I have been a professional and fine art photographer for more than 40 years, living in the Chicago area for over 25 years. I have received numerous awards during my career for advertising and fine arts photography. My work has been acquired by museums, corporations, and private collectors in the United States and abroad.

I earned a Bachelors degree in art education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1968 and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Oregon in 1973. My professional development was greatly enhanced by studying with notable photographers Minor White and Brett Weston.

In 1975, I helped establish the photography department at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, one of the oldest independent media arts centers in the country. From 1975 until 1987, I served as department head and academic coordinator. My book, “The Silver/Non-Silver Lab Manual,” was used in photography classes.

In 1980 I was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to photograph Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This project expanded into a 10-year photo documentary of Pittsburgh’s evolution from an industrial center into an economically diverse city.

Throughout my career, I’ve enjoyed sharing my love of photography and the arts with high school and college students. I was a high school art teacher for three years and I was an adjunct professor for 20 years at Columbia College, a diverse private arts and media college in Chicago. I also taught photography, art appreciation, and design at Moraine Community College as an adjunct professor.

In January 2008, I taught a photographic workshop for American and Chinese students at Renmin University in Beijing. This turned out to be a pivotal experience that shaped a photographic project about uniforms that grew into my Iterations series.

Since 2008 I have self-published 17 books of my fine art photography created over the course of my career. My photography has been featured in numerous one-person shows, group exhibitions, workshops and publications in the United States, and China.—JPD 2021

Joel DeGrand
Visual Artist/Photographer/Teacher


EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED):
GROUP:
2022 — Cancer, Never Give Up, Biafrin Online exhibition and publication
2021 — The Other Art Fair Chicago sponsored by Saatchi Arts, Chicago, IL
2020, 2017, 2016, 2011, 2006 — Annual South Shore Arts Salon Show, Munster, IN
2013, 2010 — Faculty Exhibitions, Moraine Community College, Palos Hills, IL
2012 — Under One Roof, Visitor’s Center, Hammond, IN
2011 — Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Blink Fine Art Gallery, Michigan City, IN
2010, 2006 — Thaddeus C. Gallery Invitational, LaPorte, IN
2009 — Digital to Daguerreotype: Photographs Of People, Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
2007 — Size Matters, Invitational, Lubeznik Center For The Arts, Michigan City, IN
2007 — Sand, Steel, Spirit 2005, Phoenix Gallery, New York, NY
2006 — 1+1= One, Site-Specific Art Installations, LaPrairie Museum and Park, LaPorte, IN
2006 — Star Gallery, Michigan City, IN
2006 — Sand, Steel, Spirit 2005, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
2003 — Lubeznik Art Center, Michigan City, IN
2002 — John G. Blank Center for the Arts, Michigan City, IN
1985 — Pittsburgh Photographers Invitational, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
1984 — 74th Annual Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Exhibition, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
1984 — Three Rivers Arts Festival, Juried by Lee Witkin, Pittsburgh, PA
1982 — The Finished Print, Art Guild, Juried by Gery Metz and Carol Kismaric, Farmington, CT
1982 — 58th Annual International Exhibition, The Philadelphia Print Club, Philadelphia, PA
1982 — CPFA, Kern Gallery, Juried by Todd Papageorge, Penn State University, State College, PA
1982 — Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Juried exhibition, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
1982 — 59th Annual Juried Exhibition, Erie Art Center, Erie, PA
1981 — Selected Photographs Invitational, The Print Club, Philadelphia, PA
1981 — International Photography Exhibition, Juried by Bea Nettles and Duane Michals, Erie Art Center, Erie, PA
1981 — Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA
1981 — Pennsylvania Photographers 11, Juried Exhibition, Allentown Museum of Art, Allentown, PA
1980 — Pennsylvania Photographers Invitational (Curator), Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion, Harrisburg, PA
1980 — Juried Exhibition, Friends of Photography, Carmel, CA
1980 — Juried Exhibition, Southern Allegheny Museum of Art, Altoona, PA
1977 — Colorwork, Invitational, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
1977 — The Drama of Process: Extensions of the Directorial Mode, Invitational Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA

SOLO:
2024 — ITERATIONS: Beyond Photography, Beverly Shores Depot & Gallery, Beverly Shores, IN
2022 — Joel DeGrand Retrospective, SFC Gallery, Michigan City, IN
2015 — Italy: new/perspectives, Purdue University Art Gallery, Westville, IN
2014 — Uniforms, Outfits, & Accessories, Brauer Museum of Art, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN
2012 — Uniforms, Outfits, & Accessories, South Shore Arts, Munster, IN
2009 — Raclin Art Gallery, Indiana University, South Bend, IN
2003 — South Suburban College, Chicago, IL
2002 — The Beverly Shores Depot, Beverly Shores, IN
1984 — Allegheny County Courthouse Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
1983, 1982 — Zenith Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
1981 — Lloyd Gallery, Spokane, WA
1979 — Pittsburgh Film-Makers Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
1978 — The Photography Place, Philadelphia, PA
1977 — Camerawork Gallery, Portland, OR
1976 — Image Gallery, New York, NY
1975 — Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

GRANTS/AWARDS (SELECTED):
2021 — 78th Annual South Shore Arts Salon Show, Wanda L. and Richard W. Gardner Memorial Award
2020 — 77th Annual South Shore Arts Salon Show, Award of Distinction
2017 — 75th Annual South Shore Arts Salon Show, Alexandra Gardner Riddle Memorial Award
2016 — 74th Annual South Shore Arts Salon Show, The Raab Award
2011 — 69th Annual South Shore Arts Salon Show, Wanda L. & Richard W. Gardner Memorial Award
2007, 2005 — Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Regional Invitational Juried Award
2004 — Northern Indiana Arts Association, Award
1984 — 74th Annual Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Exhibition, Jurors Award, Carnegie Museum of Art
1984 — Three Rivers Arts Festival, Juried by Lee Witkin, Jurors Award
1982 — 58th Annual International Exhibition, The Philadelphia Print Club Board of Governor’s, Purchase Award
1982 — 59th Annual International Juried Exhibition, Erie Art Center, Award Winner
1981 — Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Award Winner
1980 — National Endowment for the Arts, Photography Survey Grant
1978 — Pittsburgh Film-Makers, Artist-in-Residence Grant

JOB EXPERIENCE:
2013–2022 — Visual Artist
2003 — Adjunct Professor Photography, School of the Art Institute, Chicago, IL
2002–2016 — Adjunct Professor Photography-Design-Art Appreciation, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, IL
1990–2012 — Adjunct Professor Photography, Columbia College, Chicago, IL
1987–2000 Commercial Photographer
1976–1987 — Adjunct Professor Photography, Theoretical Photography: Looking at Photography-Critical Approaches, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
1980–1987 — Instructor of Photography, Summer Program for High School Graduates, Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
1976–1987 — Department Academic Coordinator for Film Production and Photography, Pittsburgh Film-Makers, a media art center which houses the facilities used by the University of Pittsburgh, Point Park College, Carlow College, Carnegie-Mellon University and other area colleges
1974–75 — Visiting Lecturer of Photography, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
1970–73 — Graduate Teaching Fellow, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
1968–70 — Art Instructor, East Allegheny Senior High School, Pittsburgh, PA
1961–63 — Head Photographer, Daily Leader Times, Kittanning, PA

WORKSHOP/LECTURES (SELECTED):
2008 — Pre-Olympic Photography Workshop, Beijing, China
2008 — Gallery Talk, Lubeznik Center for the Arts
1981 — Four Photographers, Eugene Smith, Eliot Porter, Bruce Davidson, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, Lecture, Zenith Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
1979 — Kwik Print Color, Workshop, Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA
1978 — Kwik Print Color, Workshop, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
1977 — Le-Tour, Impressions of a Transcontinental Bicycle Trip, Lecture/Workshop, Society for Photographic Education, National Conference, New York, NY

PUBLICATIONS (SELECTED):
2019 — Iterations - Self Published
2019 — Chiesa - Self Published
2016 — Amanda - Self Published
2015 — Walkabout - Self Published
2014 — Window Dressing - Self Published
2013 — Uniforms, Outfits, & Accessories - Self Published
2013 — Window Dressing - Self Published
2013 — Hair Trigger 35 - Portfolio Magazine, Columbia College
2012 — Hong Kong: feng shui- Self Published
2012 — Store Fronts of Zhangmutou - Self Published
2011 — Chuck Close Face Book - Abrams
2010 — Oregon - Self Published
2010 — Pacific Rim - Self Published
2010 — Vanishing Points - Self Published
2010 — Sanctum: Churches In Italy - Self Published
2009 — QM (Queen Mary) - Self Published
2009 — bon appetit - Self Published
2009 — Bike Trip – A Trans America Bicycle Trip - Self Published
2009 — Eight - Self Published
2009 — Pittsburgh: A Look Back – Photographs from 1980–1990 - Self Published
2009 — Italy: new / perspectives - Self Published
2008 — Mysteries Of China - Self Published
2006 — Queen Mary - Hand Made Art Book
2005 — Venice: 360 Photographs - Hand Made Art Book
2004 — Bike Trip: A Trans-America Bicycle Trip - Hand Made Art Book
2004 — Seurat and the Making of La Grande Jatte (selected photographs), The Art Institute of Chicago and The University of California Press
2004 — Masterpieces of Chicago Architecture (selected photographs), The Art Institute of Chicago and Rizzoli
2004 — Miniature Rooms, The Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago (selected photographs), The Art Institute of Chicago
2003 — 530 Collection, Private Collection, Chicago, IL
1985 (October) — American Film Magazine
1985 (September) — Pittsburgh Magazine
1984 — Pittsburgh Portfolio1, Edition:50
1983 (April) — American Photographer Magazine
1982 (March/April) — Carnegie Magazine, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, PA
1980 — A Brief 19th Century History of Bicycles and Cameras/Photography -Inventions and Processes, Feature Article, Field of Vision Magazine
1977 — The Silver/Non-Silver Lab Manual - Self Published
1977–78 — Portfolio 1 - Limited Edition Portfolio

COLLECTIONS (SELECTED):
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Pennsylvania Council on The Arts, Harrisburg, PA
Howard Heinz Endowment, Pittsburgh, PA
A. W. Mellow Educational & Charitable Trust, Pittsburgh, PA
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Edward J. Lewis, Oxford Development Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA
Duquesne Light Company, Pittsburgh, PA
Deloitte, Haskins, and Sells Inc., Pittsburgh, PA
PPG Industries Inc., Pittsburgh, PA
Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, PA
McKnight Development Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA
Blue Cross Blue Shield Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
Museum of the North, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK

CLIENTS (SELECTED):
American Craft Magazine
American Cancer Society
Art Institute of Chicago
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Case International
Digital Corporation
Eli Lilly
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Heinz Corporation
McGraw Hill
Mine Safety Appliance (MSA)
Motorola
National Safety Council
NutraSweet
PPG Pittsburgh Plate Glass
Purina Corporation
Sears
Seventeen Magazine
Smuckers
Westinghouse Corporation
Wilson Sporting Goods

EDUCATION:
1973 — MFA, Graphic Design / Photography, University of Oregon
1968 — BS, Art Education, Indiana University of Pennsylvania