Joshua Barber


Joshua Barber is an American artist living and working in Richmond, Virginia.

Work

Barber is best known for his modern icons, which he began painting in 2000 after a three-week trip to Jerusalem, Egypt and Jordan. Stylized figures on hand-weathered paper and wood, often embellished with gold leaf, recalled the religious artwork and the Dead Sea Scrolls Barber saw on his travels. Recent exhibitions of this work include the "Five Books" solo show, consisting of 70 paintings interpreting verses from the Pentateuch of the Old Testament, and "Modern Icons," a collection of 20 paintings exhibited in a solo show at the Rainbow Café, Bristol, England.
Barber also paints landscapes and abstract pieces distinguished by muted pastels, the use of acrylic with oil and pencil details. One of his landscapes, a depiction of the Vice President’s Residence at the United States Naval Observatory, was selected as the official Vice President’s 2004 holiday card.
Barber is represented by Tunnadine Fine Art in the United Kingdom, represents himself as Joshua Barber Fine Art in the United States and Richmond, Virginia.

Biography

Barber was born in Richmond, Virginia. His father is John Barber, an acclaimed maritime artist. Joshua Barber paints modern-day icons and stylized landscapes. His multimedia work marries rough, tactile lines with delicate details. Joshua’s paintings have been exhibited in galleries in the United Kingdom, New York, Los Angeles and Richmond, as well as in the Dreweatts Urban Art Auction in London. Joshua is a board member of Art on Wheels and volunteers as an art instructor for children with cancer and their siblings through Connor’s Heroes. Joshua Barber received his BFA cum laude in 2000 from Appalachian State University.

Exhibitions and Honors

2018
August  –  December: 6 East Broad Street “First Friday Exhibit”  – Richmond, VA
September: Saint Francis Home, Live and Silent Auction  – Richmond, VA
2017
February – May: “Wish you were here Art Show” – Fountain Street Fine Art Gallery – Framingham, Massachusetts
January: Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Art Show – Norfolk, Virginia
2016
November: Comfort Zone Camp, “With My Own Two Hands” to benefit children of Comfort Zone Camp – Richmond, VirginiaOctober: “Art Transforming Lives” Child Savers group show at Glave Kocen Gallery –Richmond, Virginia
October: Child Savers Permanent Collection, Child Savers Gallery – Richmond, Virginia
2015
October: Child Savers Permanent Collection, Child Savers Gallery – Richmond, Virginia
October: “Art Transforming Lives” Child Savers group show at Glave Kocen Gallery –Richmond, Virginia
March: Comfort Zone Camp, “Grief Relief Gala” to benefit children of Comfort Zone Camp – Richmond, Virginia
January: “The Jerusalem Series” Sara D. November Gallery – Richmond, Virginia
2014
December: “The Jerusalem Series” Sara D. November Gallery – Richmond, Virginia
May: “Hereos Art Ball” benefit group show to support Connor’s Hereos – Richmond, Virginia
March: Comfort Zone Camp, “Grief Relief Gala” to benefit children of Comfort Zone Camp – Richmond, Virginia
January: “Small Works Show” group show at Glave Kocen Gallery – Richmond, Virginia
2013
March: “Cheers to Art,” Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens – Massey Auditorium – Richmond, Virginia
2012
January: “Small Works Show” group show at Glave Kocen Gallery – Richmond, Virginia
2011
May: “Tradition with a twist” group show at smART Gallery – Williamsburg, Virginia
May: “The Billboard Art Project” – Savannah, Georgia March: “Cheers to Art,” Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens – Massey Auditorium – Richmond, Virginia
February – June: Turchin Center for the Visual Arts – Boone, North Carolina January: “Artists Helping Artists” – Gallery 5800 – Richmond, Virginia
2010
November: Ballad of Nanny Fluff – London, U.K.
October: Group exhibition featuring Joshua Barber, Andre Lucero and Ed Hatch – Gallery 5800 – Richmond, Virginia
July: “Wooden and Paper Icons,” The Arts Council of the Valley – The Smith House – Harrisonburg, Virginia
April: “Cheers to Art,” Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens – Massey Auditorium – Richmond, Virginia
April: Dreweatts Urban Contemporary Auction – London, U.K.
2009
December: “Advent” group show at 2 Degrees Gallery – Bristol, U.K.
October: “Get Dring Mobile: Urban Art Auction” group show at Paintworks, Bath Road – Bristol, U.K.
October: “Barber vs Barber,” a collection of 50 paintings with father and maritime artist John M. Barber at Gallery 5800 – Richmond, Virginia
August: “Art in Mind” group exhibit at the Brick Lane Gallery – London, U.K.
August: “A good-old fight that stands between me and the law” solo exhibit at the Knifesmith Gallery – Bristol, U.K.
March: “The Inaugural Show” group exhibit at Art Raw Gallery – New York, New York
June: “The Sketchbook Project” at Art House Gallery, Atlanta; Museum of Contemporary Art DC, Washington, D.C.; Laconia Gallery, Boston; Antena Gallery, Chicago; Soulard Art Market, St. Louis, MO; 3rd Ward, Brooklyn; Museum of Design Atlanta, Atlanta; Chicago Art Source Gallery, Chicago
2008
December: “Piazza Napoleone – Lucca” selected for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ “Art After Hours” invitational exhibition and auction – Richmond, Virginia
November: “Art Knows No Borders” group exhibit and auction to benefit Doctors Without Borders – Los Angeles, California September: “Art180″ – Richmond, Virginia
2007
October: “Modern Icons” solo show at the Rainbow Café – Bristol, U.K.
January: “Are we there yet” selected for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ “Art after Hours” invitational exhibition and auction – Richmond, Virginia
2006
December: Painting selected for charity auction at Art Works to benefit Art 180, a nonprofit that offers arts programs to young people living in challenging circumstances – Richmond, Virginia
February: “We walk not upon a line” selected for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ “Art After Hours” invitational exhibition and auction – Richmond, Virginia
January: Three paintings from “Five Books” awarded second place overall in a juried show at Art Works – Richmond, Virginia
2005
May: “Five Books” solo show held in private space – Richmond, Virginia

2003
March: “Balance” solo show at the Barber Gallery – Richmond, Virginia