CV
EDUCATION
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Master of Fine Arts
The Pennsylvania State University – University Park, PA
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Bachelor of Fine Arts
Western Illinois University – Macomb, Illinois
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SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
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2023 Dipole - solo exhibition - Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS forthcoming
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2022 Calm, Centered, Awake - group - Sanctuary Studios, Seattle, WA forthcoming
curated by Peter Christenson, Associate Professor of Fine Art, WSU: https://www.peterchristenson.com/
Rite of Spring Break - group - Historic Evans School, Denver, CO
curated by Emilie Trice, independent arts writer and curator: https://emilietrice-portfolio.com/
Affordable Art Fair (Fall) - group - exhibiting with Treat Gallery, NY, NY
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2021 Hues & Blues - group - Treat Gallery, online
Affordable Art Fair (Fall) - group - exhibiting with Treat Gallery, NY, NY
Grey Area - group - Treat Gallery, online
Affordable Art Fair (Spring) - group - exhibiting with Treat Gallery, NY, NY
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2020 Americans Looking In - group - Center for Book Arts, New York, NY
Spring Fever - group - Treat Gallery, online
curated by Ruben Natal-San Miguel, photographer and architect
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2019 Moon Creeper - solo exhibition - Union Gallery, University of Kansas - Lawrence, KS
PULSE Art Fair - group - Miami Beach, FL
Satellite Art Show - group - Brooklyn, NY
Fall 2019 Group Exhibition - group - Orchard Art Collective - Philadelphia, PA
Build & Fabricate: online, two-person exhibition - GHOST - Omaha, NE
Sun Dogs - solo exhibition - UNDRground Contemporary Arts - Grand Island, NE
Treat America Project - group - Treat Gallery Instagram Takeover & Exhibition Series:
Foley Gallery, New York, NY
OSNY Project Space - New York, NY
Satellite Art Show, SXSW - Austin, TX
5th International Exhibition of New Media Art - group - CICA Museum - Gimpo-si, South Korea
Invited Alumni Exhibition - group - Western Illinois University Art Gallery - Macomb, IL
In Congruity: DoVA Faculty Exhibition - group - Jackson Dinsdale Art Center, Hastings College - Hastings, NE
2018 Cubed Luminous - group - Pensacola Museum of Art, University of West Florida - Pensacola, FL
Barnstorm - group - PUNCH Projects - Ellensburg, WA
Small Works 2018 - online group exhibition - Trestle Gallery - Brooklyn, NY
Staring into Space - group - Mid-America College Art Association Conference Exhibition - Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln
curated by Behnaz Farahi, artist and architect: https://behnazfarahi.com/
Future Artifact: Creative Tech Week Exhibition - group - Plexus Projects - Brooklyn, NY
Jordan Buschur, Bubblegum & Whiskey, & Chris Drobnock – James May Gallery – Appleton, WI
Yonder Dreams - solo exhibition - Jackson Dinsdale Art Center, Hastings College - Hastings, NE
2017 Young at Art – group - Roxbury Arts Center – Roxbury, NY
Tidal Shifts – group - Art Museum of South Texas – Corpus Christi, TX
Retro Future - group - Miranda Kuo Gallery - NYC
2016 International Exhibition of Contemporary Illustration – group - CICA Museum – Gimpo-si, South Korea
Politics and Power – group – Ann Street Gallery – Newburgh, NY
It Can Happen Here - group - Arts & Literature Laboratory - Madison, WI
Tastemakers II – group – Court Tree Collective & Treat Gallery – Brooklyn, NY
Tying The Knot – group – San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles – San Jose, CA
Sweet Spot – group - Treat Gallery – Brooklyn, NY
Art & Oddities - group - Second Sight Project, Sign House 735, Columbus, OH
Peace Among Savages: The Gun Show - group - Amos Eno Gallery–Brooklyn, NY
Fun Size – group - Treat Gallery – NYC
Art with Impact - group - AWI Foundation - San Francisco, CA
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2015 InLiquid v.15 – group - InLiquid - Philadelphia, PA
Wham-O! – group - Artists’ Milepost – Portland, OR
International Small Works Exhibition – group - Kirkland Art Gallery – Clinton, NY
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2014 Art + Architecture - group - Philadelphia Center for Architecture – Philadelphia, PA
Unmarked - group - The Active Space – Brooklyn, NY
Digital Hand - group - Gallery 709 – Pittsburgh, PA
Heroes & Villains - group - Arc Gallery – Chicago, IL
Painting Now - group - Florence Quatar Gallery – Southwest University of Visual Arts – Tucson, AZ
Small Pleasures - group - Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University, Wichita, KS
InLiquid v.14 - group - InLiquid, Philadelphia, PA
2013 Contemporary Still Life - group - Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs, AR
2012 Collage & Assemblage - group - Winner, 2nd Place, Eastern New Mexico University- Roswell, NM
Plein Aire - group - Winner, Best in Show, The Penn State Theater- State College, PA
2010 Tapped - group - Manifest Gallery- Cincinnati, OH
3rd Annual College Invitational - group - Figge Art Museum- Davenport, IA
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
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2022 Interdisciplinary VR: Merging Game Design & Language to Facilitate Student Engagement
International Conference on Meaningful Play, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Session: Language Games - chaired by Dr. Mysoon Rizk, Professor of Art History, The University of Toledo
Lecture, co-authored with Matthew Gordon. October 14, 2022.
SALUKI-X: Investigating Ethical Space Exploration Through Hybrid Methodologies for Designing,
Mapping & Navigating Virtual & Built Environments
Mid-America College Art Association Conference, Slippery Rock University, PA
Session: Time & Place: How Cartography & Geology Affect our Realities
Paper presentation. April 1, 2022.
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AWARDS & GRANTS
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2018 Trustee Innovation Grant, Hastings College Foundation - Hastings College, Hastings, NE
Service Learning Grant - Hastings College, Hastings, NE
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2014 Gerald Davis Painting Prize – The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Visual Arts Professional Travel Grant – The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
2010 University Gallery Purchase Award – Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL
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SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY / ONLINE PUBLICATIONS / REFERENCES TO WORK IN OTHER OUTLETS
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2019 CICA Museum / CICA Press, “Post-Human: New Media Art 2020”
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SLAG MAG, “Bubblegum & Whiskey” * Volume I, Issue 4: Rurality
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2018 “Bubblegum & Whiskey.” Featured Artist. Artist Studios, AS | Mag. The Journal.
Medium.com/as-mag. June 2018.
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Genevieve Randall, NETNebraska.org "Friday Live: Homestead, String Beans, Chiara, Chadron Debussy, and More..." January 12, 2018 radio interview
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Laura Eppinger, "The Highs and Lows of Daily Life" https://newfound.org/tag/bubblegum-whiskey/
January 31, 2018
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2017 Courtney Simchak, “Volume 8, Issue 2” Newfound.org http://www.Newfound.org/current-issue/visual-arts- bubblegum-whiskey/ October 1, 2017
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2016 “Bubblegum & Whiskey” Young-Space.com
http://www.young-space.com/blog/2016/11/bubblegum-whiskey?rq=bubblegum
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“Kevin Mercer” Dialgoist.org, October 1, 2016. http://www.Dialogist.org
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Kevin Mercer, “In This, Our Darkest Year” AlebrijesLit.org, July 1, 2016. http://www.AlebrijesLit.org
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Kevin Mercer, “A Life of Steam – Steam Man – Man of Steam – A Man of Light & Steam – Working Titles” Newsletter, September 1, 2016. http://www.UnitedProjectsNewsletter.com
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2014 “Kevin Mercer – Pittsburgh, PA” 365Artists365Days.com, December 28, 2014. http://www.365artists365days.com
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Dante Brebner, “Margaret Noel and Kevin Mercer Jr. – Collage and Mixed Media Object” www.SmallPleasures.org, April 1 2014. http://www.smallpleasures.org
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2011 Jason Franz / Manifest Gallery, “Manifest Volume Fifty-One” Manifest Press, Cincinnati, OH
PROFESSIONAL & TEACHING EXPERIENCE
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Assistant Professor of Digital Media Arts & Animation
Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, Illinois
August, 2021 - Present
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Instructor of Art, Gallery Director & Digital Fabrication Coordinator
Hastings College - Hastings, Nebraska
August, 2019 – May, 2020
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Visiting Instructor of Art, Gallery Director & Digital Fabrication Coordinator
Hastings College – Hastings, Nebraska
August, 2018 – May, 2019
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Adjunct Instructor of Art, Gallery Director & Digital Fabrication Coordinator
Hastings College - Hastings, Nebraska
August, 2017 – May, 2018
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Professional Assistant Professor & University Galleries Manager
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
January, 2016 – May, 2017
Construction & Facilities Coordinator
Carnegie Museum of Art – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
July, 2014 – March, 2015
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Wood / Metal Shop Technician
The Pennsylvania State University
School of the Visual Arts
University Park, Pennsylvania
July, 2013 – May, 2014
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Instructor of Record, 2D & 3D Foundations
The Pennsylvania State University
School of the Visual Arts
University Park, Pennsylvania
August, 2013 – May, 2014
Teaching Assistant
Art 020: Introductory Drawing
The Pennsylvania State University
School of the Visual Arts
University Park, Pennsylvania
January, 2013 – May, 2013