Joshua Adam Risner | Fine Artist

Fine Art & The Living Presence

Joshua Adam Risner is a preeminent oil painter specializing in museum-grade private commissions. From his primary workspace at Rabbit Hill Art Studio, he maintains an active practice serving a national clientele of executive, university, and family legacy patrons. His work is defined by a rare combination of 19th-century technical mastery and a philosophical pursuit of the "living presence" within the painted form.

In addition to his private studio practice, Joshua’s technical expertise is sought after at the highest levels of the state. Since 2016, he has held the distinguished appointment of Artist in Residence for the Michigan State Capitol. In this consultative role, he acts as the primary technical authority on the Capitol’s painted heritage, contributing his expertise as a designer, curator, conservator, master decorative painter and official portraitist.

"The intent behind every mark I make is to give life to an idea, to instill a living presence within each painting. My hope is that life is always evident in the work I create."

A Legacy of Craftsmanship

Joshua’s path to the fine arts was paved by a fifteen-year career as a creative director and commercial artist. This background in sign painting and graphic design instilled a profound respect for the tactile precision of the craft. At age thirty, he transitioned to the academic study of fine art, earning a BFA from Ashland University and an MFA from Kendall College of Art and Design under a full tuition fellowship.

His public portfolio includes six official portraits on permanent display at the Michigan State Capitol—including the monumental gubernatorial portrait of Governor Rick Snyder—and the portrait of Senator Debbie Stabenow in the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington D.C.

Artistic Philosophy

Curriculum Vitae