Art is my punk rock.

I make art that is heavily influenced by the visual language and aesthetic of my favorite things from childhood: comics, punk rock, skateboard graphics, Dungeons & Dragons, and graffiti. I use these elements to create art that probes (and ultimately rejects) the American capitalist sense of identity and worth.

I am an inherently mixed-media artist, and will often use several techniques and media in the same piece, even using intentionally “wrong” combinations in order to experiment with material interactions. Graffiti and street art have given me a growing fascination with layering and the ongoing erosion of materials and surface.

My art style has been described as “Spray Punk.”

J. Ben Moss lives and works in Shreveport, Louisiana. He has exhibited throughout the Southeast as well as Chicago, California, and recently the UK. He received his BA from Northwestern State University and is perpetually one thesis hour from his MLA at Louisiana State University Shreveport.

In addition to his fine art and mural work, he is an illustrator and periodic contributor to specialty zines, art magazines, and comics.

Mr. Moss’s early street art process was the subject of the award-winning short documentary, “Spray.”
https://youtu.be/Lq4KQw8abI4

Exhibitions
2021
* Critical Mass 9, group exhibition, artspace, Shreveport, LA
* The Skull Show, online group exhibition, Absynthe Gallery
* People from the Universe Next Door, solo exhibition, Rhino Coffee, Shreveport, LA
* Discipline Exhibition, The Lot Downtown, Shreveport, LA
* Solo Exhibition, Bear’s on Fairfield, Shreveport, LA
* Annual National Competition Exhibit, Gallery One Ellleven, Leesville, LA
* Red River Revel, arts festival, Shreveport,LA

2020
* Background Bob & His Amazing Friends, group exhibition, Firstsite, Colchester, Essex UK
* American Pie, virtual group exhibition, The Freyberger Gallery at Penn State via kunstmatrix.com, curated by Marilyn Fox and Kristen Woodward
Freyberger Gallery Exhibitions
* The Covid Creative Convention, worldwide online group art exhibition,
www.covidcreativeconvention.com
* QuaranTime, group exhibition, artspace, Shreveport, LA
* Depths of Inspiration, group exhibition, artspace, Shreveport, LA

2019
* On the Margins, collaborative mural exhibition with Jeormie Journell, artspace, Shreveport, LA
* Critical Mass 7, group exhibition, artspace, Shreveport, LA
* Collectible Artist Exhibition, group exhibition, Central Artstation, Shreveport, LA
* March Shreveport Downtown Artwalk, group exhibition, minicine?, Shreveport, LA
* Featured artist exhibition, Red River Brewing, Shreveport, LA
* Paint Your Palate, group art/culinary exhibition, C&C Mercantile, Shreveport, LA
* 10th Annual National Competition Exhibit, Gallery One Ellleven, Leesville, LA (Best in Show)

2018
* Art on a Can mural competition, Fort Worth, TX
* Critical Mass 6, group exhibition, artspace, Shreveport, LA
* Graffiti and Street Art Festival, mural finalist, Box Office Warehouse Suites, Fort Worth, TX
* The Stupid & The Sublime, solo exhibition, Bossier Arts Council, Bossier City, LA
* July ArtLive!, exhibition/live art event, Bon Temps Coffee Bar, Shreveport, LA
* Geek’d Con, vendor/exhibitor & official convention print artist, Shreveport, LA
* Solo exhibition, LSUS University Center gallery, Shreveport, LA
* The Collector’s Eye, group exhibition, artspace, Shreveport, LA
* Christmas in the Sky, group exhibition & auction, Bossier City, LA
* Digifest 2018, group digital exhibition, “Digital Lagniappe” category winner, Bossier Arts Council, Bossier City, LA

2017
* January Shreveport Downtown Art Walk/ArtLive!, exhibition/live art event, Bon Temps Coffee Bar, Shreveport, LA
* Zhou B Art Center Third Fridays, group exhibition, Wolfhound Studio/Gallery, Chicago, IL
* March Shreveport Downtown Art Walk, exhibition/live art event, Shreveport DDA, Shreveport, LA
* Artini 2017, featured artist, exhibition/live art event fundraiser for Bossier Arts Council, Shreveport, LA
* Critical Mass 5, group exhibition, artspace, Shreveport, LA
* The Big Scene, exhibition/public art event, Shreveport Common, Shreveport, LA
* Local Savages 2, group exhibition, Noble Savage Tavern, Shreveport, LA
* LARGE, group exhibition, minicine?, Shreveport, LA
* Culture Crush Week Artist Studio Tour, art tour/exhibition, Shreveport, LA
* MetaMOOREphosis, group exhibition/WIPLA fundraiser, minicine?, Shreveport, LA
* FRAMED: A Summer Art Exhibit, group exhibition, minicine?, Shreveport, LA
* Wet Paint ATL, group exhibition/live art event, Atlanta, GA
* Human Beings & Being Human, group exhibition, Bossier Arts Council, Bossier City, LA
* October ArtLive!, exhibition/live art event, Bon Temps Coffee Bar, Shreveport, LA
* SBC Zombie Walk, arts event/charity fundraiser, Bossier City, LA
* ArtLive! 2017 Finale, exhibition/live art event, Bon Temps Coffee Bar, Shreveport, LA (winner)

2016
* Critical Mass 4, group show, artspace, Shreveport, LA
* LIVEPaint Art Battle I, live art event, Great Raft Brewing, Shreveport, LA
* CREAMY DREAMY: Art & Music at minicine?, group exhibition, minicine?, Shreveport, LA
* Seratones Album Release Block Party, music event/visual showcase exhibition, Tipitina’s, Shreveport, LA
* Iris 16×20 Individual Interpretation Show, group exhibition, The Agora Borealis, Shreveport, LA
* Local Savages, group exhibition, Noble Savage Tavern, Shreveport, LA
* Renzi Masquerade, arts fundraiser/live art event, Aura Ultra-Lounge, Shreveport, LA
* ArtRIOT, live art event, Digital Media Institute, Shreveport, LA
* LIVEPaint Art Battle II, live art event, Great Raft Brewing, Shreveport, LA
* October Shreveport Downtown Art Walk/ArtLive!, exhibition/live art event, Bon Temps Coffee Bar, Shreveport, LA
* Minicine? 20-year Visual Art Retrospective, group exhibition, minicine?, Shreveport, LA
* Coast to Coast Paint-Off, online streaming live art event, multiple simultaneous locations
* AMERICAN MONSTERS, collaborative exhibition with Linda Dickson, The Agora Borealis, Shreveport, LA

2015
* Common Culture Week Artist Studio Tour, art tour/exhibition, Downtown Development Authority, Shreveport, LA
* Christmas in the Sky, group exhibition & auction, Bossier City, LA

2014
* Generationless: Skateboarders are Artists, Too!, group exhibition, artspace, Shreveport, LA
* Critical Mass 2, group exhibition, artspace, Shreveport, LA
* UNSCENE! Undisputed Art Battle (member of the winning team The Trainees), competitive live art event, Millennium Studios, Shreveport, LA

2013
* Critical Mass, group exhibition, artspace, Shreveport, LA
* Louisiana Music Prize showcase, group exhibtion, Voodoo Lounge, Shreveport, LA

2012
* X-Mas Under Da Ground, group exhibition, minicine?, Shreveport, LA

2011
* Dia de los Muertos, group exhibition, minicine?, Shreveport, LA

2010
* Extravagonzo!, group exhibition, minicine?, Shreveport, LA

2009
* Artlovemagic Toys4Tots Show, live painting, Dallas, TX

2008
* Artlovemagic Art & Coffee, live painting , Saxby’s Coffee, Dallas, TX
* Artlovemagic Vision, group exhibition, Mokah Art Gallery, Dallas, TX
* Dia de los Muertos, group exhibition, The Zebra Room, Shreveport, LA

2007
* Dallas Urban Arts Festival, live painting, Dallas, TX
* Artlovemagic Comic Love II, live painting, Titan Comics, Dallas, TX
* Artlovemagic/Poor Vida Hip Hop Show, live painting, The Green Elephant, Dallas, TX

2003
* 10th Anniversary exhibition, group exhibition, Gallery 26, Little Rock, AR
* Pulaski County Picassos, group exhibition & auction, Little Rock, AR

Awards/Honors
2021 Award for Artistic Merit Red River Revel Shreveport, LA

2019
Best in Show
10th Annual National Competition Exhibit, Gallery One Ellleven
Leesville, LA

2018
Graffiti & Street Art Festival Mural Finalist (1 of 5)
Fort Worth, TX
Mural finalist chosen to execute submitted mural design to be unveiled at the festival.

2017
Artini 2017 Featured Artist
Shreveport, LA
Featured artist for Artini 2017, the Bossier Arts Council’s annual fundraiser event.

Big Scene Uncommon Muralist
Shreveport, LA
One of 11 local artists whose work was chosen/curated by Lesli Marshall for installation on buildings in the Shreveport Common district.

2015
City of Shreveport Artist Fellowship
Shreveport, LA
From the Shreveport Regional Arts Council website: “This Fellowship is a cash award in recognition of artistic excellence that enable artists to pursue their artistic goals. This award acknowledges distinguished Fellows of the highest caliber in each discipline of the arts.”

Collectible Artist
Shreveport, LA
Designated a “Collectible Artist” by national critics during Shreveport Regional Arts Council’s 2015 Common Culture Week

2014
Steve Olson Residency
Shreveport, LA
One of a 4-artist team selected by the Shreveport Regional Arts Council to work with artist/skateboard pioneer Steve Olson in support of his exhibition and installation

UNDISPUTED Champion Team Member
Shreveport, LA
One of the 5-artist champion team from the UNSCENE! series 2014 finale, “Undisputed,” a live art elimination competition judged by national critics.

2013
PRINT Residency
Shreveport, LA
One of a 5-artist team selected by the Shreveport Regional Arts Council to work with Richard Duardo of Modern Multiples in support of his print exhibition

UNSCENE! Street Team
Shreveport, LA
One of a 5-artist team selected by the Shreveport Regional Arts Council to visually support the year-long series of art festivals named UNSCENE!

Publications
* contributing artist, background Bob & His Amazing Friends, in support of Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity, Colchester, Essex UK
* contributing artist, ZARTS zine #6, August 2020, curated/edited by Ryan Genovese
* featured artist, PIKCHUR Magazine, May 2018 edition
* contributing artist, Sheepshead Review: UWGB Journal of the Arts, Fall 2017 edition
* contributing artist, The Bread Bin & The Biscuit Tin, vol.1, curated by Mark Ryan (Anteater Art)
* Anthology contributor, The Graphic Canon, Volume 2, edited by Russ Kick (Seven Stories Press)
* Anthology contributor, The Graphic Canon, Volume 3, edited by Russ Kick (Seven Stories Press)
#4 New York Times Best Seller List for Graphic Novels
* Illustrator, peculiar poems for pint size provocateurs, written by Oona Zbitkovskis (7 Miles Past Weird)

Teaching
9/2019-9/2020
Caddo Parish School Board Talented Arts Program
Shreveport, LA
Itinerant Visual Art teacher for Caddo Parish.

3/2016-10/2016
Renzi Education & Art Center
Shreveport, LA
Street Art class instructor for the Renzi Center’s after-school arts program.

Articles
* www.shreveporttimes.com/story/entertainment/arts/2014/12/21/artist-takes-work-streets/20731155/
* www.theagoraborealis.com/single-post/2017/04/12/On-the-Gallery-Wall-Ben-Moss-Linda-Dickson
* heliopolis.la/bad-artist-ben-moss-artini-saturday-march-4/
* bossierpress.com/bac-announces-artini-2017-featured-artist/
* theforumnews.com/article-2335-artini.html
* www.ktbs.com/news/uncommon-murals-in-downtown-shreveport/article_9db65b64-539b-11e7-833a-434cba3100b3.html
* www.shreveporttimes.com/story/entertainment/2017/03/29/12-murals-unveiled-saturday-shreveport-commons/99467346/
* www.thecrazymind.com/2017/03/interview-ith-artist-and-illustrator.html
* www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/448091/Louisiana-Artist-to-Travel-to-Fort-Worth-to-be-Part-of-the-Graffiti-and-Street-Art-Festival
* www.pikchurmag.com/post/combining-the-low-with-the-high-j-ben-moss-aka-ploid
* bossierpress.com/bossier-arts-council-paves-the-way-for-future-artists/
* www.shreveporttimes.com/story/entertainment/arts/2018/05/30/art-exhibitions-june-shreveport-bossier-city/637131002/
* www.shreveporttimes.com/story/entertainment/arts/2019/01/23/artspace-art-gallery-opens-downtown-shreveport/2618009002/
* heliopolis.la/studio-highland-local-puppet-masters-show-imagination-is-more-than-just-childs-play/