CV

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Progress, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
2000 - 2005

PROFESSIONAL
The Baltimore Gallery, Detroit MI January 2015 to June 2019

Gallery Owner, Lead Artist and Operator

Promote and sell artist work, through both exhibitions and personal contacts
Managed and assigned duties for gallery assistants
Working with art collectors to purchase pieces for their collections
Hiring and managing a staff of curators, art handlers, and other employees who
work with artists to put on exhibits and other events

Developing marketing strategies to promote upcoming shows or other events
Communicating with artists about their work or upcoming exhibits
Reviewing applications from artists who wish to show their work in the gallery or museum

GRANTS, AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS

Salzburg Global Seminar Young Cultural Innovator Fellow 2018
Everything Business Corp! Most Valuable Millennial 2017
2016 Knights Art Challenge Detroit grant in Collaboration with Detroit Institute of

Arts (DIA) and Osborn Neighborhood Alliance (ONA)

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024 September, Pencils, Paper & People, Harper Galleries, Detroit, MI
2024 August, Like No One’s Watching, Detroit Contemporary, Detroit, MI
2023 March, AMONGST FRIENDS, Harper Galleries, Detroit, MI
2022 October, FACE IT, Spotlight Detroit Detroit, MI
2022 June, SMILE LAND, Neiman Marcus, Somerset Collection Troy, MI
2022 July, OH WHALE, Chroma Building Detroit, MI
2020 February, JOYFUL JOYFUL, Ferndale Project Detroit, MI
2019 May, GO FOR IT, Detroit Shipping Co. Detroit, MI
2018 May, 48 HR, The Baltimore Gallery Detroit, MI
2017 January, GIRLS, The Baltimore Gallery Detroit, MI
2013 SMILE, Heidelberg Project Studio Gallery Detroit, MI
2010 October, NEVER STOP SMILING, The Boll Family YMCA Detroit, MI
2008 March, UNTITLED, J Rainey Gallery Detroit, MI

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025 December, GIFTED VI, GIFT OF ART/ Curation, Irwin House Gallery, Detroit, MI
2025 October, BRIDGES, BECAUSE of THEM, The Carr Center, Detroit, MI
2025 August, SEEKING SOLACE in current chaos, Pizzo Studio/Gallery, Ferndale, MI
2025 May, SOMETHING HOT EXHIBITION, Scarab Club Detroit, Detroit, MI
2024 February, ART WE LOVE, 2948 Woodward, Detroit, MI
2024 February, SOMETHING TO PROVE, Liberal Arts Gallery, Detroit, MI
2021 February, GRIOT, Norwest Gallery of Art Detroit, MI
2021 February, SOULS OF BLACK FOLK, Scarab Club Detroit, MI
2020 November, BIG 6 ART AUCTION, Detroit Artist Market Detroit, MI
2020 January, MURALS & SLIDERS, KO Gallery Hamtramck, MI
2019 November, CITY WALLS X 1XRUN Detroit, MI
2018 February, DETROIT NOIR, Norwest Gallery of Art Detroit, MI
2017 October, CITY WALLS X 1XRUN Detroit, MI
2016 September, RE:SEMBLANCE, Red Bull House of Art Detroit, MI

MURALS/ LIVE INSTALLATIONS

2026 January, Live Painter/ Charity Preview Night Detroit Auto Show, Huntington Place, Detroit, MI
2025 September, Seeds w/ Rick Williams,Murals in the Market, Detroit, MI
2025 September, Still Growing w/ Rick Williams,Murals in the Market, Detroit, MI
2025 August, Love Mural, 42nd Street Events, Small Business Mural, Detroit, MI
2025 June, Smile Basketball Court, Coleman A Young Elementary, Detroit, MI
2025 Janaury, Live Painter/ Charity Preview Night Detroit Auto Show, Huntington Place, Detroit, MI
2024 December, Vivian Carmody Tribute, Eastern Market Detroit, MI
2024 August, Artist Endeavor Mural, 1xRun, Detroit, MI
2024 July, Alkebulan Village Community Mural, Detroit, MI
2024 April, Priority Health Fitness, Belle Island, Detroit, MI
2024 April, NFL Dcleated, City Walls Detroit, Detroit, MI
2023 December, Vivian Carmody Tribute, Eastern Market Detroit, MI
2023 October, We are the Future, City Walls, Detroit, MI
2023 October, Stoepel Park Smile Basketball Court, Detroit, MI
2023 October, Let’s Smile Together Mural, Free For All Walls, Windsor, ONT
2023 September, Ali Mural, Murals in the Market, Detroit, MI
2023 September, HP Girl Mural, BLK OUT Walls Mural Festival Detroit, MI
2023 August, Read Mural Installation , Charles Wright School, Detroit, MI
2023 August, Jay John Redbull Mural , Russell Industrial, Detroit, MI
2023 July, Owens Corning Mural Installation, OC Office, Ocala, FL
2022 October, Smile Mural Installation, Neiman Marcus Kids Department, Troy, MI
2022 October, Live Art Performance, Owens Corning Anaheim, CA
2022 September, Murals In The Market, Eastern Market Detroit, MI
2022 September, Live Art Performance, Owens Corning Atlanta, GA
2022 June, Smile Mural on Delivery Van for M4 CIC Ypsilanti, MI
2022 June, Live Art Performance, Detroit Grand Prix Detroit, MI
2022 June, Motown Inspired Mural, Rescue Nature Now Detroit, MI
2021 November, Detroit Is Home Mural, Rocket Companies Detroit, MI
2021 October, Live Art Performance, Owens Corning Dallas, TX
2021 October, Live Portrait Painting, Neiman Marcus Troy, MI
2021 September, Small Biz Murals, El ArteSano, 1xRun Detroit, MI
2021 September, Live Art Performance, Tiffany & Co Troy, MI
2021 August, Sports Zone Murals, Monroe Street Midway Detroit,MI
2021 August, Reimagine Mural, Boys & Girls Club, Detroit, M
2021 August, Eat Healthy Mural, Sidewalk Detroit Festival Detroit, MI
2021 July, My Journee Mural, BLK OUT Walls Mural Festival Detroit, MI
2020 September, Vote Mural, Michigan.Gov/Vote Detroit, MI
2020 August, Smile and Educate Mural, The School at Marygrove Detroit, MI
2020 July, Black Lives Matter Mural, Motor City Kush Detroit, MI
2020 January, Smile Murals at Durfee Innovation Society Detroit, MI
2020 February, Mike 2020 Mural, Mike Bloomberg Headquarters New York, NY
2018 September, Happy Fruit Mural, Murals in the Market Detroit, MI
2018 May, Brilliant Detroit Mural, Brilliant Detroit Detroit, MI
2016 October, Miami Girls, Art Basel Basement Miami Miami, FL
2016 August, I Love you Osborn Mural, Detroit, MI

PUBLICATIONS

Tamara O’Shaughnessy

Smile Detroit: Phil Simpson’s Spreading Kindness

Metro Parent

May 2023

Randiah Camille Green

Phil Simpson’s smile is the joy we need in this messed up world

Detroit Metro Times

December 16, 2022

Alex Washington

Meet Phil Simpson, the artist behind Detroit’s smile

Detroit Metro Times

June 9, 2022

Alexandra Bahou

Boys & Girls Clubs ignited his passion, now decades later this Detroit artist is

back as a mentor

WXYZ Detroit

September 16, 2022

Monica Duboski

Duboski Art Collab Spotlight Artist: Phillip Simpson

Duboski Art Collab

May 04, 2022

Erikka Yvonne

Detroit is Home: Phil Simpson Creates New Community-Inspired Mural on

Detroit’s Broderick Tower

Blac Detroit Magazine

November 11, 2021

CLOTHING DESIGNER

Designer for Shinola and Detroit Grand Prix Collaboration May 2023

Co- Founder and Designer for The Smile Brand, LLC 2012-

NOTABLE COLLECTIONS

David and Linda Whitaker Collection, Detroit, MI

Huntington Place Permanent Art Collection , Detroit MI

Henry Ford Hospital Permanent Art Collection, Detroit, MI

Henry Harper Collection, Detroit, MI

Neiman Marcus Permanent Art Collection, Somerset Collection Troy, MI

Salzburg Global Seminar Salzburg, Austria

Owens Corning Headquarters Toledo, OH

YMCA Boll Family Detroit, MI