouse Inaugural Art Opening, Memphis, Tennessee
• Classical Mythology, One Man Show, Hawthorn Gallery, Mountain Brook, Alabama
• MetLife Building Lobby, Forrest Scott Gallery, Manhattan
• American Realism, Group Show, Plus One Gallery, London, England
• Light and Water, Family Tree Gallery, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
2003
• Holiday Show, Hawthorn Gallery, Mountain Brook, Alabama
• Flesh Tones and Water Ripples, One Man Show, Alpha Art Gallery, Little Rock, Arkansas
• Up with Art II, Alpha Art Gallery, Little Rock, Arkansas
2002
• Up with Art, Alpha Art Gallery, Little Rock, Arkansas
• Solo Exhibition, Hawthorn Gallery, Mountain Brook, Alabama
• Red Clay Survey, Huntsville Museum of Art, Alabama
• Divan Studios, La Jolla, California
• “Men: The Male Nude in Contemporary Art”, Hawthorn Gallery, Alabama
• “It’s a Human World”, Delta Axis at Marshall Arts, Memphis, Tennessee
2001
• “Studies in Light and Water”, Solo Exhibition, Jay Etkin Gallery, Memphis, Tennessee
• New American Painting, Exhibition in Print, Number 34
2000
• 43rd Annual Delta Art Exhibition, Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, Arkansas
• Group Show, Vertigo Gallery, Memphis, Tennessee
1999
• 25th Prints, Drawings, and Photography Exhibition, Arkansas Arts Center

EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting, Cleveland Institute of Art
1993 Edinburgh College of Art, Semester Exchange
2011 Watts Atelier, Painting Workshop, Encinitas, California

PRIZES AND AWARDS
• 2005 – Mid-South Science Fiction Writers Award
• 2003 – Selected “Most Promising Young American Artist” by a group of  European gallery owners
• 1995 – 1st Agnes Gund Memorial Scholarship:  $4,500 for travel
• 1991 – Presidents merit Scholarship:  $45,000 Cleveland Institute of Art

COLLECTIONS
• Alabama Power & Light, Inc.
• Private Collections in Los Angeles, California; Palm Springs, California; Portland, Oregon; Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York; London
• Humphreys Dunlap & Welford Law Firm
• FedEx Corporation
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COMMERCIAL WORK

2022

• Cover The Last Days of Poe, Airship 27

• Cover Rising Suns Reruns, Becky Books

2021

• Cover Riptide Sanitarium: Infection,

• Cover Brother Bones, Airship 27

• Cover Occupied Pulp, Flinch Books

• Cover Bohun, Carnelian Press

• Cover Horne, Airship 27

• Cover Mystery Men: Dr. Fixit

2020

• Cover Jezebel Johnston vol 7

2019
• Museum Mural, Delta Gateway Museum, Blytheville, Arkansas, Design 500
• Cover art for novels,  “Sinbad" and “The Wraith”, Airship 27
2018
• Cover art for novels, “Sun Koh” and “Jim Anthony vs. Mastermind", Airship 27
2017
• Opera set design, "Il Temple De La Gloire", Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra,          Berkley, CA, Design 500
• Cover Illustrations, New Pulp
   The Spirit in the Stone
   Silver Manticore: Vol 2
2016
• 4 Oil Portraits of Mosignors, Holy Spirit Church, Memphis, Tennessee
• Museum Mural, Delta Gateway Museum, Blytheville, Arkansas, Design 500
• Cover Illustration, "Johnny Dollar", Moonstone Books
2015
• Graphic story-The Never, Never is Forever, "Memphis Noir" Anthology, Akashic Books, NY
• Illustration for Oxford American Magazine
• ProSe Productions Cover Illustrations:
    Johnny Nickle Volume 2
    Judson and Garner
    Pulp Domain: Rocky
    Pulp Domain: Nightbeat
    Asian Pulp
    Black Pulp 2
    Gangsters Only
• Cover, "Comanche Blood", Airship 27
• Cover, "Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective", Airship 27
2014
• Cover Illustration, "The Damned Thing", ProSe Productions
• Blues Museum Mural, Tunica, MS Design 500
• Cover and interior illustrations for Novel "In the Shadow of Her Smile", Airship 27
• Cover illustration, "Maxim Gunn", ProSe Productions
2013
• Cover Illustrations, ProSe Productions
• Commissions-Private Collectors
• Illustrations for documentary “Gangland Wire”, Life Documentaries
2012
• Cover Illustration for “Black Pulp”, ProSe Productions
• Illustrations for Edgar Allen Poe Documentary, GT Media Group
2011
• Illustrations for documentary “John Brown”, Life Documentaries
• Opera Set Design, “Medea”,  Design 500
2010
• Illustrations for Graphic Novel- “David”, Shepherd King Publishing
• Portrait for Bridge Museum- Design 500
2009
• Portrait for Film Production, “Loss of a Teardrop Diamond”, Constellation Entertainment
• Illustrations for Graphic Novel- “David”, Shepherd King Publishing
• Reality Blurs – Illustrations for rpg “Iron Dynasty”
• Publishing of “Harpe”, a graphic novel
2008
• MAW Productions- “Jetta/Shi-Arrow of Destiny”, cover illustration
• Artist- “Harpe”, a graphic novel
2007
• Paramount Pictures – Storyboard Artist – “Warbride”, Director, Craig Brewer
• Artist- “Harpe”, a graphic novel
• “Kings of the Delta” CD cover design and launch party advertising
• Private Portraits
• Set design for independent movie production
• Set design- Design 500, Memphis, Tennessee
2006
• Paramount Pictures – Storyboard Artist and costume design– “Black Snake Moan”, Director, Craig Brewer
• Artist- “Harpe”, a graphic novel
2005
• Illustrations for role playing games “Rune Punk”, “The Red Temple” and “Star Fall Jungle” Reality Blurs Game studio
2004-2005
• Creator and Artist for “Bloodstream” graphic novel published by Image Comics
2004
• “Full Dark” – Artist for comic book in two (2) parts
2000-2004
• “Dead in Memphis” – Artist and Publisher for comic book in four (4) volumes
2002
• Drawing Instructor, Memphis Hebrew Academy
• Illustrations for Web-Hosting magazine – June 2001 cover; July 2001 cover; March 2002
• Adjunct Painting Instructor, Memphis College of Art
• Advance Placement Drawing Instructor, Memphis College of Art
2001
• Cover Illustration, “The Waiting Place”, Slave Labor Graphics
1996-2002
• Illustration, West Rogers Advertising, Memphis, Tennessee
1996-2013
• Private Portrait Commissions