A Rhode Island native and 2007 graduate of Yale University, Jonathan Pitts-Wiley is a portrait and documentary photographer. His portraiture seeks to reflect the beautiful humanity that exists at the delicate intersection of captivating strength and relatable vulnerability; his documentary work endeavors to reflect the brilliant and dynamic moments of events and gatherings.
Jonathan’s list of clients includes The Amos House, The Barr Foundation, Brown University, City of Providence, Curiosity & Co., Haus of Codec, Rustle & Spark, Mixed Magic Theatre, and Trinity Repertory Company. In the spring of 2020, Jonathan co-founded The Vanta Guild, a collective of Rhode Island-based Black photographers. The group held its first exhibition, The Let-Out, at the Waterfire Arts Center in December of that same year. In the summer of 2021, Jonathan collaborated with renowned photographer Mary Beth Meehan to produce Witness, a multimedia exhibit that explores and celebrates both the life of his late grandmother, Annye Raye Pitts, and the experiences and realities of the Great Migration.
In December 2022, his was one of five portraits selected for the City of Providence’s “Who We Are Now” public art banner project. In September 2023, Jonathan’s first solo exhibition, All the Worlds, opened at World’s Fair Gallery in Providence, RI. In May 2024, he was selected to be an Elected Artist Member with Art League RI, a Rhode Island-based visual arts organization. In the spring of 2025, Jonathan was selected to exhibit in the “Growing the NetWorks” show created by the NetWorks Rhode Island artist collective.
