ARTIST STATEMENT
My art is rooted in the natural world and landscapes of Pennsylvania. The effects of the localized scenery, the remnants of past industry, and the plants and animals that inhabit the region have provided inspiration throughout my career. I strive to reveal the inherent beauty of overlooked and forgotten places, especially scenes reclaimed by nature.
Over the past several years, my process has evolved from traditional painting and drawing to working in collaged paper. This medium provides an engaging set of challenges in terms of color, composition, and representation, all beginning with a contour line drawing. More recently, plein air sketches and watercolor studies have become the starting point for my cut paper collages.
BIO
Joseph Opshinsky draws inspiration from the landscapes of Pennsylvania and the surrounding environs. His cut paper collages utilize vibrant colors and pattern to depict the scenes of an industrial past, as well as representations of the natural world of the region. In addition to corporate and private collections, Joseph Opshinsky’s award-winning collages have been exhibited at numerous museums and galleries, including the State Museum of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Sketch Club.
A Scranton native, Opshinsky is a fine arts graduate of Keystone College and The University of the Arts. He currently resides outside of Philadelphia.
ARTIST RéSUMé
SoLO & Group Exhibitions
2022 Joseph Opshinsky: Cut Paper Collage [Solo Exhibition] – Waverly Small Works Gallery, Waverly Community House, Waverly, PA
2021 McHarg, Oliva, and Opshinsky – InLiquid Art+Design at The National, Philadelphia, PA
2020 Joseph Opshinsky: Regional Color [Solo Exhibition] – Roberson Museum and Science Center, Binghamton, NY
2016 Local Color: Cut Paper Collages [Solo Exhibition] – Hall Gallery at Crane Arts, InLiquid Art+Design, Philadelphia, PA
2016 6th Artist Invitational – Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA
2016 Paper Cuts [Solo Exhibition] – Artworks Gallery & Studio, Scranton, PA
2015 Here and There [Solo Exhibition] – FrameWorks Studio & Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2014 Joseph Opshinsky | Mark Price, II WAYS: New Works in Paper, FrameWorks Studio & Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2013 Recent Works [Solo Exhibition] – Friedman Art Gallery, Penn State University Wilkes-Barre, Lehman, PA
JURIED EXHIBITIONS
2023
Scenes of the Schuylkill Art Show – Schuylkill River Greenways NHA at Montgomery County Community College - North Hall, Pottstown, PA
56th Annual Art of the State – The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
2022
Sixth Annual Keystone Fine Art Juried Exhibition – Walk In Art Center, Schuylkill Haven, PA
Art of the Flower 2022 – Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA
18th Annual Scenes of the Schuylkill Art Show – Schuylkill River Greenways NHA at Montgomery County Community College - North Hall, Pottstown, PA
InLiquid Benefit 2022 – InLiquid at Crane Arts Building, Philadelphia, PA
2021
InLiquid Benefit 2021 – InLiquid Art+Design at Crane Arts Building, Philadelphia, PA
54th Annual Art of the State – The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
17th Annual Scenes of the Schuylkill Art Show – Schuylkill River Greenways NHA at Walk In Art Center, Schuylkill Haven, PA
2020
InLiquid Benefit 2020 – InLiquid at Crane Arts Building, Philadelphia, PA
2019
InLiquid Benefit 2019 – InLiquid at Crane Arts Building, Philadelphia, PA
Art of the Flower 2019 – Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA
Art Show 2019: Drawn From Nature – John James Audobon Center at Mill Grove, Audobon, PA
16th Annual Scenes of Schuylkill – Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area, MCCC West Gallery, Pottstown, PA
Small Works – FrameWorks Studio & Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2018
Art of the Flower 2018 – Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA
2018 New Hope Art League Art Show – New Hope Art League, The Conservatory, Doylestown, PA
Annual Small Works Show – FrameWorks Studio & Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2017
2017 Art of the Flower Show – Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA
Art Unleashed 2017 – University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Spring Gala Exhibition 2017 – Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA
50th Annual Art of the State – The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
InLiquid: The Benefit – InLiquid Art+Design, The Icebox at Crane Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Annual Small Works Show – FrameWorks Studio & Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2016
Annual Domenic DiStefano Memorial Works on Paper Exhibition – Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA
Art Unleashed – University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Spring Gala Exhibition 2016 – Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA
18th Annual National Juried Competition: Works on Paper – LBI Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, Long Beach Island, NJ
49th Annual Art of the State – The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
Annual Small Works Show – FrameWorks Studio & Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2015
Art Unleashed – University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Spring Gala Exhibition – Main Line Arts Center, Haverford, PA
Telling Stories Annual Juried Exhibition – GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, Reading, PA
2015 Roberson Regional Art Exhibition – Roberson Museum and Science Center, Binghamton, NY
Northeastern Biennial Twenty Fifteen – AFA Gallery, Scranton, PA
International Juried Exhibition – The Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster, NJ
Annual Small Works Show – FrameWorks Studio & Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2014
Art Unleashed – University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Secrets (No one has to know!), Annual Juried Exhibition – GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, Reading, PA
11th Annual Juried Exhibition – Adams County Art Council, Schmucker Art Gallery, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA
LCAA National Juried Exhibition – Lancaster County Art Association, Steinmetz Gallery, Strasburg, PA
First Annual Juried Exhibition – JAM Gallery, Malvern, PA
New Sight – Savery Gallery (Formerly THREENINETEEN Studios/319 North 11th Street Gallery), Philadelphia, PA
2013
Focus: Exploring Our Regional Sense of Place, 5th Annual Juried Exhibition – Butternut Gallery & Second Story Books, Montrose, PA
Northeastern Biennial Twenty Thirteen – AFA Gallery, Scranton, PA
Small Works – FrameWorks Studio & Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2012
My Animal Spirit – FrameWorks Studio & Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Think Small – FrameWorks Studio & Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2011
Inside/Outside, Annual Juried Exhibition – Goggleworks Center for the Arts, Reading, PA
2010
Northeast PA Regional Art 2010 – Mahedy Gallery, Marywood University, Scranton, PA
2008
41st Annual Art of the State – State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
2007
Regional Juried Exhibit – Roberson Museum and Science Center, Binghamton, NY
2006
Northeast PA Regional Art 2006 – Linder Gallery, Keystone College, LaPlume, PA
2004
Think Walken – Gallery I, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
AWARDS & HONORS
2023 Purchase Award: Winter Bouquet
56th Annual Art of the State, The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
2022 Second Prize, Mixed Media for Hill House
6th Annual Keystone Juried Exhibition – Walk In Art Center, Schuylkill Haven, PA
2021 Best in Show for Tamaqua View
17th Annual Scenes of the Schuylkill Art Show, Schuylkill River Greenways NHA at Walk In Art Center, Schuylkill Haven, PA
2018 First Prize and Donald C. Meyer Memorial Award for Best in Show for Bluebell
Art of the Flower 2018, Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA
2017 Third Prize, Works on Paper for Floating Self-Portrait
50th Annual Art of the State, The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
2016 Honorable Mention for Dunmore Halloween
Spring Gala Exhibition, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA
2014 Fourth Prize for Farm Equipment
11th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Adams County Art Council, Lancaster, PA
2014 Third Prize for Sanatorium
Secrets (No one has to know!), Googleworks Center for the Arts, Reading PA
2010 Alumni Studio Spotlight, The University of the Arts Featured Artist
2009 Grant Award Recipient/Lead Artist, Lackawanna County ARTS Engage!
2002 & 2003 Larry Day Memorial Award, Fine Arts Faculty of The University of Arts
EDUCATION
University of the Arts – Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting in Drawing
Keystone College – LaPlume, PA
Associate of Fine Arts, cum laude
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
InLiquid Art+Design — Philadelphia, PA