BOB OPPENHEIM
Bob Oppenheim (1943–2026) was an American painter, educator, and curator based in Boston, Massachusetts. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Oppenheim earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design and a Master of Fine Arts from Michigan State University. He joined Simmons University’s faculty in 1969, beginning a teaching career that spanned more than four decades. Oppenheim founded the Simmons College Art Collection, was appointed its curator in 1975. Oppenheim went on to become the inaugural Curator of the Trustman Art Gallery in 1982, later named Director in 1992 and served in that role until 2006.
Oppenheim received Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellowships in Painting in 2004 and 2014, the Simmons University Fund for Research in 2007, and the New England Chapter of AICA Curatorial Award in 2006. His work is held in collections including the New Britain Museum of American Art, Simmons University, Michigan State University, and Drake University among others.
