Josh Elliott Biography

View Josh Elliott's available paintings

Josh Elliott was born in Great Falls, MT in 1973. He was raised to appreciate art and is a third generation artist. His grandfather studied with Grant Wood and dabbled in all sorts of artistic pursuits. His Father, wildlife artist Steve Elliott, gave up a successful career as an ER doctor to become a full-time artist.  

Josh's father taught and encouraged him. Josh learned the importance of painting from life discovered his passion for painting outdoors. He sees his outdoor paintings as a reaction to what is in front of him, and feels they act an exercise to sharpen his skills. He considers his studio paintings to be a culmination of everything he has learned from painting out, combined with his own artistic interpretation. Born in Montana, Josh lived out of state for some time but always felt a deep connection with Montana's landscape and people. Josh now lives with his wife and two daughters in Helena, Montana.

Josh believes that we were made to appreciate beauty, and he feels his work is a celebration of beauty and truth. Although being true to reality is important to Josh, he aims for creating “art”, something interpretive, something more than a good rendering, something of himself. Josh says, "A good painting, to me, is Nature's truth filtered through the artist."

Education:

• Colorado State University, 1991
• University of Idaho, 1992-1995
• Study with Father/Artist Steve Elliott, 1995-1996
• Montana State University, 1996-1997

Selected Exhibitions:

• 2020 - "Desert Array" Solo Show, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
• 2019 - "New Works" Group Show, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
• 2019 - "Along the Distant Mesa: An Homage to Maynard Dixon" Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
• 2018  - "Desert Time Travels" Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
• 2017 "25th Anniversary Celebration" Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
• 2015 - The Next West: Innovating Tradition, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
• 2014 - The Next West: Innovating Tradition - Paintings by Josh Elliott, Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Wickenburg, AZ
• 2014 - New “Old Guard” - Heirs Apparent in the Representational Art World, Insight Gallery, Fredericksburg, TX
• 2013 - Young Guns: Three of the Nation’s Top Western Artists Under 40, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
• 2013 - In the Moment: Artists and their Interpretations on the T-Cross Ranch, Claggett Rey Gallery, Vail, CO
• 2012 - Landscapes of the West, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
• 2012 - 4th Annual Small Works Show and Sale, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
• 2012-14 - Artistic Horizons, Benefit for Arts Without Boundaries, Bozeman, MT
• 2012 - Kia Ora, paintings of New Zealand, Claggett Rey Gallery, Vail, CO
• 2011 - Solo Show, Mark Sublette MEdicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
• 2011 - American Landscapes: From New Amsterdam to Old Amsterdam, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• 2011 - Miniature Masterpieces Art Show and Sale, Phippen Museum, Prescott, AZ
• 2011-14 - The West Select, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ
• 2010-14 - Prix de West, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, OK 
• 2010 - Solo Show, Claggett Rey Gallery, Vail, CO
• 2010, 2014 - Journey West Gala, Booth Museum of Western Art, Cartersville, GA
• 2009 - Solo Show, Claggett Rey Gallery, Vail, CO
• 2009 - Small Works, Great Wonders Winter Art Sale, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, OK
• 2008-2014 - American Masters at Salmagundi Club, New York City, NY
• 2008-2014 - Quest for the West Art Show and Sale, Eiteljorg Museum, Indianapolis, IN
• 2007- 21st Century Regionalists at the Booth Museum of Western Art, Cartersville, GA
• 2007 - Arizona: A Millennium of Arizona Art, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
• 2006-2014 - Maynard Dixon Contry, Mount Carmel, UT
• 2006 - Acadia Invitational, Bar Harbor, ME
• 2005-2012 - Northwest Rendezvous Guest Artist, Helena, MT 
• 2005-2011 - Miniatures and More Show National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, WY
• 2005 - Plein Air 2005, Arizona Desert Sonoran Museum, Tucson, AZ
• 2005-2011 - Fall Classics, Ponderosa Art Gallery, Hamilton, MT
• 2003 - Carmel Art Festival Plein Air Competition, Carmel, CA
• 2002-2008, 2014 - CM Russell Art Auction, Great Falls, MT
• 2001, 2000, 1999 - Sovereign Collection, One Man Shows and Group Shows, Portland, OR
• 2001, 2003, 2005 - Artists for Open Space Benefit, Montana Land Reliance, Bigfork, MT 
• 2001-2004 - Fall Classics Show, Hamilton, MT 
• 2000 - Artist in Residence, Glacier National Park, MT
• 1999 - Grant Kohrs Frontier Montana Gathering of Artists, Deer Lodge, MT
• 1998-2003 - Portland Art Museum Spring Show, Portland, OR
• 1997-1999, 2002 - Masters in Montana Show, Bozeman, MT

Awards, Collections:

• Whitney Western Art Museum purchase, 2018
• Best Painting Award, Quest for the West, Eiteljorg Museum, Indianapolis, IN, 2015
• Cover Feature, Western Art Collector magazine, January 2015 
• Cover Feature, Western Art Collector magazine, November 2013
• Best Painting Award, Quest for the West, Eiteljorg Museum, Indianapolis, IN 2015
• Artist’s Choice Award, Quest for the West, Eiteljorg Museum, Indianapolis, IN 2011
• Ben Stahl Award, Western Rendezvous of Art, Helena, MT 2011
• Ben Stahl Award, Western Rendezvous of Art, Helena, MT 2010
• Palette Award, Quest for the West, Eiteljorg Museum, Indianapolis, IN 2008
• Edith Hamlin Award, Maynard Dixon Country, Mt. Carmel, UT 2007
• Honorary Chairman Award, C.M. Russell Art Auction, Great Falls, MT 2007
• Award of Merit, Western Rendezvous of Art, Helena, MT 2007
• Award of Merit, Western Rendezvous of Art, Helena, MT 2006
• Legacy Award, Western Rendezvous of Art, Helena, MT 2006
• Best Small Painting Award, Acadia Invitational, Bar Harbor, ME 2006
• Maynard Dixon Award and Quick Draw Award, Plein Air Show, Arizona Desert Sonoran Museum, Tucson, AZ 2005
• Ralph “Tuffy” Berg Award for Emerging Artist, CM Russell Auction, Great Falls, MT 2003

Publications:

• Western Art Collector, October 2021
• Southwest Art, March/April 2021
• Western Art Collector, March 2021
• Western Art Collector, January 2021
• Southwest Art, December 2020/January 2021
• Western Art Collector, December 2020
• Southwest Art, March/April, 2020
• Antiques and The Arts Weekly, March 13, 2020, p. 12C
• Western Art Collector, March 2020
• Western Art Collector, February 2020
• Western Art Collector, November 2019
• ArtNet Gallery Network, April 17, 2019
• Western Art Collector, February 2019
• "Maynard Dixon's American West: Along the Distant Mesa" by Mark Sublette, 2018
• Western Art Collector, November 2018
• Art of the West, September / October 2018
• Western Art Collector, August 2018
• Western Art Collector, Cover, May 2018
• Western Art and Architecture, April/May 2018
• Western Art Collector, feature article, March 2018
• Southwest Art, February 2018
• Western Art Collector, cover, January 2015
• Western Art Collector, cover, November 2013
• True West Extra, March 2012, page 69
• Art of the West, September-October 2012
• Big Sky Journal, Arts issue 2012
• Western Art and Architecture February-March 2012
• Western Art Collector, March 2011
• Art of the West, December 2009
• Western Art Collector, March 2009
• Southwest Art, 20 Success Stories December 2009
• Southwest Art, February 2009
• Western Art Collector, January 2009
• Western Art Collector, December 2008
• ArtBook of the New West, Spring/Summer 2007
• Art of the West, July-August 2006
• American Artist, December 2006