Artist Statement

Barbara Straussberg is an abstract painter and paper artist working in Philadelphia. Her process is material based and explores the intersection of ancient Korean paper art with contemporary abstract painting.  Her studio practice encompasses painting, drawing, printmaking, paper sculpture and collage.

Her approach to art making is intuitive and experimental – employing a variety of techniques such as dripping, rubbing, pouring, tearing, and mark-making. The act of painting is what interests her, the steps she goes through to build up the surface and break it down. She captures the feeling of being in nature by transforming her physicality and the trees and rivers around her into line and paint. Her tools can be as simple and direct as her fingers, plastic cups, and paper towels – layering, scraping and peeling away the surface.

Straussberg’s active engagement with mixed media, along with her life-long passion for fiber arts and collage drew her to the ancient paper practice of Joomchi.  Joomchi is a traditional Korean paper-manipulating technique where one works layers of handmade paper (Hanji) together while wet to form a single sheet of paper. She rolls the paper with her hands in order to bind the paper fibers together and open up the sheet to create lace-like structures. Straussberg takes a painterly approach to Joomchi – adding drips of acrylic paint and embedding hand-pulled monotypes and lithographic prints from photographs in the layers of paper. Her focus is on the potential of the paper to reveal the printed image underneath and provide visual interest through texture, translucency and line.

Her printed images range from abstract interpretations of trees and detritus found in nature to antique family photographs.  After experiencing a loss, her work has taken on new meaning, reflecting themes of origin, aging, memory and reverence for her elders.  The passage of time and subsequent shift in her familial roles – as granddaughter, daughter, sister, and mother – parallel the subtle layering and exposed translucencies of her Joomchi paperwork. The unique qualities of the handmade papers reflect both strength and vulnerability, always able to change and transform through the push and pull of her hands.

Moving forward in her practice, Straussberg looks to break down the boundaries between past and present, paper and paint.  Energized by a lively dialogue between art forms and mediums, her work embraces both a deep respect for traditional artistic techniques and an experimental approach to making art.

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Artist Biography

Straussberg’s recent solo exhibitions include: Paper Revealed, Gravers Lane Gallery, Philadelphia (2022); URBN Headquarters, Naval Yard, Philadelphia (2020) and Allen’s Lane Art Center, Philadelphia (2020). Select group exhibitions include: Looks Good on Paper, National Juried Exhibition of Works on and of Paper, Pyramid Atlantic, MD; Une Exposition d’arts Obessionels de la Fibre, Gravers Lane Gallery, Philadelphia (2019); Contemporary Craft, Delaware Art Museum (2018) and Gawanghwamoon International Art Fair (GIAF), Seoul, Korea (2011). Her works are in many private, museum and corporate collections such as: Biggs Museum of American Art, SAP America, Fox Rothschild and Brandywine Realty Company (Lobby). She was awarded a Fellowship at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and Merit Grant Residency at the Vermont Studio Center. Straussberg received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Distinction in Art History from the University of Pennsylvania, and Certificate in painting and printmaking at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

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Education

1993
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Painting Major

1983
The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
BA, Distinction in Art History

1979 - 1980
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

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Awards & Honors

2019
Artist Fellowship, The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Amherst, VA

2017
Merit Grant, The Vermont Studio Center Artist Residency, Johnson, VT

Purchase Prize, Biggs Museum of American Art, Dover, DE

2016
Founder’s Award, The Cheltenham Center for the Arts, Cheltnham, PA

2012
Jim Bachman Memorial Award, Abington Art Center, Abington, PA

2010
American Framing Award, Phila./Tri-State Artists Equity, Montgomery County Community College, Pottstown, PA

1994
Liquitex Excellence in Art Product Grant Award, Binney & Smith

1992
Cuff/Samack Prize for Abstract Painting, Honorable Mention, The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA

1986
Atochem Competition Winner, The Annual Beaux Arts Ball, The Foundation for Architecture, Philadelphia, PA

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Bibliography

2022
“Craft Now/First Friday Preview”, Introduction by Artistic Director Bruce Hoffman, Gravers Lane Gallery, Philadelphia, PA. May 5.

2020
"Artshow Interview" hosted by Executive Director Craig Stover, Allens Lane Art Center, Philadelphia, PA

2015
Lieberman, Michael "Nineteen years and counting for Norristown’s Pagus Gallery" Art Blog

Johnson, Tara Lynn "Norristown Arts Building welcomes visitors during Open Studios event" Ticket/Arts & Entertainment, Montgomery Newspapers, December 2014

2013
Cover/Feature Article, Ticket/Arts & Entertainment, Montgomery Newspapers, May 2013

Dell, Larry "Get Out: Hot Stuff" Local Maplewood - New York Times Blog, 2010

Gaslight, Arts &Entertainment, NJ, August 2006

Ticket/Arts & Entertainment, Montgomery Newspapers, March 2005

Strauss, R.B., Art Matters Magazine, PA, January 2005

Nouveau Delaware Valley, PA, October, 2003

Strauss, R.B., Art Matters Magazine, PA, March 2002

Reality Check, ICS Deloitte Employee Quarterly, PA, 1995

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Collection

Biggs Museum of American Art, Dover, DE.

SAP America, Newtown Square, PA.

Rosalie, Wayne Hotel, PA.

Fox Rothschild, Wilmington, DE.

Workplace Environments, Plymouth Meeting, PA.

Brandywine Realty Corporation (Lobby), Springhouse, PA.

Main Line Fertility, Bryn Mawr, PA.

Nicholson Associates, Media, PA.

Ally Bank, DE.

And Private Collections

Exhibitions

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Solo

2022
Paper Revealed, Gravers Lane Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2020
Pathways, URBN Headquarters Naval Yard, Philadelphia, PA

Barbara Straussberg, Carolyn and Howard Alber Gallery, Allens Lane Art Center, Philaelphia, PA

2019
Natureworks, Freeman's Auction, Wayne, PA

Amis Trattoria, Devon Yards, Devon, PA

2015
Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers, Solo, Wayne, PA

2013
Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers, Solo, Wayne, PA

2012
The Lawrence Gallery at Rosemont College, Rosemont, PA

2011
The Community Music School, Trappe, PA

2010
Virginia S. Block Gallery, Montclair, NJ

2009
Mona Lisa Gallery, Maplewood, NJ

2007
Cozen O’Connor, Philadelphia, PA

The Station Gallery, Greenville, DE, 2007.

2006
JMS Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2005
JMS Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

The Station Gallery, Greenville, DE

2003
Atelier Fine Art Gallery, Frenchtown, NJ

2000
Rosenfeld Gallery, Solo, Philadelphia, PA

1998
Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

1997
Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

1995
Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

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Group

2022
Fade to Gist, InLiquid Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2021
Juried Exhibition, Hunterdon Art Museum, Clinton NJ

Looks Good on Paper, National Juried Exhibition of Works on and of Paper, Pyramid Atlantic, MD

Fade to Gist, InLiquid Curated Invitational, The Yard, Philadelphia, PA

2020
Une Exposition d'arts Obessionels de la Fibre, Gravers Lane Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

CRAFT!, Da Vinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA

2019
Into the Woods, InLiquid at Park Towne Place Museum District Residences, Philadelphia, PA

2018
Contemporary Craft Exhibition, The Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE

The Physicality of Painting, InLiquid Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

The Nature of Abstraction, Henry Gallery at Penn State Great Valley, Malvern, PA

New Paintings, Three-Person Show, The Station Gallery, Greenville, DE

2017
Biggs Picture Landscape Exhibition , Biggs Museum of American Art, Dover, DE
Purchase Prize

A Celebration of Art & Life, University of Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, PA

2016
Three-Person Show, The Station Gallery, Greenville, DE

2015
Select New Artists, Gravers Lane Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2014
35th Anniversary Show, The Station Gallery, Greenville, DE

2013
Mixed Media: Paintings, Pots and Clay Monoprints, The Station Gallery, Greenville, DE

Small Works Show, Pagus Gallery, Norristown, PA

2011
Gawanghwamoon International Art Fair (GIAF), Seoul, Korea

Asian: American: Homogenous, Asian Arts Initiative, Philadelphia, PA

Considering Collage, Studio Montclair, Montclair, NJ, Invitational

2007
Beneath the Layers, The Pierro Gallery of South Orange, NJ

2001
Art Matters 20th Anniversary Show, The Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA

2000
Non-Objective Abstraction, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

1999
Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

1993
92nd Annual Student Exhibition, The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA