About Barry Phipps

Barry Phipps is a multimedia artist based in Iowa City. Since graduating from The Kansas City Art Institute in 1990, he has spent over three decades as a working artist. 

In the 90's he was a member of Chicago indie rock group The Coctails, appearing on MTV, performing at Lollapalooza and touring across the US and Japan. He was a resident DJ for several years at Chicago’s Smart Bar. He founded Beep Media, Inc. in late 90s, a mobile DJ business with a staff of ten DJs.

In the 2000's he founded North Branch Recording Studio and the Tight Ship Records label, which has recently reissued The Coctails records on Spotify.

In 2015 he founded The Barry Phipps Apparel Company, a line of denim bags and industrial work aprons.

Since The Coctails, Barry has continued making music. His first album The Town was released on vinyl in 2015. The Exuberance Phase: Selected Modular Works in 2020, both on Tight Ship Records.

For the past twelve years he has worked as a professional photographer in Chicago and Iowa City. He has photographed weddings nationally and abroad, including France, Italy, and Sweden.

His first published book of photographs Between Gravity and What Cheer: Iowa Photographs was released in 2018, and his newest book Driving a Table Down in 2020, both by the University of Iowa Press. His work has appeared in numerous media publications, including The Washington Post.

in 2023 Barry earned an MFA with highest distinction from the University of Iowa School of Art and Art History, and a certificate from the University of Iowa Center for the Book.