Biography
Esther Oppenheimer began taking photographs after graduating from Northwest Nazarene College in 1968 and moving to San Francisco to work for TWA. Taking photographs while traveling was the introduction to capturing moments and the beginning of a long career in the art world. While spending six weeks in Japan, she was strongly influenced by the simplicity, serenity and meticulous traditions of the gardens, ceramics, religions, spirituality and flower arranging.
After marrying Skip Oppenheimer in 1974, Esther moved to Boise, Idaho, where she had grown up and enrolled at Boise State University and began working with well known ceramicist, John Takehara. Along with studying the traditional Japanese clay tradition, she was also introduced to and influenced by the abstract expressionists through artist, teacher and gallery owner, Denis Ochi. Graduating with a BFA/Art, Esther had a large scale installation exhibition of simple porcelain strands imprinted with lace and further defined with oxides, at the Ochi Gallery. The strands were connected by metal, creating a sense of tension due to the fragility of the porcelain against the hard metal. She also exhibited porcelain vessels at the Blumenthal Gallery at the College of Idaho during this time.
Continuing her art education at BSU, Esther received an MEd/Painting which included a Masters Group Exhibition at Boise State University Gallery in 1989. She also had a one person show at the Main Gallery at Old Boise in 1990. During this period, her work focused on colorful acrylic paintings depicting a combination of cultural images and abstract forms, as well as figures and transitions as themes. At this point, she continued developing, at a deeper level, psychological qualities and insights in her artwork. She also pursued an MEd in counseling and an LCPC in 1993 and in 1995 began working at Warm Springs Counseling Center with children and families while completing an Art Therapy Board Certification. Esther received her ATR-BC National Board Certified Art Therapy certification in 1999 and continued her counseling practice.
Since Esther feels that having art introduced to children at a young age is of significant developmental value and is an important contributor to their well being, she began facilitating weekly art lessons with her son, Josh Oppenheimer, to third grade students in his class when he began teaching in 1991. She has continued to teach in his class since then. Esther also served on the Boise Art Museum Board and chaired the Board, as well as being a docent for BAM.
In 2022, Esther received a Presidential appointment and currently serves on the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.
Art has been a thread throughout her adult life and she is currently working in her studio combining her photos, sakuragami paper, porcelain and plant materials in mixed media pieces. Esther continues to be inspired by travels with her husband, Skip. Using the photos from her daily life and travels, as well as other materials, Esther creates portraits with strong emotional qualities on porcelain slabs as well as using her garden materials to make imprints on the clay. She often utilizes photos of the elements, such as water, air and earth.
Skip and Esther have collected ceramics and other artwork over years and visit Museums, artist’s studios and galleries whenever traveling.
EDUCATION
1999 ATR-BC, Art Therapy Registration-Board Certified ∙ American Art Therapy Association
1993 MEd, Counseling ∙ College of Idaho, Caldwell, Idaho ∙ LCPC, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
1989 MEd, Art/Painting ∙ Boise State University, Boise, Idaho
1984 MEd, Early Childhood Education ∙ Boise State University, Boise, Idaho
1976 BFA, Art/Ceramics ∙ Boise State University, Boise, Idaho
1968 BA/English ∙ Northwest Nazarene College, Nampa, Idaho
EXHIBITIONS
2023 Exhibition/Mixed Media ∙ KIN Restaurant ∙ Boise, Idaho
2023 Controlling Chances ∙ BSU SUB Gallery ∙ Boise State University ∙ Boise, Idaho
1990 Solo Exhibition/Painting ∙ Main Gallery at Old Boise ∙ Boise, Idaho
1989 MEd, Masters Group Exhibition/Painting ∙ BSU Gallery ∙ Boise State University ∙ Boise, Idaho
1977 Two Person Exhibition/Porcelain Vessels ∙ Blumenthal Gallery ∙ College of Idaho ∙ Caldwell, Idaho
1976 Solo Exhibition/Porcelain Installation ∙ Ochi Gallery ∙ Boise, Idaho
TEACHING/BOARD EXPERIENCE
2022-Present- President’s Advisory Council on the Arts, Presidential Appointment.
2001-Present Co-Developed curriculum and presents a weekly art lesson with her son, Josh Oppenheimer, to his third grade classes ∙ Boise, Idaho
2005-2012 Docent, Boise Art Museum ∙ Boise, Idaho
1995-2002 Board member, Board Chair ∙ Boise Art Museum ∙ Boise, Idaho
1995-2001 Art Therapist, Mental Health Counselor, Supervisor of Interns ∙ Warm Springs Counseling Center ∙ Boise, Idaho
Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION
1999 ATR-BC, Art Therapy Registration-Board Certified ∙ American Art Therapy Association
1993 MEd, Counseling ∙ College of Idaho, Caldwell, Idaho ∙ LCPC, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
1989 MEd, Art/Painting ∙ Boise State University, Boise, Idaho
1984 MEd, Early Childhood Education ∙ Boise State University, Boise, Idaho
1976 BFA, Art/Ceramics ∙ Boise State University, Boise, Idaho
1968 BA/English ∙ Northwest Nazarene College, Nampa, Idaho
EXHIBITIONS
1990 Solo Exhibition/Painting ∙ Main Gallery at Old Boise ∙ Boise, Boise
1989 MEd, Masters Group Exhibition/Painting ∙ Boise State University Gallery ∙ Boise State University ∙ Boise, Idaho
1977 Two Person Exhibition/Porcelain Vessels ∙ Blumenthal Gallery ∙ College of Idaho ∙ Caldwell, Idaho
1976 Solo Exhibition/Porcelain Installation ∙ Ochi Gallery ∙ Boise, Idaho
TEACHING/BOARD EXPERIENCE
2001-Present Co-Developed curriculum and presents a weekly art lesson with her son, Josh Oppenheimer, to his third grade classes ∙ Boise, Idaho
2005-2012 Docent, Boise Art Museum ∙ Boise, Idaho
1995-2002 Board member, Board Chair ∙ Boise Art Museum ∙ Boise, Idaho
1995-2001 Art Therapist, Mental Health Counselor, Supervisor of Interns ∙ Warm Springs Counseling Center ∙ Boise, Idaho