I am very excited to be participating in two exhibitions both opening in time for Valentine's day. Dragon Girl and She Flies Through the Air will be on view at ...
The Dirty Show
February 12 - 20, 2010
Bert's Warehouse Theater, 2739 Russell Street, Detroit, Michigan

for more information: info@dirtydetroit.com or visit the website: http://www.dirtyshow.org

At the other end of the erotic spectrum, I will be exhibiting and attending the opening of Arts de Valentine. I will be showing Gods and Men and The Carnival Queen at this exciting new venue which will benefit Bare Hands Gallery. Arts de Valentine is Birmingham's first erotic art exhibition and along with the music and belly dancers, there will be artwork from 16 invited artists.

For more information please go to their website at: http://www.artsdevalentine.org.

I'm hoping some of you live near enough to Birmingham to attend this event. I'd love to meet you. If you need further information, please contact me.

On January 7, 2010 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Jose Acosta will participate in the art exhibition and attend the reception for the Latino Artists Exhibition at the University of Connecticut. The event will be hosted at the Stamford UCONN Gallery; One University Place Stamford, CT. Detailed Info Available at 203-251-8400

The Exhibition will be on display from January 4 - January 29, 2010. The reception will be on January 7 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. please come and meet the artists, this event is brought to you by University of Connecticut and VIDA SOCIAL in Fairfield County. Latin Cuisine provided by our sponsors.

Tacos Guadalajara 217 Atlantic St
Stamford, CT.

De Maya Restaurant 166 Stillwater Ave
Stamford, CT.

Quechua Restaurant 21 North Main Street
Norwalk, CT.

Musical Performances by Manos del Candombe (Afro-Uruguayan Folkloric Group)

Participating Artists: Jose Acosta (Cuba), Claudio N. Altesor (Uruguay), Ed Bianchi (Uruguay), Marisol Cardé (Puerto Rico), Rodulfo Cardé (Puerto Rico), Rosa E. Colón (Colombia), Duvian Montoya (Colombia), Hernán Restrepo (Colombia), Arnaldo Ugarte (Honduras), Ines Villanueva (Peru).

Jose Acosta feels it is a great honor to be able to exhibit his paintings at the University of Connecticut along side the art of these very talented Latino Artists.

Jose Acosta was born in San Jose, Cuba, in 1966. His family immigrated to the United States in 1969. Acosta has been creating art ever since he can remember, and has always enjoyed painting. In 2003, Acosta decided to go to the Art Students League of New York on weekends to further his art education. While there, he studied with John Hultberg, who greatly influenced him and allowed him to pursue his artistic visions.

Acosta started his professional career as an artist in 2004, and began to exhibit in galleries and art fairs. That same year at his first public exhibit, Acosta won the Best of Show at the Dutchess County Art Fair. He continued to exhibit widely in 2004 in a number of group shows. By 2009, he had shown in over 300 group shows and had 10 solo shows. The World Bank in Washington, DC, acquired seven of his works at the International Caribbean Art Fair in New York in 2007, and in September of 2008, the University of Pennsylvania acquired his painting, "Staying Alive," to display in the art library.

Acosta is represented by galleries in Puerto Rico, New York, California, and Connecticut. His works can be found in over 200 private collections worldwide, and in many public collections, including: Lancôme, The World Bank, University of Pennsylvania, United Cerebral Palsy, Healthy Families Beacon, and Touro College.

Jose Acosta currently lives in Poughkeepsie, NY.

I wanted to share what is going on inside RLM STUDIOS.....well so many many exciting things I don't even know where to begin!...(focus, focus!) Laughing I left off last time stating that my life as an artist is really no different from anyone else. I bring myself into my studio daily and go about my small tasks and routiens before I actually paint. I get tea, check emails and submission dead lines. I check my journal and focus on the painting tasks of the day with a series of warm up exercises.

This month as I prepared for two shows I recieved an award from the Piedmont Show I had enterd in the summer. As rewarding as this is, it can play havack on one's work. So on these new pieces I was working on, do I continue with what I know works because of the award, or do I honor the award in my mind and move on so I can still grow and develop?! I choose the later. It's easy to take my level of achievements and gloat and never progress for fear of not "getting it right" in the next painting. I am the best artist I can be today, that is all I'm given and I do take past learnings and apply but in order to become a better artist I have to be willing to go into unknown waters and float around and find my way back to shore with new discoveries. Along the way I have to also remember to enjoy this, for if I can't enjoy it, there is really no reason to be doing it.

So this weekend in Middletown, CT at MAC 650 is our show Dia De Los Muertos! This show was very exciting for me to learn about and perpare for my participation in it. My theme focused on dance and the movement and excitement of it can be! Come check us out November 7th 7-10pm.

Also November 13, 14-15th is our Annual Open Studio at Artspace Hartford! I will be giving away a painting this weekend! Make sure you stop by my booth on the fourth floor and enter to win!

So see I have deadlines, goals, ups and downs with sometimes not even wanting to go into the studio to paint but once in then it all just works itself out.

Smile

Live life in color

Over twenty of my favorite paintings are currently being shown at Lauthr located at 226 Petaluma Blvd. North in downtown Petaluma, CA. Stop by if you have the chance.

Their website address is www.lauthrhairskinbody.com.

Jose Acosta was one of 3 Artists chosen to participate in an exhibition COLORS hosted by NY Book Expo at the Queens Museum of Art on October 2nd and 3rd, 2009

Jose Acosta, Marianne Sagbinni and Hugo Sandoval exhibited at the Queens Museum of Art. The opening festival was quite grand with many guest and VIPs attending. NY Book Expo and the Queens Museum of Art did a great job setting up the exhibition. The guest enjoyed great food and wine, also live entertainment by Stephanie Garay and Nilko Andreas.

Amir Parsa was the Keynote Speaker who gave a wonderful speech and story that ended with "I do not speak English" and Jacqueline Donado the founder of NY Book Fair Expo created a wonderful event enjoyed by all who participated and attended the event.

A special recognition to Jorge Ivan Mora for his contribution in the selection of the Artists for the exhibition and his input on the exhibition catalog. COLORS exhibition catalog was published by NY Book Expo and the Queens Museum of Art.

We look forward to NY BOOK EXPO 2010.

http://EdmondsArtStudioTour.com

Now I just need to buckle down and produce some work! laughs

On September 10, 2009 Jose Acosta a Cuban-American Artist who now lives in New York was part of the Exhibition 7 Artists 7 Islands at the Embassy of Venezuela in Washington, DC. The opening reception was great with many VIP Guest including the Ambassador of Venezuela Bernardo Alvarez Herrera and the Ambassador of Haiti Raymond Alcide Joseph. The exhibition will be on display through the 18th of September at the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, DC located at 1099 30th NW Street.

Special Thanks to Marcel Wah for Curating the Show.

Special Thanks to Patricia Abdelnour, Cultural Attache, Ebassy of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Washington D.C.

Invites you next to the:
Opening Reception of:

* Art Exhibition 7 Islands | 7 Artists. Works by artists living in and out of the Caribbean

Participating Artists: Jose Acosta | Dudley Charles | Christinne Maryse | Colimon Cecile|Comblen Scherezade Garcia | Béatrice Mellinger | Justo Osuna

Date: September 10, 2009.
Where: Andres Bello Hall 1099 30th Street NW. 6-8 PM.
Gallery Hours: M-F 9-1 and 2-5. RSVP: 202.342.6828.
Exhibition will continue through September 18, 2009.

I will have 3 paintings at Artist's House Gallery in a show called the Art of The Still Life. Artist's House is located at 57 N. 2nd St. in Olde City Philadelphia. Join the celebration at First Friday, Sept. 4th 5-8:30. The formal opening will be held Sunday Sept 6th, 12-5 pm. Lorraine Riesenbach, the owner, asked several gallery artists to create still life paintings for this show many months ago. I love still life painting, as you can study it forever. Ususally I spend much time arranging only to find something I had set aside more interesting. I try to keep the designs simple, and keep in mind color and movement of light. I love to paint seasonal fruits and vegetables, and attracted to patterns and textures.

I am very excited as I have gotten accepted into the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe 113th Annual Open Exhibition. It is the painting "Moody Bridge Road" which was also in the Faber Birren Color Awards Show.

The show will be on exhibit during the month of October 2009 at the National Arts Club in Manhattan. I look forward to the exhibit!

Winesburg Ohio will be hosting The 2nd annual Classic Art Show on August 15th. Plenty of activities, artists, artwork, antiques, music, food and a wonderful town to explore. Eastern Holmes County is a jewel in Ohio, and more specifically the town of Winesburg. Hope to see you there.

I am excited and honored that my painting "Lioness" was named a finalist in International Artist's "Favorite Subjects" competition. It appears on page 27 of the current issue (Volume 68, August/September 2009).

I was asked to write a short explanation as to how I created the painting, and this article accompanies the image. I hope readers find it helpful.

This is a candy tin assemblage I made a number of years ago about my dad, and some of his travels and adventures during WWII (T. H. Jones, 1916-2004). If you are in the Seattle, Washington area on July 8, I will be teaching a class on how to do this.

To find out more details, go to:http://www.teachstreet.com/seattle-wa/art/candy-tin-assemblage/cl-408ei46usg

To register, just go to: http://depts.washington.edu/asuwxpcl/catalog.php

(The hula skirt photo was taken by an Air Force buddy during his stay in Hawaii. My dad really knew how to have fun!!).