Bio
Janet Orselli is a multidisciplinary artist known for her site-specific installations and sculptural assemblages that draw on the power of the found object to evoke associations and memories. She holds an MFA from Clemson University and has an extensive exhibition history, including solo shows at prestigious venues such as OK Harris Works of Art in New York City and the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC. She has been chosen for artist residencies at Anderson Ranch, Co; Spring Island, SC; and Kaiserslautern, Germany. She has also participated in numerous group exhibitions both regionally and nationally, showcasing her diverse artistic practice.
Orselli’s accolades include a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Fellowship and multiple grants from the North Carolina Arts Council. In 2024, she was selected as the first Artist-in-Residence at the Tryon Arts and Crafts School Gallery, Tryon, NC. In 2018, she served as an Artist-in-Residence at the 701 Center for Contemporary Art in Columbia, SC. Additionally, Orselli has taught art at Spartanburg Community College, and Converse College, where her innovative approach earned her a special grant to teach an installation class resulting in a student-led installation in downtown Spartanburg. Currently she lives and teaches in Columbus, NC.
Education
2001 MFA, Clemson University, Clemson, SC
1976 BA, Psychology, Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Publications
Sahertian, Patricia, Kreatif, Fall 2025, front cover and interior images
Ellis, Kelly Ann, “Wide Open,” Equinox, Volume 8, Fall 2025
Ellis, Kelly Ann, “Inner Chambers, Secret Rooms,” Equinox, Volume 8, Spring 2025
Smith, Storme, “TACS to Host Talk from Assemblage Artist Janet Orselli,” Tryon Daily Bulletin, June 23, 2024, p. 8-9.
Malone, Gina, “Child’s Play,” The Laurel of Asheville, June 2021, p.16
Christensen, Mary, “The Swamp Literary Magazine, 2021, front and back cover
Mack, Tom, “Year-End Review of the Visual Arts in Columbia,” Free Times, Dec., 2019
Mack, Tom, Review: “Fully Rounded,” Free Times, July 3-9, 2019
Mack, Tom, Review: “The Pinocchio Effect,” Free Times, February 12, 2019
Emily Pietras, “New Life,” Free Times, January 16, 2019
Steve Wong, “Capturing The Internal Light,” Life in Our Foothills, April 2017, p. 26-29
Joanne O’Sullivan, “Past Imperfect,” WNC Magazine, Jan/ Feb. 2013, p. 22-23
Ashley Rooney, “100 Southern Artists,” Schiffer Books, 2012, 128-9
Jeffrey Day, “Janet Orselli Explores Movement” Free Times, January 12, 2011, p. 24-25
Joanne O’Sullivan, “A Life Less Ordinary,” Bold Life, October 2009, p. 30-32
Carol Motsinger, “Turning Trash into Artwork,” Asheville Citizen-Times, April 2009, D2
Mary Bentz Gilkerson, “Orselli at the Robert Mills House,” Free Times, May 2007, 24
Jeffrey Day, “The Art of Travel,” The State, June 23, 2006, E18
Kathryn Martin, “Janet Orselli at Chapin Art Museum,” Art Daily, June 11, 2006
Jeffrey Day, “’Accessibility’ Stumbles on Lack of Access,” The State, April 30, 2006, E4
Nick Smith, “Flight Club,” Charleston City Paper, March 15, 2006
Jeffrey Day, “Battered Beauty,” The State, Sunday, March 20, 2005, E1-2
Jeffrey Day, “What’s with All the Chairs?” The State, Sunday, December 19, 2004, E1-2
Jeffrey Day, “Review: In the Here and Now,” The State, December 17, 2004, E5
K. Rosenfeld, “Activist Art Comes Around Again,” Chicago Journal, August 26, 2004, 13
Isabelle Girard De Soucanton, “Uberall Schrott,” Die Rheinpfalz, August 8, 2004
Donna Duren, “Organic Visions,” Metrobeat, June 23-June 29, 2004, p. 20
Connie Bostic, “Color Me Impressed,” Mountain Express, June 23-June 29, 2004, p. 42
Jeffrey Day, “How It’s Hanging,” The State, March 12, 2004, E24
Mary Bentz Gilkerson, “Vista Lights,” Free Times, November 27-December 3, 2002
Jeffrey Day, “Inside and Outside, a Stirring Show,” The State, Oct. 18, 2002, E26
“Partnership Project with Anderson Ranch Arts Center,” Artifacts, Oct.-Dec. 2002, p.10
Teri Tynes, “Reviews (Southeast): Triennial 2001,” Art Papers, Nov/ Dec 2001, p. 66-67
Jeffrey Day, “Temporary Art Makes a Permanent Impression,” The State, Oct. 4, 2001
Jeffrey Day, “Triennial: Artist Profiles,” The State, Sunday, April 22, 2001, E3
Jeffrey Day, “Sumter Show Brings Exciting Art to Small City,” The State, Oct. 22, 2000
CV
Grants and Residencies
2024 Artist-in-Residence, Tryon Arts and Crafts School, Tryon, NC
2018 Artist-in-Residence, 701 Center for Contemporary Art, Columbia, SC
2017, 2012, 2009 Regional Artist Project Grant, The North Carolina Arts Council
2011 Artist Grant, Upstairs Artspace, Tryon, NC
2007 Artist Grant, South Carolina Arts Commission, Columbia, SC
2005 Fellowship, Pollock-Krasner Foundation, NY, NY
2005 Visiting Artist, Spring Island Program, Okatie, SC
2004 Artist Exchange Program, Wollmagazin - Kaiserslautern, Germany,
2002 Visiting Artist, Pritchard's Island Artist Retreat Program, Beaufort, SC
2001 Drawing Scholarship, Anderson Ranch, SC Arts Commission, Columbia, SC
1999 Graduate Fellowship, G. R. MacDonald, Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Solo Exhibitions
2024 “Precious Things,” Tryon Arts and Crafts School, Tryon, NC
2023 “A Chair By Any Other Name,” Crutchfield Gallery, Spartanburg, SC
2021, 2004 “Carried Away,” “Visceral Realities,” Upstairs Artspace, Tryon, NC
2019 “re:Visions,” 701Center for Contemporary Art, Columbia, SC
2017 “Luminaries,” The Depot Room, Tryon, NC
2011 “Reclaiming the Wheel,” University of South Carolina Upstate, Spartanburg, SC
2011 “The New York Exhibition,” If Art Gallery, Columbia, SC
2010, 2007 “Janet Orselli,” OK Harris Works of Art, NY, NY
2010 Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, NC
2008 “Loco Motion,” Downtown Art Walk, Spartanburg, SC
2007 “Musical Soles,” Robert Mills Historic House, Columbia, SC
2006 “Dwelling Between,” Turchin Center, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
2006 “Attic Habitat,” Burroughs & Chapin Art Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC
2005 “Encircling Spaces,” Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC
2004 “Engenderings,” University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC
2003 “Sensorium,” Sumter Gallery of Art, Sumter, SC
Selected Group Exhibitions
2026 “Positive/Negative 41,”Tipton-Ashe Galleries, Johnson City, TN
2026 “Resistance,” Slocum Gallery, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
2025 “Restore ReUse Contest,” Best of Art Award, Asheville, NC
2025 “Carolina Roots 2025,” Artspace, Raleigh, NC
2025 “12th Annual Juried Exhibition,” Spartanburg, SC, Honorable Mention
2025 “Drawing Marathon Exhibition,” Upstairs Artspace, Tryon, NC
2024 “Turtle Travails,” No. 3 Pottery, Simpsonville, SC
2024 “Eye to Eye: The Roefs & Waddell Collection, 701 Center for Contemporary Art, Columbia, SC
2024 “ARS POETICA II,” Blowing Rock Art & History Museum, Blowing Rock, NC
2024 “Artist’s Collective Exhibition,” Spartanburg, SC
2024 “11th Annual Juried Exhibition,” Spartanburg County Libraries, Spartanburg, SC
2024 “Reimagined Realities,” Tryon Arts and Crafts School, Tryon, NC
2023 “As Good as Gold: 50 Years of the MFA at Clemson,” Lee Gallery, Clemson, SC
2023 “Celebrate Art,” Arts League of Henderson County, Hendersonville, NC
2023 “A Moment in Time,” Tryon Fine Arts Center, Tryon, NC
2023 “Drawing Marathon V,” Upstairs Artspace, Tryon, NC
2022 “24thJuried Exhibition,” Belton Center for the Arts, Belton, SC
2022 “9thJuried Exhibition,” Spartanburg County Library, Spartanburg, SC, First Place
2022 “Carried Away,” Artfields, Lake City, SC
2022 “The American Road Show,” Art in Embassies, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2022 “Slippers and Wingtips,” Greenville Tech, Benson Galleries, Taylors, SC
2021 “Tryon Fine Arts Center Photo Contest,” Tryon, NC, First Place
2021 “Grace Juried Art Exhibition,” Grace Gallery, Mills River, NC
2021 “Sixth Annual,” River Oaks Arts Center, Alexandria, LA
2021 “Artist’s Drawing Artist’s,” Stormwater Studios, Columbia, SC
2021 “Child’s Play,” The Gallery at Flat Rock, Flat Rock, NC
2021 “Small Works Exhibit,” Jag Gallery, Key West, FL
2021 “Merged II,” d’Art Center, Norfolk, VA
2020 “A Seat At the Table,” Artist’s Collective, Spartanburg, SC
2019 “Worker Bees,” Upstairs Artspace, Tryon, NC
2019 “Heimat/Home: The Columbia-Kaiserslautern Exchange,” if Art, Columbia, SC
2019 “A Sense of Place,” Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Augusta, GA, Juror prize
2019 “Re/Assembled,” Upstairs Artspace, Tryon, NC
2019 “Red,” Site: Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY
2019 “Clotheshorse,” Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, IN
2019 “ArtFields Extended,” Stormwater Studio, Columbia, SC
2019 “Step Up,” ArtFields, Lake City, SC
2018 “Luminaries: Drawings,” Richland County Public Library, Columbia, SC
2018 “Off the Wall,” Spartanburg Art Museum, Spartanburg, SC
2015 “Salon Show,” Studios at Flat Rock, Flat Rock, NC
2014 “Kinetic Connections,” Converse College, Spartanburg, SC
2012 “38th Toys Designed by Artists,” Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, AK
2012 “27th Tallahassee International,” Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts
2012 “Fantastic Reality,” Gallery 80808, Columbia, SC
2012 “27 Annual Sculpture Celebration,” Caldwell Arts Council, Lenoir, NC
2012 “9th Annual Juried Art Exhibition,” Hendersonville, NC, 1st Place, Sculpture
2012 Hand in Hand Gallery, Flat Rock, NC
2010 Tryon Painters and Sculptors Juried Show, Tryon, NC, Most Unique 3-D
2010 “Designer Showhouse,” Saluda Cottages, Flat Rock, NC
2010 “Green Piece,” Tryon Fine Arts Center, Tryon, NC, Second Place
2010 “Art in the Airport,” Asheville Regional Airport, Arden, NC
2009 “Feats,” Upstairs Artspace, Tryon, NC
2008 “Craven Arts Gallery Annual Sculpture Show,” New Bern, NC
2008 “String of Pearls,” Upstairs Artspace, Tryon, NC
2008 “Sculpturama,” Tryon Fine Arts Center, Tryon, NC, Third Place
2007 “Construction Crew 111,” Gallery 80808, Columbia, SC
2007 "In Dreaming," Accessibility: Sustainability, Sumter, SC
2006 "Traverse," Accessibility Columbia, Columbia, SC
2006 "Sanctuary," SC Birds: A Fine Arts Exhibition, City Gallery, Charleston, SC
2006 "New Artists + New Work + New Year," Blue Spiral Gallery, Asheville, NC
2005 "A Sense of Place," Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Augusta, GA
2005 "Orselli and Overend," Gallery 80808, Columbia, SC
2004 "Part to Whole," Triennial 2004, SC State Museum, Columbia, SC
2004 “For the Birds,” & “Klein Format,” Volksbank, Kaiserslautern, Germany
2004 "20th Annual Piccolo Spoleto Art Exhibition," Charleston, SC, First Place
2004 "Sanctuary," SC Birds Exhibition, Sumter Gallery of Art, Sumter, SC
2004 "Ekecheiria," Schopf Gallery on Lake, Chicago, IL, Third Place, catalog
2003 "19th Annual Piccolo Spoleto Art Exhibition," Charleston, SC, Best in Show
2003 "Valdosta National 2003,” Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA, catalog
2002 “Loci: A Sense of Place,” Gallery 80808, Columbia, SC
2002 “Extraordinary Things: A Study of Contemporary Art Through Material Culture,” Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN/ Bradley University, Peoria, IL
2002 "Baggage," Accessibility Sumter, Sumter, SC
2002 “A Sense of Place,” Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Augusta, GA
2002 “Cloister,” City Art, Columbia, SC
2001 “Impedimenta,” Lewis + Clark Gallery, Columbia, SC
2001 "inner view," Triennial 2001, SC State Museum, Columbia, SC
2001 "Soles" & "innerforms II,” Accessibility Sumter, Sumter, SC
2000 “Installations on Main,” Sumter, SC
2000 “Extraordinary Things: A Study of Contemporary Art Through Material Culture,” University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT
2000 "Lucy Lippard: Ana 29," The Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT
Performances
2022 “People Drawing Project,” Upstairs Artspace
2020 “Home and Away: Poetry of Place,” Tryon Fine Arts Center, Tryon, NC
2019 “Heimat/Home,” Stormwater Studios, Columbia, SC
2014 “Kinetic Connections” with Autumn Singleton, Converse College, Spartanburg, SC
2009 “Feats in Flux” with Rema Keen, Upstairs Artspace, Tryon, NC
2008 “Loco Motion: A Carriage Migration,” Art Walk, Spartanburg, SC
2007 “In Dreaming,” Accessibility: Sustainability, Sumter, SC
2006 “Winged Beings,” Turchin Center for Visual Arts, Boone, NC
Talks & Panel Discussions
2026 Panel Discussion, “Resistance” exhibition, East Tennessee State University
2025 Lanier Library, “Equinox,” Tryon, NC
2024 Tryon Arts and Crafts School, Tryon, NC
2018 Lourie Center, Columbia, SC
2014 East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
2013 Spartanburg Community College, Spartanburg, SC
2011 University of South Carolina Upstate, Spartanburg, SC
2011 Converse College, Spartanburg, SC
2010 Tryon Fine Arts Center, Tryon, NC
2010 Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, NC
2006 Accessibility Columbia, Columbia Museum of Art, SC
2006 South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC
2005 Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC
2005 College of Charleston, Charleston, SC
2004 Accessibility 2004, Sumter, SC
2003 Discussion Leader, Accessibility, Sumter, SC
2003 Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA
2002 Bradley University, Peoria, IL
2002 Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN
Collections
The Roefs & Waddell Collection, Columbia, SC
Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC
Sumter Gallery of Art, Sumter, SC
Patriot Hall, Sumter, SC
Booth and Peggy Chilcutt Collection, Columbia, SC
Spring Island Trust, Okatie, SC