Artist Biography

Jose Acosta was born in San Jose, Cuba, in 1966. His family immigrated to the United States in 1969. Acosta has been creating art ever since he can remember, and has always enjoyed painting. In 2003, Acosta decided to go to the Art Students League of New York on weekends to further his art education. While there, he studied with John Hultberg, who greatly influenced him and and allowed him to pursue his artistic visions.

Acosta started his professional career as an artist in 2004, and began to exhibit in galleries and art fairs. That same year at his first public exhibit, Acosta won the Best of Show at the Dutchess County Art Fair. He continued to exhibit widely in 2004 in a number of group shows. By 2009, he had shown in over 300 group shows and had 10 solo shows. The World Bank in Washington, DC, acquired seven of his works at the International Caribbean Art Fair in New York in 2007, and in September of 2008, the University of Pennsylvania acquired his painting, "Staying Alive," to display in the art library.

Acosta is represented by galleries in Puerto Rico, New York, California, and Connecticut. His works can be found in over 200 private collections worldwide, and in many public collections, including: Lancôme, The World Bank, University of Pennsylvania, United Cerebral Palsy, Healthy Families Beacon, Touro College, and the Rubin Collection.

Jose Acosta currently lives in Poughkeepsie, NY.