Awards/Grants/Fellowships        

2024        The Photo Review 2024 Competiton Exhibition, Prize winner  

2023        Kite Prize for Contemporary Art, Merit Awardee

2018        Meyer Award for Contemporary Art with Exhibition, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

2012 - 2013     Independence Foundation Artist Fellowship, Berlin: the Landscape of Memory Project

2011         Lishui International Photo Festival, Lishui, China, Honored Guest Photographer

2008 - 2009     Artist Career Development Fellowship, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, Philadelphia

2002         SOS Grant for Exhibition Support, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts

2001         Visual Arts Fellowship, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts

1983         Visual Arts Fellowship, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts

Artist Residencies

2018 - 2023       Artist in Residence Cherry Street Pier, Philadelphia, PA

2007                  C-Scape Dune Shack Residency, Cape Cod National Seashore, Provincetown, MA

2003                  Outer Cape Artist in Residency, Cape Cod National Seashore, Provincetown, MA

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2021.    On the River’s Edge: The Disintegrating Touch of Nature, Cherry Street Pier, Philadelphia, PA

2020    Windows On Latimer, High tide, LowTide, High Tide. The Print Center, Philadelphia, PA Site specific installation.

2019     Florentina with Flowers by Clara Sophia, Flower show themed exhibition, The Gallery, Cherry Street Pier, Philadelphia, PA

2018    Survey of Ben Franklin Bridge and Waterfront Work 1983 -2001, The Print Center, Philadelphia,PA

2018    BridgeWorks, Large scale images of Ben Franklin Bridge Anchorage, The Gallery, Cherry Street Pier, Philadelphia, PA

2018    What is & What if, 14th Annual Meyer Memorial Exhibition, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

2018    Made in Italy, Italy Intensives, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 45 prints from long term project in Florence and Venice, Italy, 

2015     The Landscape before Me: Cape Cod 2000-2012, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia,PA

2014     Berlin: Landscape of Memory, Saint Asaph Gallery, Bala Cynwd, PA

2013     Collaboration with Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra with Ignat Solzhenitsyn Conducting,

             for The Philadelphia International Arts Festival, Time Machine - Berlin, Multi media

             One person exhibition of Prints, Berlin: Landscape of Memory, CFEVA Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2012     Making Way: Defining the Urban Landscape of the Ben Franklin Bridge [1983 -1987],

             Free Library of Philadelphia, Print and Pictures Gallery, Philadelphia,PA

2011     The Landscape Before Me: Cape Cod 2000-2011, Lishui Photo Festival, Lishui China

2008     Wellfleet Landscapes, Photographs by James B. Abbott, Wellfleet Public Library, Wellfleet, MA

2006     The Landscape Before Me: Cape Cod, Photographs by James B. Abbott, J. David Broudo Gallery of Art, Endicott College, Beverly, MA

2005     The Landscape: Photographs by James B. Abbott and Robert Asman, Art Works Gallery, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA

2004     Bridge Works, St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA

2002     Bridge Works: Constructed Photographs of the Ben Franklin Bridge, Exhibit 231 Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2000     The Bridge on the Horizon, Exhibit 231 Gallery, Philadelphia, PA research archives of the Delaware River R

2000     Sightlines; Berlin, 1988-1992, Photographs by James B. Abbott, Curated by Carl Toth, Exhibit 231 Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

1994     Jim Abbott: Berlin, 1988-1992, Allentown Museum of Art, Allentown, PA

1987     Bridge Series Work, Gunn Gallery, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Selected Group Exhibitions

2022     HONZO X ABBOTT present Black Excellence, Cherry Street Pier, Philadelphia, PA

2022     Two Person Exhibition, Facciate: Architectural Overlays in Italy, A Photographic Exhibition by James B Abbott & Blaise Tobia, Cherry Street Pier, Philadelphia,PA

2021     Unfolding, In the Time of Covid Piece, Curated by Nicole Pollard, Philadelphia Contemporary, Atelier Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2019     Seeing Old City, 83 On, Photo Projects by James Wasserman & James B Abbott, Cherry Street Pier Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2013     Tyler School of Art Photography Faculty Exhibition, Philadelphia, Pa

2013    American Life, Group Exhibition of Twenty American Photographers, Touring exhibition ShiJia Zhuang Art Museum, Shijiazhuang, China, Curator Yan Li

2012     The Print Center: Four Photographers of the Landscape, Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Science, Long Beach Island, NJ

2011     Documentary Pix: Philadelphia, A Century of Change, Free Library of Philadelphia,PA

2010     Art of the State Pennsylvania 2010, State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA

2009     Streets of Philadelphia, Photography 1970 – 1985, The Print Center, Philadelphia, PA

2008     Perspectives, Ice Box Project Space, Philadelphia, PA

             Sneak previews: CFEVA Presents, Philadelphia Foundation, Philadelphia, PA

             Philadelphia Selections, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA

2007     Art of the State, Pennsylvania 2007, State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA

             Perkins Center for the Arts, Morristown, NJ

2006     Works from the Dune Shack, Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, Truro, MA

             Art of the State, Pennsylvania 2006, State Museum of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, PA (Third Place Award, Photography)

             Works on Paper, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA

             Print Center 80th Annual International Competition, Philadelphia, PA (Philadelphia Museum Purchase Award)

2004     Print Center 78th Annual Photography Competition, Philadelphia. PA

             Photography Now, South Shore Art Center, Cohasset, MA

2002     Suspended in Time: The Ben Franklin Bridge, Rutgers Center for the Arts, Camden, NJ

2001     New. Land. Marks, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, Philadelphia, PA

2001     Take 5 on the American Landscape, Group show of Photosessions 200, Speaker at the Nexus Foundation for Today's Art Gallery, Philadelphia,PA

1992     20/20 Vision, Cranbrook Museum of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI

1991     Pennsylvania Photographers, Allentown Museum of Art, Allentown, PA

1989     150 Years of Photography in Philadelphia, Museo Bardini ,Florence, Italy

Select Commissions

2023 - 24     Four Seasons Photography of newly created private Japanese Sound Garden by Yamaguchi Yousuke

2015 - 17     Curate and Install 25 photographic works from three bodies of work for permanent display at corporate offices of Paratek Pharmaceuticals King of Prussia, PA

2001 – 18     Architectural and Urban Street photography for Center City District/Central Philadelphia Development Corp, Annual reports, collateral, web

2003 – 04     Creating Sacred Places, Transcultural Initiative Project for Rutgers University and NJN

                     Public TV, Site photography - architectural, interiors, portraits, of Under Ground Railroad Church and Buddhist Temple for exhibition, web, cd, catalog

2000 – 02     Landscape Photography for Laurie Olin of Olin Partnership, Philadelphia, PA 

                     Sites include: American Academy in Rome, National Gallery Sculpture Garden Washington, DC, Bryant Park & Wagner Park, NYC

2000             New. Land. Marks. Site photographs for Fairmount Park Art Association, Book, Web, and Exhibition at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA

1998              Philadelphia Underground, Photographer for Philadelphia Magazine feature. Text by Mark Bernstein

1983 – 84     Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Urban Photography for a Series of Posters Designed by Willi Kunz of Willi Kunz and Associates, NY

1980              Cranbrook Academy of Art, Architecture Department, Photography for Daniel Libeskind 

                       Project: Symbol and Interpretation, catalogue, poster and exhibition at Suomen Rakennustaiteen, Helsinki, Finland

Visiting Artist Lectures

2018            East Carolina University, Greenville, NC

2014           SPE National Conference, Image Maker Lecture,  Berlin: Landscape of Memory Collaboration project    

2010           Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

2007            Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, MA

2006            Visiting Artist, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI

2007            Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC

Professional Experience

1983 - 2024      Freelance Photographer, National and International Experience

2021 - 2023.     Conceive, Propose, and Master Printer for The Print Center's series of artist commissions for Windows on Latimer, utilizing the center’s iconic bay window

                          during covid for site specfic pieces, Ksenia Nouril curator

2021 - 2024      Board Member for Orchestra 2001, a collective of virtuoso performers dedicated to the music of our time, Philadelphia,PA

1999 - 2003      Founder/Director, Exhibit 231 Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

                         Organized and Curator for:

                         2002     Sandy Sorlien Photographs from Fifty Houses:Images from the American Road, One person exhibition and book signing

                         2001     Geanna Merola: Poetic Transmissions: hand altered photographs, One Person Show

                                      John Geard, System and Chaos, Paperworks and Artist Book, One person show, show and lectures part of PPC

                                      Joel Katz:Paris Dream-walk, Photographic Assemblages, One person Show

                         2000    Carl Toth; Photo-Montages 1970-2000, The Eye Evolves, One Person show host lecture for SPE

                         2000     The Bridge on the Horizon Show Exhibit231 Gallery, Research and curate three part exhibition of the Ben Franklin Bridge; Urban

                                      Landscape photographs 1982-2000 by James B. Abbott with drawings & photographs from the bridge archives of the Delaware River Port Authority

1984 -   1985    Assistant to Photographer Burk Uzzle

1983                 Gallery Director, Burden Gallery, Aperture Foundation, New York, NY

1982                 Photographer, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA

1981                 Art Reproduction Photographer, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA

1977                 Intern Light Gallery, New York, NY

Teaching Experience

2023  &  2024   Spring Semester Adjunct Instructor, East Carolina University Tuscany Global Studies, Certaldo Italy

2013-2018, 2020-2021    Adjunct Instructor, East Carolina University, Italy Intensive Program, Certaldo Italy

2012 - 2013       Adjunct Assistant Professor, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

2012                  Adjunct Professor, Philadelphia University, Philadelphia, PA

2003 – 04          Senior Lecturer, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA

1993                  Adjunct Professor, Moore College of Art, Philadelphia, PA

1985                  Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC - Workshop Instructor for Photography and Collage/ Design, 

                           co taught with designer Jane Kosstrin of DoublespaceDesign

1978 - 79           Teaching Assistant to non major graduate students, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI

Public Collections

                          Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA

                          Free Library of Philadelphia, Print and Picture Collection, Philadelphia, PA

                          The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

                          Allentown Museum of Art, Allentown, PA

                          Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI

                          Federal Reserve Bank, Philadelphia, PA

 Education

1980                  BFA Photography, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI

1975 - 1977      Core scholarship student, Photographic studies at Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC

1972 - 1975       Liberal Arts studies St. Thomas University, Miami Gardens, FL