Past Exhibitions

Delaware Days

Works by Joseph Barbaccia

Ventures Gallery

“The medium is the message.” is a famous quote by Marshall McLuhan. Although in 1964 the Canadian philosopher was talking specifically about television, the same could be said about mediums/materials in the field of Art. I’m continuously excited about how a specific medium which is traditionally used in one genre can be expanded to a successful level in another. Altering the viewer’s expectations of a particular medium while exploring and extending the medium’s potential for artistic expression is why I do what I do. For example, in the past, polymer clay has been predominately used for jewelry. My past successful experiments creating sculpture utilizing sequins and Styrofoam assisted me in discovering the potential of creating with polymer clay to make more than earrings or necklaces. Inspired by the Impressionists, particularly Berthe Morisot, Claude Monet, Mary Cassatt, Childe Hassam and Vincent Van Gogh, I founded my new work on this 19th century movement’s visible strokes of color. However, instead of oil-based pigments, I use plastic-based pigments in clay form. Extruded polymer clay. This medium afforded me a bas-relief depth to the finished piece. At the same time, with these pure color extrusions, I could weave a visual mixture that demonstrates subtle variations of color, form, texture, and light. Recently I’ve experimented with pushing the extruded colored clay pieces into one another using metal tools, to create an impasto like texture throughout the image.”

Joseph Barbaccia studied at Tyler School of Fine Art in Philadelphia. Barbaccia spent the following 8 years (1976- 84) traveling through the United States and South Pacific, concentrating on drawing and painting in a mostly representational style. In 1996, Barbaccia moved to Potomac Falls, VA. Over the next 4 years he began to paint with encaustics on carved plaster reliefs. With his “Animal Metaphors” series in 2000 and the 2002 “Santos” series, he fully evolved to freestanding sculpture, creating pieces that employed the act of wrapping and winding materials over a mixed media framework. In 2003,  Barbaccia’s art took another definitive step. By incorporating the most basic of materials in assemblies that underscore craftsmanship and meaning, he had pared down visual insight to a more essential level of expression.2008 saw Barbaccia’s work recognized in the Greater Washington Metro area as some of the most compelling by his becoming a finalist for the Trawick Prize. In 2014 he began to create with polymer clay. The resulting works are three dimensional in form; similar to bas reliefs. In 2018 Barbaccia moved to Delaware, USA. His images have been presented as covers and interior pieces for magazines, books, and more. In 2022, he was awarded the Individual Artist Fellowship Grant by the Delaware Division of the Arts. Barbaccia has written articles about his unique style for Polymer Arts magazine. His work has been featured in Luzer’s Archive 200 BEST Illustrators Worldwide, Illustration Annual 57, 3 X 3 Illustration Directory, Polymer Journeys (The Art and Craft of Polymer), Creative Quarterly, Illustration West 54, and the AOI World Illustration Awards.

Image Credit: “Gordon’s Pond” polymer clay by Joseph Barbaccia.

African Violets
Polymer clay on linen
8″ x 8″
$400 African Violets Polymer clay on linen 8″ x 8″ $400 Azaleas
Polymer clay on linen
8″ x 8″
$400 Azaleas Polymer clay on linen 8″ x 8″ $400 Clematis
Polymer clay on linen
9″ x 9″
$400 Clematis Polymer clay on linen 9″ x 9″ $400 Pines
Polymer clay on foam core board
20″ x 15″
$650 Pines Polymer clay on foam core board 20″ x 15″ $650 Morning Pines
Polymer clay on foam core
27″ x 19″
$700 Morning Pines Polymer clay on foam core 27″ x 19″ $700 Morning Star
Polymer clay on foam core
19″ x 13″
$600 Roses
Polymer clay on linen
9″ x 9″
$400 Roses Polymer clay on linen 9″ x 9″ $400 Yellow Azalea
Polymer clay on linen
9″ x 9″
$400 Yellow Azalea Polymer clay on linen 9″ x 9″ $400 Hibiscus
Polymer clay on linen
9″ x 9″
$400 Hibiscus Polymer clay on linen 9″ x 9″ $400 Taking Flight
Polymer clay on linen
10″ x 8″
$400 Taking Flight Polymer clay on linen 10″ x 8″ $400 Watch Tower
Polymer clay on linen
20.5″ x 13″
$700 Watch Tower Polymer clay on linen 20.5″ x 13″ $700 Day Lilies
Polymer clay on Japanese Rice paper
9″ x 7″
$400 Day Lilies Polymer clay on Japanese Rice paper 9″ x 7″ $400 Liminal
Polymer clay on linen
16″ x 25″
$800 Liminal Polymer clay on linen 16″ x 25″ $800 Gulls
Polymer clay on linen
13.5″ x 18″
$550 Gulls Polymer clay on linen 13.5″ x 18″ $550 Gordons Pond
Polymer clay on linen
12″ x 21″
$900 Gordons Pond Polymer clay on linen 12″ x 21″ $900 Peony
Polymer clay on linen
9″ x 9″
$400 Peony Polymer clay on linen 9″ x 9″ $400 Lighthouse
Polymer clay on linen
16″ x 25″
$600 Lighthouse Polymer clay on linen 16″ x 25″ $600 Window Light
Polymer clay on linen
18″ x 16.5″
$650 Window Light Polymer clay on linen 18″ x 16.5″ $650 Redwinged Blackbird
Polymer clay, faux stained glass
15″ x 17″
$750 Redwinged Blackbird Polymer clay, faux stained glass 15″ x 17″ $750 Tulips
Polymer clay, wood frame
10″ x 8″
$600 Tulips Polymer clay, wood frame 10″ x 8″ $600 Wet Stone
Polymer clay 
16″ x 16″
$700 Wet Stone Polymer clay 16″ x 16″ $700