"I took my time picking my path, crossing a stream, and following hunches down dusty roads, trusting I would end up where I was meant to be so that I could share it with you."
Joshua lives in St. Paul, with his wife, Shannon and their children, Greta and William. Despite most of his subjects being found close to home, his paintings can be found in private collections throughout the US and a few in Europe. His work has garnered national recognition with inclusion in OPA National Juried Show and a feature in Plein Air Magazine. He was selected by the Science Museum of Minnesota as an Artist in Residence at the historic Pine Needles Cabin. With a growing regional reputation, Joshua’s work has been featured in numerous publications.
Joshua Cunningham grew up the third of five boys in rural Isanti, Minnesota. His path to becoming a professional artist was as winding as the country roads from his youth. It began in the abstract art departments of St. Cloud State and St. John’s University. The summer break offered a unique opportunity to apprentice with Minnesota fresco painter Mark Balma. The summer became a yearlong classical drawing program. Mark had opened the door to a very old world of art, and rather than return to St. John’s, Joshua chose to continue his training at The Atelier in NE Minneapolis, focusing on figure and portrait drawing for two years. He spent the next four years at Hurinenko and Paquet Studio in St. Paul, studying portraiture, still life, figure drawing and plein air landscape painting. Landscape painting began as an afterthought, but with Joe Paquet’s inspiring work ethic and keen instruction, it quickly took over. For Joshua, few experiences were as challenging or enriching as painting on location. It brought Joshua back to his roots. He was learning to do what he had truly wanted to do as a boy.
Artist Statement:
Imagine the anticipation, excitement, and anxiousness of not knowing what you were about to see, but knowing the world was going to offer you something you’d either spend the morning painting or the rest of the day kicking yourself for not taking the time to answer the invitation of light, shadow, and air.
On my way to these places, I left trails in the snow, slid down river banks, and sunk into a drift of polished pebbles along Lake Superior. I took my time picking my path, crossing a stream, and following hunches down dusty roads, trusting I would end up where I was meant to be so that I could share it with you.