Past Exhibitions
Browse past exhibitions from The Rizo Collection, including gallery shows, artist features, regional showcases, and curated selections from Jose L. Rizo’s personal collection.
First Amendment: Freedom in Focus
Ryan Persinger
June–July 2026
First Amendment: Freedom in Focus featured documentary photographer Ryan Persinger's powerful images exploring protest, free speech, and civic engagement through a thought-provoking exhibition curated by José Rizo.
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Fred Hays: New Realities
Fred Hays
May–June 2026
Fred Hays: Realities celebrated the acclaimed West Virginia painter's imaginative realism, presenting vibrant landscapes and symbolic works that reflected his distinctive vision of Appalachian life and nature.
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Magic In My Melanin
Jamal "Bubbles" Hoskins
February-March 2026
Magic In My Melanin was a three-day pop-up exhibition celebrating the work of West Virginia artist Jamal "Bubbles" Hoskins.
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World of Watercolor
The Rizo Collection & 15 West Virginia Artists
December 2025
World of Watercolor paired masterworks from The Rizo Collection with contemporary West Virginia watercolor artists, creating a unique exhibition that celebrated the versatility of watercolor while supporting local nonprofit organizations.
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THE CHARLESTON INVITATIONAL
The Rizo Collection & Regional Artists
September 2025
The Rizo / Bullock Charleston Invitational brought together artists from across West Virginia for a juried exhibition celebrating creativity, craftsmanship, and contemporary Appalachian art through a diverse collection of original works.
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I ♥ NY / WV
The Rizo Collection & West Virginia Artists
August 2025
I ♥ NY / WV explored the artistic connections between New York and West Virginia through paintings from The Rizo Collection, highlighting the people, landscapes, and cultural influences that unite two distinctly different regions.
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PEOPLE & PLACES
The Rizo Collection & West Virginia Artists
July 2025
People & Places featured paintings, watercolors, and prints from The Rizo Collection alongside works by regional artists, exploring the landscapes, communities, and individuals that define West Virginia and the American experience.
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LIFE IN AMERICA: THROUGH THE DECADES
José Rizo Collection & West Virginia Artists
March 2025
Life in America: Through the Decades showcased more than 50 paintings, watercolors, prints, and historic artifacts from The Rizo Collection, celebrating the people, places, and everyday moments that shaped American life across generations.
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150 YEARS OF IMPRESSIONISM
The Rizo Collection & West Virginia Artists
November 2024
150 Years of Impressionism celebrated one of history's most influential art movements with a curated selection of paintings from The Rizo Collection, honoring the artists whose revolutionary approach to light, color, and everyday life transformed the course of Western art.
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TOM ACOSTA: FOUR DECADES OF PAINTING WEST VIRGINIA
Tom Acosta
October 2024
Tom Acosta: Four Decades of Painting West Virginia celebrated forty years of artwork from one of the state's most recognized painters, featuring landscapes, architecture, and iconic scenes that reflect the beauty and character of Appalachia.
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BILLY FOSTER'S APPALACHIA
Billy Foster & West Virginia Artists
April 2024
Billy Foster's Appalachia celebrated the life and legacy of self-taught West Virginia artist Billy Foster through nearly 50 paintings, drawings, and prints from the private collection of Benny Dunfee, alongside work from regional artists.
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The Four West Virginia Regionalists
Robert Walker • John Coffey • Fred Hays • Tom Acosta
November 2022 – January 2023
The Four West Virginia Regionalists united four acclaimed West Virginia painters in an exhibition celebrating Appalachian life, culture, and landscape through distinct artistic perspectives curated by José Rizo.
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ASHCAN SCHOOL WATERCOLORS
The Rizo Collection
May–June 2022
Ashcan School Watercolors presented a rare selection of early twentieth-century American paintings from The Rizo Collection, highlighting artists whose work captured the realism and everyday life that defined the Ashcan movement.
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Sharing the Collection Through Exhibitions
The Rizo Collection’s exhibitions are built around a simple purpose: making art more accessible to the communities of southern West Virginia and beyond.
Through gallery partnerships, pop-up shows, artist features, and curated selections from Jose L. Rizo’s personal collection, each exhibition offers a closer look at the artists, movements, and stories that shape the collection. From American Realism and Ashcan-inspired works to regional artists and contemporary voices, these shows reflect Jose’s ongoing commitment to preserving art and sharing it with the public.
The collection featured landscapes, coastal scenes, portraits, and everyday moments created by American painters who embraced the movement's emphasis on light, atmosphere, and natural beauty. Together, these works illustrated how Impressionist ideas evolved beyond France while maintaining the movement's defining appreciation for color, movement, and the changing qualities of light.
By sharing these works publicly, Jose continued The Rizo Collection's mission of preserving significant American art while making it accessible through educational exhibitions.