bo bartlett

Bo Bartlett’s figurative paintings often blur the line between memories and dreams.

But the stories the Georgia artist tells are deeply rooted in his family, personal experiences and an enduring exploration of the American experience.

Artist: Bartlett was born and raised in Columbus, GA. Drawn to drawing and painting at an early age, Bartlett left home at the age of eighteen to study painting in Florence, Italy, under North Carolina-based artist Ben Long, known for his oil paintings and prolific fresco works.

He later continued his studies at the Philadelphia College of Art before transferring to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA). Bartlett also studied privately with renowned realist painter Nelson Shanks.

These formative experiences established the foundation for his lifelong commitment to figurative painting and narrative realism.

Today, Bartlett divides his time between hometown of Columbus and Wheaton Island, ME. He maintains studios in both locations.

Studio: Bo Bartlett Studio in Columbus is housed in a historic downtown building and serves as the center of Bo’s painting practice. It also provides ample space for his large-scale paintings.

Art & materials:

Large-scale oil paintings works ($60,000 to $350,000).
Smaller studies, using watercolor, gouache and oil ($20,000 and up).

Fun facts: Some of Bartlett’s largest paintings measure up to 18 feet in length.

Themes:

Family and relationships.
The American experience.
Memory and personal mythology.
Childhood and innocence.
The sacred within the ordinary.
The presence of ambiguity and mystery. His paintings often invite viewers to bring their own interpretations and experiences to the work.

Inspirations:

His friendship of 15 years and mentorship with Andrew Wyeth. Wyeth’s encouragement to “paint your life” helped shape Bartlett’s commitment to creating deeply personal work.
American Realism and Renaissance paintings.
The landscapes of Georgia and Maine.
Artists including: John Singer Sargent, Thomas Eakins, Edward Hopper, Grant Wood and Norman Rockwell.

Recent awards/honors.

Gold Medal, Portrait Society of America, Tallahassee, FL. 2026.
Distinguished Alumni Award, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA. 2024
Honorary Doctorate of Fine Art, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY. 2023.

Recent exhibition: “Homefront,” a new collection of Bartlett’s works was on exhibit at the Miles McEnery Gallery in New York from April 2-May 9. It was the artist’s sixth solo exhibition with the gallery.

Where to buy: Artist’s website: bobartlett.com and galleries, including: