Brief Biography Joey grew up in Ft Wayne, Indiana and pursued her early love of drawing as a Fine Art major at Miami University of Ohio. Her journey in the world of art took a detour when she moved to Colorado and followed a career path in oil and gas exploration spanning 25 years in Denver, CO and Tulsa, OK.  Joey’s artistic outlet during those years was photography. “Composing a good photograph is much like composing a good painting; both must read well and tell an interesting story.”  After retiring, she eagerly returned to art and was pleased to see that old talents could be renewed. She has immersed herself in painting and enjoys both pastel and oil as mediums for her realistic style.  Her enthusiasm has been fuelled by studying with with well known local and national oil and pastel artists  such as Mary E Russell, Judy McCombs, Margaret Aycock, Albert Handell, Leonard Wren, Ann Templeton, J Chris Morel, Diane Ainsworth, Marc Hanson, & Terry Ludwig.  She has also organized workshops for some of these artists.  Joey has achieved much in a short amount of time. She and her husband, Al, have recently completed a new two story studio behind their home giving them both room for their artistic visions. Joey Frisillo's current work is inspired by nature's subtle beauty in her Oklahoma surroundings and other intriguing locales. "The longer I live in Oklahoma the more I appreciate it's beauty. I see the most inspiring sunsets from my own patio. My studio is surrounded by old oak, hickory and cedar trees where the birds and squirrels hang out and chatter outside my window." Whether painting sweeping vistas or closer, more intimate subjects, her pastels and oils are enlivened with rich layers of color and texture. Joey has been in numerous local and national juried exhibitions including Gilcrease Museum’s American Art in Miniature and the Pastel National in Wichita. Recent honors are Best of Show and an Award of Excellence at the Woman Artists of the West Invitational Show in Chicago, IL,  Best of Show two years in a row and 1st Place for Landscape in Ozark Pastel Society’s annual competition and a purchase award at the Pastel National 2006. Joey is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America and an associate member of Women Artists of the West and the Oil Painters of America.  She shares her love of art by serving as a board member of Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, president of the Ozark Pastel Society and an active member of other local and regional art organizations. Currently, she is represented by Color Connection Gallery in Utica Square, Tulsa, OK (918) 742-0515

From my home that overlooks a lake with sandy beaches, sandstone cliffs and an ancient, "Cross Timbers" oak forest, I study the landscape and the effects of light that create  nature's colors and patterns. I draw much inspiration from the  Oklahoma landscape.  As I grow as an artist, I have gained a greater appreciation for the value of painting from nature and from life. More and more this has meant going directly to the source and painting outdoors.  My goal is to continuously improve the translation of my observations into my artwork.

Interpreting the landscape out in the field or in the studio means focusing on lines and shapes - the essence of a the subject - without being seduced by colors. When in the studio,  I use my "on location" digital photography and computer help me study how to create better compositions.  Here I can crop vistas and extract only the basic lights and darks. These simplified images become "contour maps" for my paintings. After the larger shapes are established, then details are added. This "home work" also serves to inform my field work.

Recently, I have been using a lot of transparent oil or pastel as my initial layer. I enjoy the luminosity that is created. This is then contrasted with thicker or more opaque layers which follow. This gives a richness and depth of both color and texture which I find exciting and pleasing.

21323 W. Bayshore Drive
Sand Springs, OK 74063
918-242-3205

Select Juried Group Exhibitions (Judge if known)
2009       American Art in Miniature, Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK
2009       Artists of Northwest Arkansas,  Arts Center of the Ozarks, Springdale AR, (Kay Polk)
2009       International Association of Pastel Societies 13^th Annual Exhibition, Ventana Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, (Doug Dawson)
2009       Northeast National Pastel Exhibition, Arts Center of Old Forge, NY (Maggie Price)
2009       “WAOWing the Mountain State”, Women Artists of the West,  Saks Galleries, Denver, CO (Karen Vance)
2008     American Art in Miniature, Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK
2008     Pastel Society of the Northern Rockies" Pastel Extravaganza" Independence Gallery, Loveland, CO (Margaret Dyer)
2008     Pastel National 2008, Wichita Center for the Arts, Wichita, KS (G. Daniel Massad)
2007     Women Artists of the West, "East to West - Meeting in the Middle", Hilligoss Galleries, Chicago, IL (Nancy Guzik)
2007     American Art in Miniature, Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK
2007     Alpha Rho Tau Oklahoma Centennial Exhibit , Philbrook Museum, Tulsa, OK
2007     Ozark Art Alliance, Sager Creek Center of the Arts, Siloam Springs, AR (Lance Hunter)
2006     American Art in Miniature, Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK
2006     Pastel National 2006, Wichita Center for the Arts, Wichita, KS (Kitty Wallis)
2005     Oklahoma Landscape Exhibition, Philbrook Museum, Tulsa, OK (Michael Freed)
2005     Ozark Art Alliance, Sager Creek Center of the Arts, Siloam Springs, AR (Timothy Tyler)
2004     Pastel National 2004, Wichita Center for the Arts, Wichita, KS (Ramon Kelly)
2003     Mayfest Invitational Gallery, Annual Tulsa Mayfest, Tulsa, OK.
2003     Bartlesville Art Association Annual Spring Art Show, Bartlesville, OK.
2003     Alpha Rho Tau Group Exhibition, Philbrook Museum, Tulsa, OK
2003     Oklahoma Drawing & Painting Biennial, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, Oklahoma City, OK
2002     Mayfest Invitational Gallery, Annual Tulsa Mayfest, Tulsa, OK.
2002     Pastel National 2002, Wichita Center for the Arts, Wichita, KS (Wolf Kahn)

Honors

2009       1st Place Landscape  “Passion for Pastels” Ozark Pastel Society, Springdale AR (Ben Edwards)
2009       3rd Place Miniature  “Passion for Pastels” Ozark Pastel Society, Springdale AR (Ben Edwards)
2009       Honorable Mention, Bartlesville Art Association Annual Spring Art Show, Bartlesville, OK. (Kay Polk)
2008     2nd in Landscape & 2nd in Miniature, "Passion for Pastels" Ozark Pastel Society, Springdale, AR  (Leslie B DeMille)
2008     3rd Place  Pastel Society of the Northern Rockies" Pastel Extravaganza", Loveland, CO (Margaret Dyer)
2007      Best of Show, Women Artists of the West, "East to West - Meeting in the Middle", Chicago, IL (Nancy Guzik)
2007      "Award of Excellence", Women Artists of the West, "East to West - Meeting in the Middle" (Art of the West Magazine)
2007      Best of Show & 1st Place Landscape, “Pastel Power” Ozark Pastel Society, Springdale, AR, (Terry Ludwig)
2007      Honorable Mention, Ozark Pastel Society 20th Anniversary Exhibit, Ft Smith AR (Pat Lappin)
2007      Honorable Mention, Okmulgee Pecan Festival, Okmulgee, OK (George Kountoupis)
2006      Best of Show, & HM in Minature, “Glory of Pastel” Ozark Pastel Society,  Springdale, AR (Marc Hanson)
2006      Purchase Award, Pastel National 2006, Wichita Center for the Arts, Wichita, KS
2006      Elected to Signature Status by the Pastel Society of America

Recent Group Exhibitions

2009       “Passion for Pastels” Ozark Pastel Society, Art Center of the Ozarks, Springdale AR
2009       “Flora and Fauna”, Oklahoma City, OK  (Curator, Jennifer Barron)
2009       Nomadas Del Arte, Southwest Gallery, Dallas Texas
2009       Bartlesville Art Association Annual Spring Art Show, Bartlesville, OK.
2008     "Passion for Pastels" Ozark Pastel Society, Arts Center of the Ozarks, Springdale, AR (Awards Judge - Leslie B DeMille)
2008     "Bloomin' Art"  Tulsa Artists Guild, Tulsa Garden Center, Tulsa, OK
2007     "Three Women, One Journey" Three woman show. Arts Center of the Ozarks, Springdale, AR.
2007     Ozark Pastel Society 20th Anniversary Exhibit, Ft Smith Art Center, Ft Smith AR.
2006     "Natural Impressions" Two Woman Show, Color Connection Gallery, Tulsa, OK.
2006     Tulsa Artists Guild, Tulsa Historical Society, Tulsa, OK
2006     "Art of Dance", Performing Arts Center Gallery, Tulsa, OK. Benefiting Tulsa Ballet.
2006     Ozark Pastel Society, "Glory of Pastels", Arts Center of the Ozarks, Springdale AR (Judge for Awards - Marc Hanson)
2004     "Cupid's Arrow", Gallery 107, Sand Springs, OK 

Corporate Collections

Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Elder Care of Bartlesville

Tulsa Fertility Center
Flamingo Seismic Solutions
Oklahoma Heart Institute

Gallery Representation

Castle Gallery- Fort Wayne, IN

Organizations

Pastel Society of America – Signature Member

Oil Painters of America - Associate Member

Women Artists of the West (WAOW) - Associate Member

Ozark Pastel Society – Vice President 2006/President 2007

Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition - Board of Directors
Alpha Rho Tau Civic Art Association – President 2003

Tulsa Artists Guild
Bartlesville Art Association
Oklahoma Pastel Society

Plein Air Painters of Oklahoma

Workshops Given

Oil Painting, Philbrook Museum Education Department, Tulsa, OK – October, 2009
Pastel Materials and Techniques, Gilcrease Museum Education Department, Tulsa, OK – April, 2009
Pastel Materials and Techniques, Gilcrease Museum Education Department, Tulsa, OK – May, 2008

Recent Professional Workshops Taken

Monthly Critique with Mary E. Russell of Tulsa, OK, 2006 - present
Mentoring Program with Albert Handel & Anita Louise West of Santa Fe - June 2008
Plein Air in Oils, Gay Faulkenberry of Duncan, OK, May 2008
Monthly Study with Judy McCombs of Chickasha, OK 2004 - 2006
Pastel Landscape, Terry Ludwig of Littleton, CO, Ozark Pastel Society, 2003 & 2007
Landscape in Oil with Leonard Wren of Lopez Island, WA, June 2006
Landscape in Pastel & Oil with Marc Hanson of Taylors Falls, MN, Aug., 2006
The Art of Still Life, Mary E. Russell of Tulsa, OK, May & August 2005
Landscape in Pastel, Ann Templeton of New Mexico, August 2005
The Art of Still Life and Portraits, Mary E. Russell of Tulsa, OK, June 2005
Plein Air Painting in Oil, J. Chris Morel of Taos, NM, June 2004
Plein Air Painting, Diane Ainsworth of Port Townsend, WA, May 2004
Oil & Watercolor Landscape, George Kountoupis of Tulsa, OK, Summer & Fall 2003

 Professional Workshops Organized

Landscape in Pastel  with Terry Ludwig of Colorado for Ozark Pastel Society, Aug., 2007
Landscape in Pastel & Oil with Marc Hanson of Minnesota for Ozark Pastel Society, Aug., 2006
Landscape in Pastel with Ann Templeton of New Mexico for Ozark Pastel Society, Aug., 2005   
Plein Air Painting in Oil with J. Chris Morel of New Mexico for Alpha Rho Tau, June 2004
Oil & Watercolor Landscape with George Kountoupis of Oklahoma for Alpha Rho Tau, Fall 2003

Education

1998 - 2000 Tulsa Community College. Associate of Arts
1987 - 1988  Regis College, Denver, Colorado. Business
1980 - 1982  University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado. Geology/Geophysics
1969 - 1972  Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. Fine Arts