Jay Bell (b. 1971, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) is a California-based painter whose work reflects a lifelong engagement with the relationships between people, labor, community and place. For Bell, painting is both a way of understanding the world and a means of participating in it, rooted in observation, personal experience and a belief that ordinary objects and everyday environments reveal larger stories about identity, economic opportunity and the human condition. He received his BFA in sculpture from Parsons School of Design in 1995. His paintings have been exhibited in Los Angeles, San Diego and New York, including at Charlie James Gallery, Bermudez Projects, Techne Art Center and Perspectives Space. Beyond the studio, he has spent more than two decades in community and economic development, helping create schools, parks, libraries and cultural institutions throughout Southern California. His new exhibition is on view at Charlie James Gallery.
