BIO
Nature and luminosity inspire the work of Joseph Bellacera. His primary subject matter is the perception of space, light and patterning. This pertains to the vastness of nature as it relates to the landscape and its underlying macro and micro configurations. In his luminous paintings radiant forms emerge and dissolve to stimulate experiences of connectedness and the transcendence of limited perception. In effect, seeing the everyday world in extraordinary ways. Bellacera comments, “I use the alchemy of color and light to create the experience of seeing something, as if for the first time, before we define, name and categorize it. In this way, through painting or sculpture, the mystery and awe of discovery and creation is continuously renewed.” The most profound artistic influences on Bellacera's work have been that of JMW Turner's emotional and atmospheric seascapes from the early 19th century; Kandinsky's early 20th century spiritual abstract improvisations; and the recent work of James Turrell, a Southwest installation artist who works with light.
Born and raised in Northern California, Joseph has also lived in Montana, Oklahoma, and New York. He studied art at several institutions including: Massachusetts College of Art; Humboldt State University where he received an MA degree; and University of California Santa Barbara where he received an MFA.
A very prolific artist, Bellacera exhibits throughout the United States and his work can be seen in many private and corporate collections as well as public institutions.
RESUME
EDUCATION
1987 MFA, UC Santa Barbara, CA
1982 MA, Art Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA
1975 BA, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA
1971-1973 Massachusetts College of Art, Boston
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 From Animal Nature to Supernature, Twisted Track Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2023-2024 The Matter of Light, Pence Gallery, Davis, CA
2021 Cosmos & Critters, MACC, Rancho Cordova, CA
2018 Poetic Perceptions, ArtHouse, Sacramento, CA
2017 Heaven & Earth, Artery Gallery, Davis, CA
2016 The Colors of Creation, Waxlander Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2015 The Poetry of Dots, Gallery 625, Woodland, CA
2015 Space, Light & Pattern, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
2014 Disconnecting the Dots, Rearranging Patters of Perception
Morris Graves Museum of Art, Eureka, CA
2014 Cosmic Compulsions, SMAart Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2014 Small Infinities, Fine Eye Gallery, Sutter Creek, CA
2011 New Worlds II, The Sacramento Temporary Contemporary, Sacramento, CA
2011 Abstract Meets Solid Form, The James Ratliff Gallery, Sedona, AZ
2011 Aerial Patterns, The Arts Building Gallery, Auburn, CA
2010 Capitol Public Radio Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2009 Brush with Nature, Solomon Dubnick Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2009 New Works, Intel, Corporate Art Exhibit, Folsom, CA
2008 Fields of Light, Solomon Dubnick Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2007 New Work, Crossroads Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2006 The Luminous Horizon & Beyond, Solomon Dubnick Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2006 New Work, Crossroads Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2004 New Worlds, The Art Foundry Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2004 Light on the Land, SMUD Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2004 Landscapes of Southern Italy, Barton Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2003 Siddhartha Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal
2003 Tuscan Dreams, Barton Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2002 New Landscapes, Elliott Fouts Gallery, Granite Bay, CA
2002 Illumination, The Art Foundry, Sacramento, CA
2001 City of Rivers, California Arts Council, Sacramento, CA
2001 Radiant Spaces, Elliot Fouts Gallery, Granite Bay, CA
2001 A Favored Place, Pence Gallery, Davis, CA
2000 Air, Water, Earth, Elliott Fouts Gallery, Granite Bay, CA
2000 Light on The Horizon, The Art Foundry Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2000 Joseph Bellacera, Recent Paintings, Tower Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1999 Variations, Tower Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1998 John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
1996/95/92 Michael Himovitz Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1996 J.D. Neuman Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1995 Water, Fields & Skies, Quercia Gallery, Duncan Mills, CA
1992 Recent Monotypes, California State Capitol/Sacramento, CA
1989 Accurate Art Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1988 Fairfield Civic Arts Center, Fairfield, CA
1987 Structures I, University of California Art Museum, Santa Barbara, CA
1986 Structures, Brandon’s, Santa Barbara, CA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023/22/21/18 Big Names Small Art, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
2022/21/20/19/18/17/16/15/14/12/11/10/09/06/03 Pence Gallery, Davis, CA
2022/21 Blue Line Arts, Folsom, CA
2022/21 Mills Station Arts, Rancho Cordova, CA
2021 Shrine, NYC, Digital Exhibition
2017/16/15 Gallery Artists Group Show, Waxlander Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2015/14/13/12 Art of Painting in the 21st Century, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
2015/14/13/12 California Landscape Painters Exhibition, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
2015/14/13/12/11/10/09 Gallery Artists Group Show, The James Ratliff Gallery, Sedona, AZ
2014 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) Midtown Arts at Ellis, Sacramento, CA
2014/13/12 Art of Painting in the 21st Century, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
2014/13/12 California Landscape Painters Exhibition, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
2014 Repurposing, Sacramento Temporary Contemporary, Sacramento, CA
2013 Breaking Out, Sacramento Temporary Contemporary, Sacramento, CA
2013 Layers, Transmission Gallery, Oakland, CA
2012/11/10/09 Gallery Artists Group Show, The James Ratliff Gallery, Sedona, AZ
2011/10Gallery Artists Group Show, Patricia Carlisle Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM
2011/10/09/08/07/06 Solomon Dubnick Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2010/09/08 Gallery Artists Group Show, Handsel Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2010 Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA
2010 The Art of Public Art, Gallery 625, Woodland, CA
2009 Ouroboros, Solano College Gallery, Fairfield, CA
2009 Northern California Landscape, Fairfield Civic Arts Center, Fairfield, CA
2007 Yolo County Arts Council, Woodland, CA
2007/06/05 Gallery Artists Group Show, Crossroads Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2006 Flatlanders, Richard Nelson Gallery, University of CA, Davis, CA
2006/05/04 Sacramento Valley Landscape Exhibition, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
2004 By Land and By Sea, Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2004 Northern California Landscape, Solano College, Fairfield, CA
2003 Just Beyond Town, Walter Buehler Visitor's Center Gallery, UC Davis, CA
2002 Summertime in Sacramento, Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2002 The Landscape, GwendaJay/Addington Gallery, Chicago, IL
2002 Bridges, Elliot Fouts Gallery, Granite Bay, CA
2002 Embassy Suites - Recent Commissions, The Art Foundry, Sacramento, CA
2000 The Exquisite Corpse, The Art Foundry Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2000 Still Life Exhibition, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
2000 Land, Sky, Water, Tower Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2000 Click Plus, American River College Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2000 Over the Bridge, California Arts Council, Sacramento, CA
1999 Recent Still Lifes, Tower Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1999 Views of California, Tower Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1998 All Creatures, Great & Small, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
1998 Sacramento Valley Landscapes, Tower Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1997 Watermarks, Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento, CA
1995 Artful Urnz, Michael Himovitz Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1995 Landscapes, Real & Imaginary, California State Univ., Sacramento, CA
1995 Hand Held, Solano College Gallery, Suisun, CA
1994/93 California Landscape, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
1992 Group Landscapes, Himovitz/Miller Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1990 Artists for Amnesty International, Natsoulas/Novelozo Gallery, Davis, CA
1990/89 Accurate Art Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1989/88 Imagine, a traveling exhibit (U.S. & Europe), Sponsored by the
Walter Library, U.S. International University, & Verbum Magazine, San Diego, CA
1988 Macintosh Computer Conference, Boston, MA
1987 West Coast Painters, University of Hawaii
1987 Lagoons, University of California, Santa Barbara
1983 Reese Bullen Gallery, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA
SELECTED PUBLIC AND CORPORATE ART COMMISSIONS
2022 New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources, Lobby Commission, Socorro, NM
2022 Kaiser, Woodbridge, Virginia
2021 Wyoming Life Resource Center, Lander, WY
2021 Wyoming State Hospital, Dining Hall Commission, Evanston, WY
2020 Owensboro Health Breckenridge Center, Waiting Room Commission, Owensboro, KY
2020 Yolo County Board of Supervisors’ Chambers, Woodland, CA
2019 Dr. Matthew Ryan, Lobby and Treatment Rooms, Sacramento, CA
2019 Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Palo Alto, CA
2015 Children’s Hospital Central California, Madera, CA
2013 Riverside Regional Medical Center, Surgery Waiting Room, Newport News, VA
2013 Owensboro Medical Health System, Interior Locations, Owensboro, KY
2012 JP Morgan Chase Bank, Exterior Sculpture Commission, Woodland, CA
2012 The Quantum Sea, Davis Mural Project, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
2011 Children’s Hospital Central California, Lobby Commission, Madera, CA
2011 University of California Davis Medical Center, Conference Room Commission, Sacramento, CA
2010 Central Oregon Community College, Student Union Commission, Bend, OR
2010 Winters Public Library, Lobby Commission, Winters, CA
2010 Davis Public Library, Exterior Wall Commission, Davis, CA
2010 Arthur F. Turner Community Library, Exterior Sculpture Commission, West Sacramento, CA
2009 Lodi Memorial Hospital, Main Waiting Room Commission, Lodi, CA
2002 Embassy Suites, Painting Commission, Sacramento, CA
2001 Hyatt Regency, Lobby Commission, Sacramento, CA
AWARDS & GRANTS
2011 Great California Paint Out, First Place, Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
2010 Nevada Museum of Art, purchase award in juried competition, Reno, NV
1999 Best Landscape, KVIE PBS Art Show
1988 1st place & purchase award, Fairfield Art Show
1987 Merit Awards, Annual Herbert Bayer Exhibit, Brooks Adobe Center for the Arts, Santa Barbara
1986 Patent Grant, University of California, Santa Barbara
1985 Graduate Research Fellowship, University of California, Santa Barbara
1972 1st place printmaking, 3rd place photography, New England Festival of the Arts, Boston, MA
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Embassy Suites, Hyatt Regency, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Hewlett-Packard, Sharna Hoffman & Associates, University of California Davis Medical Centers, Kaiser-Permanente Hospitals, Renown Health, Lodi Memorial Hospital, Sacramento County Primary Care Clinic, Central Oregon Community College, Yolo County, Carroll Burdick & McDonough Attorneys, Parker Development Co., Clarklift Team Power, Pension Associates, Allstar Investments, Oglivy Worldwide, Madera Children’s Hospital
EXHIBITION CATALOGS
2014 - Disconnecting the Dots, Morris Graves Museum of Art
- California Landscape Paintings, John Natsoulas Press
- Art of Painting in the 21st Century, John Natsoulas Press
2013 - Davis Mural Project, John Natsoulas Press
- 3rd Annual Plates & Totems Invitational and CeramACon, Blue Line Arts
2012 - Art of Painting in the 21st Century, John Natsoulas Press
- The Art Collection of UC Davis Health System, Susan J. Willoughby
2011 - New Worlds, Sacramento Temporary Contemporary Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2007 - Crossroads Contemporary & Kitchen Angels
2006 - Sacramento Valley Landscape Paintings, John Natsoulas Press
- Flatlanders, A Regional Roundup, Richard L. Nelson Gallery, UC Davis
2004 - Sacramento Valley Landscape Art, John Natsoulas Press