Education
Yale University, New Haven, CT.
MFA, Painting and Printmaking, 2001.
University of Texas at Austin.
BFA, Studio Art, with emphasis in Painting and Drawing, 1998.
Solo and Two-Person Exhibitions
Living, Breathing, Essex Flowers, New York, NY, 2022.
Bathers, Fish Island Gallery, Darien, CT, 2021.
Hiss My Way Down, Essex Flowers, New York, NY, 2020.
Together, A Part (with Craig Taylor), Essex Flowers Window Box, New York, NY, 2020.
Maladapted, Fredericks & Freiser, New York, NY, 2011.
I Think of Demons, Fredericks & Freiser, New York, NY, 2008.
Nicholas Di Genova & Sean McCarthy, Fredericks Freiser Gallery, New York, NY, 2005.
Selected Group Exhibitions
Off the Record (Upstate Art Weekend), Not Donuts, Stanfordville, NY, 2024 (forthcoming).
Perennials: 10 Years of Essex Flowers, Essex Flowers, New York, NY, 2023.
Metafiguration, Tops Gallery, Memphis, TN, 2022.
Celebrating Animals, Howland Cultural Center, Beacon, NY, 2022.
Cut-Ups, Essex Flowers, New York, NY, 2021.
Envelope, Drawer, New York, NY, 2020.
Three-Legged Race, Essex Flowers, New York, NY, 2020.
Geo Necro, Ada Gallery, Richmond, VA, 2016.
How to Throw Away a Knife, Quaid Gallery, Tampa, FL, 2015.
The Flat Files: Year One, Tiger Strikes Asteroid New York, Brooklyn, NY, 2013.
Partyka: The Paper Inferno, Monastiraki, Montreal, QC, Canada, 2013.
In Search Of..., Clough-Hanson Gallery, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, 2012; Art and Design Gallery, University of Kansas, Lawrence, 2012; Tiger Strikes Asteroid New York, Brooklyn, NY, 2013.
Under the Influence: The Comics, Lehman College Art Gallery, Bronx, NY, 2012.
Brutal Doodle, Lufthansa Studios, Boston, MA, 2011.
Natural Renditions, Marlborough Chelsea, New York, NY, 2010.
The New Weird America, Dana Art Gallery, Wellesley, MA, 2010.
Insomnia, Peter Fingesten Gallery, Pace University, New York, NY, 2009.
Freaks, Privateer, Brooklyn, NY, 2008.
They Fought a Running Engagement (Collaborations), Fredericks & Fresier, New York, NY, 2008.
Drawn, Hanged and Quartered, Peter Fingesten Gallery, Pace University, New York, NY, 2007.
100 Artists - 100 Watercolors, Jeannie Freilich Fine Art, New York, NY, 2006.
DIY TLC, New York Institute of Technology, New York, NY, 2006.
Ides of March, ABCNoRio, New York, NY, 2006.
Black Moon Island: Contemporary International Drawing, One in the Other, London, UK, 2006.
Graphic, Fredericks Freiser Gallery, New York, NY, 2004.
Publish and be Damned, Cubitt Artists Gallery, London, UK, 2004.
MFA Thesis Exhibition, Yale University School of Art, New Haven, CT, 2001.
Yale 2001 MFA Painting/Printmaking Exhibition, Ellen Battell Stoeckel Estate, Norfolk, CT, 2000.
Publications
Chosen Family issues 8 and 9, edited by Mike Amari, Liam Singer, and Forrest Hackenbrock, April and May 2023.
Your Huddled Masses, edited by Stephanie Costello, 2017.
Geo Necro, written and art directed by Ryan Browning and Casey Jex Smith, Ada Gallery, Richmond, VA, 2016.
The Ashgate Encyclopedia of Literary and Cinematic Monsters, edited by Jeffrey Weinstock, Ashgate, 2014.
Everything is Dolphins: An RPG by Ray Weiss, art directed by Tim Hutchings, Hutchingsonian Presents, 2012.
Desert Island Comic Zine Party at the Whitney, Whitney Museum of American Art, 2011.
The Black Boot, edited by Ethan J. Antonucci et al, Issue 8, Autumn 2010.
The New Weird America, exhibition catalogue, Dana Art Gallery, 2010.
Monster Island 3, edited by Billy Mavreas, Conundrum Press, 2007.
Palimpsest Literary & Arts Magazine, Volume 4, Issue 1, 2006.
Paping, issues 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 14, edited by John Mejias, 2003–2006.
Boog City, issue 33, art directed by Brenda Ijima, 2006.
DIY TLC: An Exhibition of New Art by Partyka and Friends, exhbition catalogue, Partyka, 2006.
Partyka: Selected Daily Drawings, 2003–2005, Partyka, 2005.
See How Pretty, See How Smart, Issues 1, 2 and 3 edited by the artist, 2003–2004, issue 4 edited by the artist and Craig Taylor, 2005.
Broken Pencil, Issue 28. 2005.
Publish and be Damned, exhibition catalogue, Cubitt Artists Gallery, 2004.
Yale 2001 MFA Painting/Printmaking Exhibition, exhibition catalogue, Yale Norfolk Summer School of Art and Music, 2000.
Bibliography
Abrahams, Stephanie. “Head to the Desert Island Comic Zine Party at the Whitney Museum of American Art on Saturday, October 15,” Time Out New York, October 12, 2011.
Artforum editors, “Must See New York: Sean McCarthy | Hiss My Way Down, Essex Flowers,” Artforum artguide, September 15, 2020.
Bergeron, Chris. “Dana Hall hosts ‘New Weird America’ exhibit,” MetroWest Daily News, February 21, 2010.
Baynes, Brian. “The Novice by Sean McCarthy,” review, Bubbles #18, December 2023, pg. 40 (illustration).
Blanchette, Colin. “The Novice by Sean McCarthy,” review, Canon #3, Winter 2024, pg. 5 (illustration).
Campbell, Thomas. “The Novice by Sean McCarthy,” review, Comics Blogger # 7, December 2023, pg. 17 (illustration).
Cook, Mary. “Sean McCarthy at Fredericks & Freiser,” NY Arts, March/April 2008.
Coulter, Kristine. “Howland Center to host exhibit on animals,” Beacon Free Press, January 5, 2022.
Davis, Paul Matthew. “Paping #14,” Punk Planet, January/February 2007.
Dickson, Evan. “See How Pretty See How Smart #4,” Broken Pencil, Issue 30, 2006.
Defore, John. “Framed: New Talent Travels In Packs,” San Antonio Current, May 10, 2006.
Diaz, Hatuey. “See How Pretty, See How Smart #2, #3, #4,” Punk Planet, March/April 2006.
Doctorow, Cory. “Everything is Dolphins: Old Homebrew RPG About Dolphins to Become a Kickstartered Product,” boingboing.net, February 21, 2012.
Dvozenja-Thomas, Melissa. “‘Celebrating Animals’ at Beacon’s Howland Cultural Center,” Poughkeepsie Journal, February 2, 2022.
Gelber, Eric. “Sean McCarthy at Fredericks & Freiser,” artcritical.com, March 2008.
Hitchings, Jen. “In Search Of... Elegantly Mystical Works at TSA,” Bushwick Daily, March 4, 2013.
Ho, Christopher K. “Fiction: Laocoön Strikes Back,” No Object Is an Island: Dialogues with the Cranbrook Collection (exhibition catalogue), 2011.
Hoeltzel, Susan and Yuneikys Villalonga. “Under the Influence: The Comics,” http://www. lehman.edu/vpadvance/artgallery/gallery/AAA_UnderInfluence_gnrl.HTM, 2012.
Horner, James. “Staying up with ‘Insomnia’,” examiner.com, November 17, 2009.
Huevelings, Dieuwertje. “Sean McCarthy,” Rassion Magazine, April 14, 2010.
Hutchings, Tim. “Everything is Dolphins! (Dungeons and Dragons Meets Ecco the Dolphin),” SUPERCHIEF, February 14, 2012.
Johnson, Paddy. “Everything is Dolphins: Art Book + Role Playing Game,” Art F City, March 5, 2012.
Nakamura, Eric. “Shawn Cheng Artist Interview,” Giant Robot, April 5, 2016.
Rosson, Keith. “See How Pretty, See How Smart #3,” Razorcake, February/March 2006.
Schenker, Dylan. “Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, Illustrated,” Flavorwire, May 15, 2010.
Seeger, Zach. “Essex Flowers: Waiting to be activated,” Two Coats of Paint, January 25, 2020.
Sigurdson, Graham. “The Novice” review, Broken Pencil # 101, Winter 2024, pgs. 38–39 (illustration).
Wilson, Michael. “Nicholas Di Genova at Fredericks & Freiser,” Artforum, May 2010.
Zucker, Kevin. “Thematic Apperception Test,” The Highlights, August 2008.
Academic Appointments
Lehman College, City University of New York, Bronx, NY.
Associate Professor, Art, August 2014 – present.
Department Chair, July 2014 –June 2019.
Assistant Professor, Art, September 2007 – August 2014.
Adjunct Lecturer, Art, January 2006 – May 2007.
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY.
Visiting Asstistant Professor, Fine Arts, Fall 2010.
Visiting Lecturer, Higher Education Opportunity Program, Summer 2007.
New York Institute of Technology, New York/Old Westbury, NY. Adjunct Assistant Professor, Fine Arts, September 2004 – May 2007.
Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Teaching Assistant to Kurt Kauper, Intermediate Painting, September 2000 – May 2001.
Teaching Assistant to Craig Taylor, Intermediate Drawing, Summer 2000.
Curatorial/Editorial
Editorial board, Glossator: Theory and Practice of the Commentary, Open Humanities Press, April 2008 – present.
Curator, No Longer, Not Yet, Essex Flowers, New York, NY, November–December 2020.
Co-organizer (with Essex Flowers member artists), Might Delete Later, Essex Flowers, New York, NY, March 2020.
Co-organizer (with Jonathan Ehrenberg), AXxoN N.: A Collective Commentary on David Lynch’s Inland Empire, Memorial Hall Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, September–October 2019; Essex Flowers, New York, NY, February 2019.
Co-organizer (with Essex Flowers member artists), Alternate Realities video exhibition, Essex Flowers, New York, NY, August–September 2019.
Organizer, The Puerto Rican War: A Performance by John Mejias, Flowers Festival, Essex Flowers, New York, NY, August 10, 2019.
Curator, Here & There, No Globe Exhibition Space, Brooklyn, NY, 2012.
Curator, Nature, Once Removed: The (Un)Natural World in Contemporary Drawing, Lehman College Art Gallery, Bronx, NY, 2010.
Curator, Permutations, New York Institute of Technology, New York, NY, 2007.
Awards and Residencies
Fellowship Leave Award, Lehman College, City University of New York, 2024 – 2025.
NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in Fiction, 2024.
Residency, Yaddo, Saratoga Springs, NY, August 2024.
Research Award (Traditional A), Research Foundation of the City University of New York, 2023.
Research Award (Traditional A), Research Foundation of the City University of New York, 2022.
Fellowship Leave Award, Lehman College, City University of New York, 2016 – 2017.
Research Award (Traditional A), Research Foundation of the City University of New York, 2013.
Research Award (Traditional A), Research Foundation of the City University of New York, 2012.
Artist’s Grant and Residency, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, July 2009.
Lectures, Juries and Public Appearances
River Valley Art Center, Lecturer, Wappingers Historical Society Speaker Series, “The Artwork of Henry Billings,” September 2023.
Rhode Island School of Design, Lecturer, “Inland Empires: David Lynch and the Grotesque,” October 2019; Visiting Artist, Painting, November 2015; Panelist, “This is the Worst Love I Ever Had This Bad: Daniel Johnston,” April 2013; and Visiting Artist, Drawing, November 2006.
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, Guest Critic, Printmaking, December 2018, March 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and May 2009.
Leonard Lief Library, Lehman College, City University of New York, Bronx, NY, Instructor, Zine Workshop, April 2017.
Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, Panelist, "What Makes a Successful Critique? Experiences and Strategies," Art School Critique 2.0, November 18, 2016.
City College, City University of New York, New York, NY, Guest Critic, MFA review panel, April 14, 2016.
Fordham University, Bronx, NY, Guest Lecturer, Graphic Storytelling, April 2014.
Lehman College Art Gallery, Bronx, NY, Lecturer, City & The Humanities Program, April 26, 2012; Lecturer, “The Problem of Comics and Fine Art: An Autobiographical Case Study,” May 9, 2012.
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY, Exhibitor, Desert Island Comic Zine Party, October 2011.
Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA, Guest Critic, Painting, May 2011.
Allegra LaViola Gallery, New York, NY, Panelist, “Dungeons & Dragons in Contemporary Art,” November 2010.
University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, Visiting Artist, Painting, October 2009.
New York Institute of Technology, New York, NY, Panel moderator, “Permutations,” April 2007, and “DIY TLC,” April 2006.
McDougal Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, Guest Lecturer, October 2006.
Scholastic Art Awards, Juror, Drawing and Group I Region-at-Large, 2006.
Lehman College, City University of New York, Bronx, NY, Visiting Artist, Printmaking, Novermber 2005.
Baltimore School for the Arts, Baltimore, MD, Visiting Artist, Painting, November 2005 and April 2002.
Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT, Visiting Artist, Painting, October 2000.