Directory

Biography

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A scholar in the history of American art, Dr. Matthew Bailey was the recipient of several fellowships during his graduate career including a fellowship from the Winterthur Museum and Gardens in Winterthur, Delaware; the Henry Luce/American Council of Learned Societies Dissertation Fellowship in American Art; and a Tyson Fellowship at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. After earning his Ph.D. in 2014, Dr. Bailey served as an instructor of art history at Washington University, Lindenwood University, and Maryville University in Saint Louis. He also worked in art framing and restoration during this time. In 2019 he served as a sabbatical replacement in art history at UAFS, returning permanently in August 2021 as gallery director and assistant professor.

Since becoming gallery director, he has formalized the university’s art collection into the UAFS Gallery of Art and Design, housed in Windgate. He has also organized and/or curated numerous exhibits by local, regional, and national artists and acquired major donations for the Gallery Permanent Collection. The most recent large-scale exhibit, Harold Keller: Portals, was based on a large donation of the artist’s work to the university. He also teaches courses in American art and museum practice and is developing an Art Preparation Certificate program for the Department of Art and Design.