Biography
Joseph Ostraff is a professor of visual arts at Brigham Young University. He received a BFA from Brigham Young University in 1982 and a MFA from the University of Washington in 1984. Joseph is married to Melinda Weston and they have six children. Melinda is an ethno-botanist. She and Joseph have collaborated extensively over the past thirty years. This interaction has had a deep impact on Joseph’s art practice. They have worked together developing significant collaborative projects with Wirral Met, Liverpool, England; Kau Taha Mataika, Vava’u, Tonga; and Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi, Whakatane, New Zealand, resulting in three documentary films and numerous exhibitions in painting, video installations, works on paper and book arts. Joseph’s recent exhibitions include; (Inter) Connections, WoCA Projects, Fort Worth, TX (2013) Ensemble, Selby Fleetwood Art Gallery, Santa Fe, NM (2013) International America: National Identity in Flux, K12 Gallery/TEJAS Gallery Space, Dayton, OH (2012) Manulua Project: A Book Arts Exhibition, Minneapolis Center for Book Arts, Minneapolis, MN (2012) Mixing Bowl, Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA (2011) Sources • Origins, South Shore Art Center, Cohasset, MA (2011) Global Echo, Williamson Art Gallery Birkenhead, Wirral Metropolitan College, England; Spectrum Project Space at Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia; Gallery 303, Harris Fine Arts Center, Provo, Utah; Sheffield Institute of Arts Gallery, Sheffield Hallam University, England. (2011)
Education
- MFA, PAINTING , UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON (1984)
- BFA, PAINTING & DRAWING , BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY (1982)
Honors and Awards
- Artist Residency, Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Ballycastle, Co. Mayo, IRE (2022 - 2022)
- Utah’s 15: The State’s Most Influential Artists,, 15 Bytes, UTAH’S ART MAGAZINE SINCE 2001, published by Artists of Utah, a non-profit organization headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. (2019 - 2019)
- Artist Residency, Achill Henrich Boll Artist International Residency, Achill Island, Co. Mayo, Ireland (2018 - 2018)
- Fellowship/ Artist Residency, Ballinglen Arts Foundation Ballycastle, County Mayo, Ireland (2015 - 2015)
- Outstanding Artist of 2011, Art Access Gallery, Salt Lake City, Utah (2011 - 2011)
- Utah Arts Fellowship, Utah Arts Council (2010 - 2010)
Professional Citizenship
- Other, Art Access Gallery
- Other, Cottonwood Presbyterian Church (2019 - 2019)
- Other, Art Access Gallery: Partner's Program (2018 - 2019)
- Other, Utah Valley Refugee Action Network
- Other, Cottonwood Presbyterian Church
- Other, Utah Valley Refugee Action Network
- Other, The Huge Benefit (2017 - 2017)
- Committee/Council Member, Saltgrass Printmakers, A Non-profit organization (2008 - 2012)
- Committee/Council Member, OneTen Gallery (non-profit) (2007 - 2007)
- Committee/Council Member, Visual Arts Advisory Panel, Utah Arts Council (non-profit), Salt Lake City, UT (2007 - 2007)
- Committee/Council Member, Board of Directors, Art Access Gallery (non-profit), Salt Lake City, UT (2000 - 2007)
- Committee/Council Member, Visual Arts Advisory Panel, Utah Arts Council, Salt Lake City, UT (2005 - 2005)
- Committee/Council Member, PANELIST, Visual Arts Advisory Panel, Utah Arts Council, Salt Lake City, UT (2004 - 2004)