Growing up in Richmond, VA in the 1950s, Joe’s parents taught him all about truth, justice and the American way. Roy, Hoppy and Gene’s adventures on TV, and the Saturday afternoon westerns Joe attended with his father, were his first powerful impressions of our great West, where the good guys always won. These bigger-than-life images set the stage and influenced Joe’s early art. Throughout his childhood years, a yearning for the West grew within Joe. In the West, anything was possible … and it still is.
Joe was thrilled to be stationed in Texas during his enlistment in the Air Force. After leaving the service, Joe worked as a designer and an illustrator in Philadelphia, PA, where he studied with several faculty members of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He also spent five years working as a professional stand-up comedian, performing throughout the Mid-Atlantic and the Midwest States. After a visit to the Brandywine River Museum and seeing N.C. Wyeth’s classic western illustrations, Joe’s head exploded. This trip was the catalyst that started him on his career as a fine artist and influenced him to portray the love of the West that lay dormant in him since childhood.
Relocating to Arizona was a tremendous boost to Joe’s career. He is now able to get firsthand experience by visiting and working on ranches, cattle drives and roundups. Through this, he authentically portrays the working cowboy and cowgirl of today; in addition, his ongoing historical research enables him to bring alive vivid scenes from the Old West.
Joe’s art has been featured in SouthwestArt, Cowboys & Indians, Western Horseman, Phoenix Magazine, Wild West and True West magazines, on the TV series Good Morning Arizona and in the Golden Globe Award-winning movie Sideways. In March 2006, SouthwestArt featured Joe and his cowgirl paintings in their article “Feminine & Tough”.
In 2004, the Black American West Museum & Heritage Center in Denver, CO acquired one of Joe’s pieces “Lonely Are The Brave” for their permanent collection.
In 2005, the Phippen Western Art Museum in Prescott, AZ commissioned Joe to paint an original oil painting, “Iron Man”, to be featured in their exhibit “Ranching & Rodeo: The Historical Connections”.
In 2006, Pearce Western Art Museum in Corsicana, TX purchased Joe’s original oil painting “Locked & Loaded” for their permanent collection.
In 2007, Joe’s original oil paintings were juried into “American Art in Miniature” at the Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa OK, “The Best and the Brightest” Fine Art Show at Scottsdale Artists’ School where Joe won 2nd prize in oils and the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s “The Night of Artists” exhibition in San Antonio, TX.
Joe is represented by LBar Western Art Gallery, Kerrville, TX.
