Artist History
- I began creating at a very young age. I started by working in clay and drawing. By the time I was in High School, I was exhibiting my work in local shows. I was awarded the Most Outstanding Art Student award in College, which included a One- Man show. That was in the mid 60’s . By the time I graduated from College, I had exhibited my jewelry in several shows – Two Design West shows at the California Museum of Science and Industry ( in 1968 and 1971). I began to have a series of One man shows at the Canyon Gallery in Los Angeles. At about the same time Bullocks Wilshire – a prestigious department store carried a line of my Jewelry in their Los Angeles and Palm Spring locations. There were a number of Museum and Gallery exhibitions in the 1970’s -. Some of the most important ones were; California Design Eleven, at the Pasadena Museum ( now the Norton Simon Museum) in Pasadena, (1971), and California Design ’76, at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles (1976), Selections from Southwestern Craftsmen at Cob Web Hall Gallery, Prescott Arizona (1971-1988)., National Academy of the Arts of the Pacific Exhibition, Hawaii ( 1974), Jewelry and Metalsmith Invitational , Pasadena City College, Pasadena ,(1975). And Enamels Invitational, Scope Gallery, Alexandria Virginia , (1978)
- In the early 1980’s, I decided to open up a Gallery in Laguna Beach, CA. I presented my work, Jewelry and bronze sculpture. I also represented a number of local artist. The gallery was The Addotta Collection -because of the diversity of the art I was creating and exhibiting. I became involved with the festivals, including the Laguna Festival of Art and the Sawdust. This expanded my involvement in local shows. I had been showing my creations in art exhibits, craft fairs and street shows since college. I have continued exhibiting at Craft fairs to this day and have included many places through out California, New York, Chicago, Los Vegas, Arizona and London England. Some of the best have been The Contemporary Craft Show ( for the last 30 years 1988-2019), Chicago International Exhibition of Miniature Artist (2002-2014), International Guild of Miniature Show(1999-2001).
- Gallery Shows continued; The Garden Show, at the Contemporary Craft Gallery, Portland Or. ( 1992), Signature Gallery in San Diego, CA. (1995), Intimate Objects: Contemporary Miniatures, at The Stones Gallery, San Francisco ,CA ( 1996). Between 1995 -2001 my miniature recreation of Cellini’s Golden Salt-Cellar ( in 18K Gold) was on exhibit at The Carol & Berry Kay Museum of Miniatures in Los Angeles CA. A major museum Exhibition- : THE MANY FACETS OF JOE ADDOTTA , 40 Years RETROSPECTIVE was held at the Edward-Dean Museum, Riverside, CA ( 2000). Other museum exhibits include; Small Sculptures: Work in Metal and Wood at the Tee Ridder Miniature Museum – Nassau County Museum of Art ( 2000), and California Visions, Long Beach CA (2005). A interesting series of exhibitions and sales of Unique Sculptured Perfume bottles took place at the Lois Neiter Fine Arts Galleries, Los Angeles & Malibu between the years of 2000-2010 (Anniversary Celebration, October 2001, Surface, Color and Light, Fall 2002, Works on Paper and Sculpture, September 2004, Objects, October 2009 and New Works, October 2010)
- I began to show my Watercolors in 2014, entering various local shows , such as the 31st. Ventura County Fair , receiving an award for Best of Show -Fair Theme, ( 2018) and my watercolors were included in the Westlake Village Guild Shows in (2019 -2022).