Sally Jane Brown

Sally Jane Brown is an artist, curator, and writer based in Morgantown, West Virginia. Her artistic practice spans drawing, painting, and performance, with a focus on themes of womanhood, motherhood, and the body. Brown’s work has been showcased in exhibitions across the United States and the UK, reflecting her broad reach in the art world.

Notable among her accolades are two prestigious illustration awards for Intimates and Fools and Leaves of Absence, both in collaboration with poet Laura Madeline Wiseman. She also illustrated What We Do in the Hollows, a poetry collection by Renée K. Nicholson. Brown’s artistic explorations have led her to residencies in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Buenos Aires, where she has continued to push the boundaries of her creative practice. Her writing has been featured in prominent publications such as Hyperallergic, Women’s Art Journal, and Panorama. As a curator, she has organized group exhibitions in Omaha, Nashville, Pittsburgh, and Morgantown, championing a diverse range of voices in the contemporary art scene.

A dedicated scholar and artist, Brown has received multiple grants in support of her creative and academic endeavors and has presented at national arts conferences. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, a Master of Public Administration, and a Master of Arts in Art History and Feminist Theory.

Brown’s professional contributions extend to leadership roles, including her tenure as a former member of the College Art Association National Committee on Women in the Arts and as editor of the online journal Les Femmes Folles. She currently serves as Curator for West Virginia University Libraries, contributing writer for the Borshch of Art Discover Database, and art editor for Thimble Literary Magazine.

I work across painting, collage, drawing, mixed media, performance, and more, exploring each medium as a moment of self-discovery. Through my art, I navigate my identity as a woman, mother, and sensual being, fully at one with my body and self. The lineage of feminist art and the legacy of women artists are foundational inspirations, deeply informing my practice. With each piece, I intentionally honor the women artists who came before and those working alongside me, weaving my voice into this enduring and powerful narrative.