Brian Keeler, born in 1953 in Pennsylvania, developed an early interest in art influenced by his father, a painter, and later studied at Keystone College and the York Academy of Arts. He trained under several notable realist painters and has maintained a career focused on realistic and representational art since graduating in 1975. While portrait painting dominated his early career, he later expanded into landscapes, still lifes, and figures using oil, pastel, and watercolor. He has made Italian landscapes and cities one of his painting projects from 1992-2004 and since then conducted landscape and figure painting classes in northern Tuscany. Keeler has been active as both an artist and educator, teaching workshops, college courses, and organizing community art initiatives. His work is strongly inspired by nature—especially the Susquehanna River—and he often paints outdoors in the tradition of plein air artists before completing larger works in the studio.
Artist Statement
Expressing and describing the beauty of light has been the focus of Brian Keeler’s career in painting, which includes landscape, the figure, portraits, still life, and allegorical work. Depicting the “topography of light” is the way he likes to describe this process, as this phrase communicates the way light plays across forms and describes their shapes. When painting the figure, he applies this term with a twist, “corporeal topography,” as this idea addresses the concept of the body as a form for light to express. In the multifaceted expressions of both the light and the subjects, we appreciate through Keeler’s paintings a specific location. Though we recognize the locales and subjects of his work, we are led to enjoy the formal qualities of the act of painting for their own merit.
In a certain sense, however, the light becomes the subject for Keeler and the scene or depiction takes on a secondary or supporting role. He often chooses the “Golden Hour” as the time for portraying the motifs he selects, as this late afternoon or early morning light accentuates the drama of any given scene. His figurative painting and other genres also incorporate a marvelous appreciation for the way light can reveal the world to us.
Among other artists, patrons and the public, he is known as a colorist, which is to say, it is the quality of his color that is one of the memorable aspects of his well-crafted work. His art also combines a unique sense of composition, proportional harmonies, and draftsmanship, as these paintings, pastels, and watercolors show an orchestration of the overall relationships.
The subjects of Keeler’s landscapes come from the area of the northern Susquehanna Region of Pennsylvania near his hometown, Wyalusing, PA, and from Ithaca, NY, and the Finger Lakes where he lives now. But his subjects also include American cities, Italy, New England, and Maine. In recent years, he has made the Celtic lands of Ireland and Scotland the source for his work as well.
Keeler combines this aesthetics of light and structural compositional dynamics in his work, and in his teaching and writing as he shares his love for painting in workshops in the US and abroad. Most notably, his workshops in figure and plein air painting taught in Italy have treated students to the magic of Umbria and Tuscany as well as Rome and other Italian cities. He has become a passionate student of the Italian Renaissance, with over 20 years of teaching and traveling in Italy. Keeler shares these art history insights in slide lectures as well as incorporating some aspects of the classics in his own allegorical works.
Fusing the environmental and the aesthetic, in regard to painting and organizing events to protect the Susquehanna, has been part of Keeler’s endeavors too. He organized a symposium to advocate for responsible stewardship in November of 2019. His artistic inspiration for the melding of art and ecology is Thomas Cole, the 19th century American painter and leader of the Hudson River School of artists.
When Keeler isn’t painting, you may find him out playing gigs (on guitar) with his gyspy swing band, Zingology, and teaching Lindy or Balboa swing classes before these events.
Brian Keeler is the son of a Sunday painter and newspaper editor, the late William W. Keeler, whom he credits for sparking his initial interest in art. Brian received his early training at Keystone College near Scranton, PA, and at a small art school in southern Pennsylvania, The York Academy of Arts. His paintings have received numerous awards over a long and productive career, and his work is featured in numerous private, business, corporate, and museum collections.
In 2013, North Light Books published a beautiful hard-cover art instruction book by Brian, titled “Dramatic Color in the Landscape.” The book is a compendium of his teaching and working methods and includes dozens of his paintings of the Northeast and Italy. The artist has also produced several art instructional DVDs with the Artists Network and on his own. Most recently, in 2022, he published his second book on painting, Light on Figure.
Keeler lives and has a studio-gallery in Ithaca, NY, and a studio-gallery in his hometown of Wyalusing, PA. His work is represented at the West End Gallery in Corning, NY, the Thomas Ferleman Gallery in Cumberland, MD, the Argosy Gallery in Bar Harbor, ME, and The North Star Art Gallery in Ithaca, NY.
New Brunswick Art Salon 2026 – Oil and Mixed Media “Pigmented Perceptions” Exhibition
Education
York Academy of Arts– York, PA 1973-1975
Keystone College, LaPlume, PA 1971-1973
Brian Keeler has studied with the following painters; Daniel Greene, Albert Handell, Everett Raymond Kinstler, Nelson Shanks, Lennart Anderson, Jack Beal and Sondra Freclkleton
Awards
Emeritus Award- Tioga County Council on the Arts- August 2025
Sourcetk Award- Wayne Plein Air Fest- Wayne, PA- May 2025
Best Painiting of Sky and Clouds- Plein Air Magazine’s August juried compettion. August 2024
Best of Show Award- Everyday Life, Regional Exhibit, Coudcroft Gallery, Owego, NY- Summer 2024
Best Painting Award– Everyday Life, Regional Exhibit, Cloudcroft Gallery, Owego, NY- Summer 2023
Best Use of Light Award- Susquehanna Summer Solstice Fest- Plein Air- June 2022, Wyalusing, PA
Best Use of Color Award- Susquehanna Summer Solstice Fest- Plein Air June 2022, Wyalusing, PA
Staff Choice Award– Wayne Plein Air Fest- Wayne, PA May 2022
Sourcetek Award– Wayne Plein AIr Fest- Wayne, PA May 2022
Best of Show Award- Everyday Life, Every Day Art, Regional Exhibit, Cloudcroft Gallery, Owego,NY- Septmeber 2021
The Wright Memorial Award for Oil Painting- The Cooperstown National Exhibit, Cooperstown, NY- July 2021
Top 25 in The USA– Artist’s & Selfie Comp (plein Air) Fine Art Connoissuer Magazine November 2020
Best of Show Award- Regional – Everyday Life Exhibit, Cloudcroft Gallery, Owego, NY – September 2019
Gamblin Award and Best Rainy Day Painting Award– Wayne Plein Air Fest, Wayne, Pa- Spring 2019
Best Plein Air Oil Painting– Plein Air Magazine’s Plein Air Salon, Winter 2016
John Arnot Sr. Ward for Oil Painting, Arnot Museum, Elmira, NY, Regional Exhibit, Spring 2016
Top Award for Oil Painting, Butternut Gallery, Montrose, PA, Focus Regional Exhibit, Spring 2016
Burchen Memorial Award, Cooperstown National Exhibit, Cooperstown, NY, Summer 2014
Merit Award, One of three top awards, Roberson Museum Regional Exhibit, Summer 2011
Best of Show– Regional Exhibit-Roberson Museum, Binghamton, NY – Summer 2009
Best of Show– “A Sense of Place- Regional Exhibit” Butternut Gallery, Montrose, PA- Spring 2009
Best of Show– “Inspired by the Susquehanna Exhibit” Cultural Council of Luzerne County- WIlkes-Barre,PA – Fall 2008
Best of Show- Regional Exhibit- Roberson Museum, Binghamton, NY- Summer 2008
Best of Show– Regional Exhibit-EMCA Gallery, Tunkhannock, PA-Summer 2007
Best of Show- Regional Exhibit. Williamsport-Lycoming Arts Council-Spring 2005
Wright Memorial Award for Oil Painting- Cooperstown National Exhibit, Cooperstown,NY – Summer 2004
First Place- Williamsport-Lycoming Arts Council, Williamsport, PA, Spring 2003
Best of Show-,Williamsport-Lycoming Arts Council Williamsport, PA Spring 2002
Best of Show- Regional exhibit, EMCA Gallery, Tunkhannock, PA Spring 2001
Best of Show– Northeastern Regional, Scranton, PA October, 2000
Grumbacher Award– Cooperstown National Exhibit, CooperstownNYJuly 1998
Best Of Show– 64th Regional Exhibit, Arnot Museum, Elmira, NY March 1997
Best of Show– Regional Exhibit juried by Hilton Kramer, Wyoming Seminary Kingston, PA, April 1996
Best of Show– River Reflections Exhibit, Susquehanna Studio, Uniondale, PA October 1996
Second Place Award– Regional Exhibit, Marywood University, Scranton, PA -July/1994
Second Place Award-Regional Exhibit, Afa Gallery, Scranton, PA, – April1994
Evelyn and Seymore Graham Award– Regional Exhibit, Hazleton Art League April, 1994
First Place, Regional Pastel Exhibit, Tioga Arts Space, Owego,NY September 1992
Van Brunt Memorial Award, Arnot Museum, Regional Exhibit, Elmira, NY April 1992
Akzo Salt of the Earth Award, Regional Exhibit,Waverly Comm, Waverly, PA October 1990
Best of Show– Roberson Mueum, Holiday Exhibit, Binghamton, NY September 1990
Windsor-Newton Award, Preserving our Natural Resources Exhibit, American Artist Magazine, May 1990
First Place in Oil, Purchase Award, July Fest, Binghamton, NY, July 1990
Boscov Award, Hazelton Art League Regional Exhibit, May 1990
Merit Award, Roberson Museum, Susquehanna Regional Exhibit, Binghamton, NY, October 1980
Best of Show, First Place in Oil, Second Place Pastel, July Fest, Binghamton, NY July 1988
Frank H. Walser Award, Hazleton Art League Regional Exhibit, May 1988
S.F. Izard Award, Arnot Museum, Regional Exhibit, March 1988
Best of Show and Purchase Award, July Fest, Binghamton, NY July 1986
Best of Show, Harrisburg Art Fest, Harrisburg, PA June 1986
Third Place in Oil, Susquehanna Regional, Selinsgrove, PA June 1986
First Place in Oil, 15th Annual Groton Art Show, Groton, NY, August 1985
First Place in Graphics and Grumbacher Award for Painting, Finger Lakes Exhibit, Cayuga Museum of History and Art, Auburn, NY, August 1985
First Place in Oil, Hammondsport Art Show, Hammondsport, NY, July 1985
Best Oil Purchase Award, Arts in the Park, Elmira, NY, May 1985
First Place in Oil, Downtown Harvest Arts Festival, Lancaster, PA October 1984
First Place in Oil, 14th Annual Groton Art Show, Groton, NY, August 1984
Best of Show, Ithaca Art Association Regional Exhibit, August 1984
Honorable Mention, Finger Lakes Exhibit, Cayuga Museum of History and Art, Auburn, NY, July 1984
Museum Award, 51st Regional Exhibit, Arnot Museum, Elmira, NY May 1984
Best of Show, Ithaca Art Association Regional Exhibit, August 1983
Purchase Prize, Arts in the Park, Elmira, NY, May 1983
Certificate of Merit, Roberson Museum Holiday Arts Fest, Binghamton, NY September 1983
Purchase Prize for Oil, Arts in the Park, Elmira, NY, May 1982
Exhibitions
Loomis Gallery- Mansfield University, Mansfield, PA- “The Light on our World- Recent Paintings of Brian Keeler”. September, 2025
Cedar Arts Center- Corning, NY– “Land and Light- Recent Paintings of Brian Keeler- Jan- March, 2024
Alleghany Arts Alliance- Cumberland,MD – “The Golden Hour” A one man show of recent work. Jan, 2024
North Star Fine Art– Ithaca, NY “Mostly Mansards & Lucent Landscapes” Recent paintings by Brian Keeler- Nov 2023-Feb 2024
Artworks Gallery- Scranton, PA- Two artist show with Ty Welles- July 2023
West End Gallery, Corning, NY– Corning, NY Two artist show with Treacy Zeigler- Spring 2023
Auradell Gallery- Stroudsburg, PA – Lucent Liaisons” – Fall 2022
Mainstreet Galleries, Kingston, PA– “Into the Light” Sept- Oct 2022
West End Gallery, Corning, NY– “Two Artist Show with Treacy Zeigler” May- 2022
West End Gallery, Corning, NY– “Lucent Lakes” recent paintings of Keuka and Seneca by Brian Keeler. Nov 2020 to January 2021
Tioga Arts Council Gallery- Owego, NY “Luminous Arias- Recent Work of Brian Keeler” January 2020
Konstantin Frank Winery- Hammondnsport, NY-Organized by The West End Gallery- Lucent Lakes, Recent Paintings of Keuka and Seneca Lakes- June 2019
Crary Art Gallery- Warren, PA- “Exploring Light and Form” new work from Brian Keeler- Spring 2019
Laura Craig Gallery, Scranton, PA- “Atlantic Arias” New work from Maine and Ireland- Dec 2108 through Feb 2019
Cedar Art Center- Corning NY– “Luminuos Lakes” Recent painting of Keuka and Seneca Lake- organized by the West End Gallery, Nov- Dec 2118
Laura Craig Gallery- Scranton, PA– “Celtic Coastlines & Hebridian Highlands, Paintings of Scotland and Ireland by Brian Keeler” December 2017
Rodger LaPelle Gallery- Philadelphia, PA – “Lucent Elixir, Recent work of Brian Keeler”, July and August 2017
The Butternut Gallery, Montrose, PA– “The Nature of Light, The Light of Nature”- August 2017
The West End Gallery, Corning, NY– “Recent Work by Brian Keeler”, March 2017
Roberson Museum, Binghamton, NY– “Heliodelic Topography, Recent Explorations of Sun-Drenched Forms by Brian Keeler” June 2106 to January 2017
Laura Craig Gallery, Scranton, PA– “Hibernian Studies, plein air work from Ireland by Brian Keeler”, December 2016 to January 2017
Rodger LaPelle Gallery, Philadelphia, PA– “The Ineluctable Modality of the Visible” March and April 2016
Titus Gallery, Ithaca, NY– “The Sprit of Lake Light”, November to December 2016
Laura Craig Gallery and the AFA Gallery in Scranton, PA– “Lumen Picturae,” two concurrent shows August 2015
Rodger LaPelle Gallery, Philadelphia, PA –“Luminous Liaisons, Recent Paintings of Brian Keeler”, March 2015
Packwood House Museum, Lewisburg, PA– “Plein Air of France and Italy”, Two-artists show with Simone Roy, November 2015
West End Gallery, Corning, NY– “Recent Work of Brian Keeler”, September 2014
Laura Craig Gallery, Scranton, PA –“Topography of Light”, August 2014
Rodger Lapelle Gallery, Philadelphia, PA- “Luminous Nature- Recent work of Brian Keeler”, March 2014
The Quiet Life Gallery, Lambertville, NJ– “Vedute Italiani, Italian Views by Brian Keeler” November to December 2013
Laura Craig Gallery, Scranton, PA– “Two Artists Show with Tom Wise”, November and December 2013
West End Gallery, Corning, NY “Recent work by Brian Keeler”, September 2013
Rodger LaPelle Gallery, Philadelphia, PA– “Painterly Pursuits by Brian Keeler”, March 2013
Orazio Salati Gallery, Binghamton, NY– “More Than Nude, Recent Figurative Work of Brian Keeler”, September and October 2011
West End Gallery, Corning, NY– Three Artists Show with Brian Hart and Bridgett Bossart VanOterloo, September 2012
Titus Gallery, Ithaca, NY– “The Light of Summer”, July and August 2012
Titus Gallery, Ithaca, NY– “Lake Light”, October and November 2011
Gmeiner Art Center Gallery, Wellsboro, PA – “Topography of Light”, January and February 2011
Laura Craig Gallery, Scranton, PA– “The Light of Italy”, A two-man show with Tom Wise, September and October 2010
Pauly Friedman Gallery, Misericordia University, Dallas, PA – “A Vision of Rhythm, Recent Townscapes and Landscapes by Brian Keeler”, July to September 2010
Yates County Art Center Gallery, Penn Yan, NY– “Topography of Light”- June and July 2010
Titus Gallery, Ithaca, NY– “Light on the Land”, December 2009 to March 2010
Laura Craig Gallery, Scranton, PA– “When Life is Still, group show- Part Two”, May to June 2010
Lore Degenstein Gallery, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA– National Juried Figurative Competition- Autumn 2009
Atomic Tom’s Gallery, Binghamton, NY– One-Man Show- August 2009
West End Gallery, Corning, NY– Two-Man Show with Jim Ramsdell- Spring 2009
Lizza Gallery , Tunkhannock, PA– Two-Man Show with Tom Wise- Summer 2008
West End Gallery, Corning NY- One- Man-Show. March-Aril 2007
West End Gallery, Corning, NY – March, April 2005-Two artist show
Titus Gallery- Ithaca, NY, March 2005- Recent Paintings of Ithaca and the Finger Lakes, One Man Show
Auradell Gallery at the Stroudsmoor Inn, Stroudsburg, PA, September 2004, One Man Show
Liedenfrost Gallery- Hector, NY- September 2004 – Recent paintings of the Finger Lakes and Ithaca, One Man Show
Career Retrospective, Everhart Museum, Scranton, PA – Two Generations of Pennsylvania Regionalist Painting – A father and son show of William and Brian Keeler Spring 2004
Laura Craig Gallery, Scranton, PA – One Man Show, “Plein Aire Studies and Studio transformations” Oct/Nov 2003
Arnot Art Museum, Elmira NY – Two Artist Show- July/2002
Laura Craig Gallery at Skytop – One Man Show – Summer/2002
Avenue Art Gallery, Endicott, NY – “American Painters – Group Show”- April/2002
EMCA Gallery, Tunkhannock, PA – One Man Show- March/2002
Central Market Art Gallery, Lancaster, PA – “The Art of Influence”- Two teachers, two students from The York Academy of Arts, 25 years later- November/2000
West End Gallery, Corning, NY – Two Artist Show- July/2000
Laura Craig Gallery, Scranton, PA – One Artist Show- March/2000
Laura Craig Gallery, Scranton, PA – One Artist Show- June/1997
Just Art Gallery, Ithaca, NY – One Artist Show- April/1996
Kings College, Wilkes-Barre, PA – One Artist Show-March1996
Mansfield University, Mansfield, PA – One Artist Show- January/1996
Elmira College, Elmira, NY – Two Artist Show- November/1995
Hazleton Art League Gallery, Hazleton, PA – One Artist Show- November/1994
Dewire Center, Eagles Mere, PA – Two Artist Show- August/1994
Tioga Art Space, Owego, NY – One Artist Show- March/1994
Everson Museum, Café Gallery, Syracuse, NY -One Artist Show- January/1994
Contact
Website: www.briankeeler.com