Gary Passanise first received his B.F.A. in painting and drawing at Webster University in 1977 and then studied at Southern Illinois University where he received his M.F.A. in painting and drawing in 1980. His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Solo and group exhibitions include: Brooklyn Expo, New York; Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis; Arcade Contemporary Art Projects, St. Louis; Schema Projects, New York; Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis; University of North Texas Gallery, Denton; Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, Sedalia, MO; Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City; Stern Studio, Vienna; Edwardsville Art Center, IL; Central Academy of Contemporary Art, Beijing; Cedar Rapids Museum of Art and William Shearburn Gallery, Santa Fe among many others. His awards include National Endowment for the Arts-Mid America Arts Alliance; Pollack Krasner Foundation; Creative Artist Project, Missouri Arts Council; Ford Foundation Award for Painting and Sverdrup Travel Scholar. Passanise lives and works in St. Louis.