I currently reside in central Jersey where I teach drawing at Mercer Community College and West Windsor Art Council. I received my  B.F.A in painting from the Philadelphia College of Art. I have had featured shows at The Arts Council of Princeton; The Artists’ Gallery; The Ruth Morpeth Gallery; The Trenton City Museum; The Peddie School; Mercer Community College; and the Gross McCleaf Gallery in Philadelphia, PA.

The group exhibitions venues include the Principle Gallery in Alexandria, VA, New jersey CIty University, The Mehu Gallery, Phillips Mill, The College of New Jersey, Mercer Medical Center, The Trenton City Museum and Artworks.

My artworks are exhibited in places such as: The Museum Society of Trenton, Cigna, NYNEX, NJ bell, Dupont, Mercer COunty Cultural and Heritage Commission, and Educational Testing Services.

Artist Statement:

“Although I work with figures in my paintings and drawings, over my career as a painter, the landscape, as a forum for representing space and light within the graphic language, has been my primary interest. I am interested in landscape for metaphoric reasons more than for purely descriptive ones – that is, I like the poetry of big space with big forms in big light; it’s the mood and atmosphere and emptiness that draws me. The facts of WHERE some scene is I find of lesser importance and interest.

Identity, Location, and Time of Day and Season are important to me for their poetic potential for creating light filled dream-like spaces in which figures may wander.

“Who are we?” taking over from “Where are we?”

Consequently, I often make scenes up or pull them from diverse references.

I work from drawings, memory, and news media photos in a relatively spontaneous, not overly planned manner. The reference images act as a starting point for creating the atmosphere and mood I want to project, and, gradually, I refine my intentions.

Fire and smoke in the dark of night or in an encompassing timeless gray have been prominent aspects of these landscapes, and imply states of mind, passion, and inspiration rather than some apocalyptic vision. I find the notion of light in darkness to be a powerful and poetic image.

The paintings in this show were done between 2006 and now – “Gate” was the first one in the series. All but “Cauldron” have been repeatedly painted over and updated during this time period – sometimes with small touches, others nearly totally overhauled. This is the first exhibition in which more than just a few were included, and I am very excited to see them as a unit.”

FEATURED SHOWS

  • 2016 The Art Council of Princeton
  • 2015 12 Farms 
  • 2006 The Arts Councils of Princeton
  • 2001 The Artist’s Gallery 
  • 2000 The Artist’s Gallery 
  • 1998 TAWA Invitationals, Trenton City Museum 
    • Ruth Morpeth Gallery 
  • 1996 Mercer County Community College 
  • 1991 Mariboe Gallery, The Peddie School 
  • 1982 Gross McCleaf Gallery 
  • 1980 Gross McCleaf Gallery 

SELECTED GROUP SHOWS: 

2016

Phillips Mill Annual Show

Alfa Art Gallery New Brunswick Art Salon 2016

NJ Small Works – The Art School At Old Church

Gold Light Gallery – juried exhibition, New Hope, Pa

2015

D&R Greenway – Earth/Fire

Center For Contemporary Art annual juried show– Bedminster, NJ

Faculty Show – Jerry’s Artarama Studios

Salmagundi Club Non Member Drawing Juried Show – NYC

Faculty Show – West Windsor Arts Council

Ellarslie Open 32 – Trenton City Museum

Walker Gallery Annual, Garrett, Ks

Gold Light Gallery – juried exhibition, New Hope, Pa

Black and White … with a touch – Trenton City Museum – Invitational

2014

Invitational – Mehu Gallery, NYC

“I Live Here” – SIPMA 2014 at NJCU

HVC Bank

Faculty Show- Mercer County Community College

Urban Aspects –Principle Gallery, Alexandria, Va

Phillips Mill Annual

Nexus – Arts Guild of New Jersey

Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre – Muswellbrook, Australia

New Faculty – West Windsor Arts Council

Out Of The Blue – West Windsor Arts Council

Studio Montclair – Viewpoints

Mercer County Artists – Mercer County Community College

Ellarslie Open – Trenton City Museum

2013

Faculty Show – Mercer County Community College

D&R Greenway – Sky Gazing: group invitational

2012

Faculty Show – Mercer County Community College

2011

Ellarslie Open – Trenton City Museum

2008

A Matter of Perspective – D&R Land Preservation Trust

Ellarslie Open – Trenton City Museum

2007

Ellarslie Open XXV – Trenton City Museum

National Drawing Exhibition, The College of NJ

Monmouth County Arts Council Juried Annual Exhibition

2005

Gallery 125

Ellarslie Open XXII – Trenton City Museum

2004

Ruth Morpeth Gallery

Ellarslie Open XXII – Trenton City Museum

Faculty Show – Mercer County Community College

Mercer County Artists – Mercer County Community College

2002

Line of Inquiry – Mercer County Community College

Faculty Show – Artworks

2001

Faculty Show – Artworks

EARTH/LINE/LAND/SCAPE – Gallery of South Orange

Eyes on Trenton – New Jersey State Museum

Mercer County Artists – Mercer County Community College

2000

TAWA 2000

National Drawing Show – The College of New Jersey

1999

The Artists’ Gallery

Faculty Show – Artworks

Bianco Foundation Juried Exhibition – Bianco Gallery

Ellarslie Open – Trenton City Museum

1998

Celebration of Light – Artworks

Art and Language – The Peddie School

Ellarslie Open – Trenton City Museum

National Drawing Show – The College of New Jersey

1997

Six Landscape Painters – Mercer Medical Center

Juried Exhibition – Artsbridge

Just About Visual Arts Group – Small World Coffee Shop

1996

Rosenfeld Gallery

Ellarslie Open – Trenton City Museum

1995

Artworks

Mercer County Artists – Mercer County Community College

Pet Projects – Mercer County Community College

New Jersey Small Works – The Peddie School

1994

NJAIS Teachers – Metropolitan Life Gallery

Mercer County Artists – Mercer County Community College

Rosenfeld Gallery

Ellarslie Open – Trenton City Museum

New Jersey Small Works – The Peddie School

1993

Rosenfeld Gallery

Mercer County Artists – Mercer County Community College

1992

Elise Goodheart Fine Art

Rosenfeld Gallery

1991

Rosenfeld Gallery

1990

Rosenfeld Gallery

SELECTED GROUP SHOWS 1979-1989:

The Mill; Rosenfeld Gallery; Philadelphia Sketch Club; Center for the Arts; Delaware County Community College; Intermont College; University of

Delaware; Hanneman Hospital; Gross McCleaf; Earth Art III

Awards: 

2010: Best Painting in Show;  Ellarslie Open, Trenton City Museum

2008: Purchase Prize – Ellarslie Open, Trenton City Museum

2007: Honorable Mention – Ellarslie Open, Trenton City Museum1999:

1999: UNIVEST Corp Prize, Bianco Foundation Juried Exhibition, Bianco Gallery

1996: Triangle Art Award – Ellarslie Open, Trenton City Museum

1995: Juror’s Prize – Artworks

1995: Juror’s Prize – Mercer County Artists, Mercer County Community College

1994: Purchase Prize – Mercer County Artists, Mercer Cty Community College

1989: Juror’s Prize – Mercer County Artists, Mercer Cty Community College

1987: Third Prize – Pastel Show, Philadelphia Sketch Club

1979: Purchase Prize – Earth Art III


Feel free to visit Paul’s website at: paulmordetsky.artspan.com

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