Interview with CanvasRebel
February 2023

Hi Joseph, thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Hi! Three years ago I began my journey of being a digital artist creating and selling fine art prints in metal. I have had one successful solo exhibition have participated in several more group exhibitions and I am now producing art for a show in June which will be my largest to date. I am having a ball and while there are always times to wish you had done something differently I am grateful for the opportunity and results I have had.  

Sure, it might have been great if I had studied art as a child or gone to art school but I didn’t. I am self-taught and I thank goodness for  YouTube tutorials, determination and optimism. The advice I would give anyone is be a yes to every opportunity and expect the best. Of  course many parts of being an artist simply take time – finding your voice, learning to market yourself and your art and the never-ending process of growing, in skill and in vision.  I believe any undertaking starts with the skill of commitment –  setting goals being disciplined and keeping promises to yourself.  With art, especially, you must have a clear sense of purpose and mission and be able to answer the big Why. Why am I doing this?  What is so very important that I must do it? 

There are many challenges that always must be overcome but the biggest is self-doubt. Thoughts like “I can never be as good as that person who has so many years of experience” will arise to try to stand in your way. You must stand firm in who you are. For me the two  essential strengths I am blessed with are optimism and gratitude.

Joseph, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an artist former professional musician and a tree-hugging octogenarian. The love of nature, the need to create and the appeal of taking on a challenge got me started as a visual artist. I  read an e-book the promised to show me how to become a fine art photographer using a point-and-shoot camera. I said OK lets do this  thing!

I watched countless hours of YouTube “how to” video and took thousands of photographs. I discovered I did not want to be a  photographer but delighted in using my photographs, a computer,  software and graphics tablet in making unique art that expressed my passion. Now I create uplifting abstract art inspired by moments of everyday beauty in Colorado. My goal as an artist is to invite my viewer into a  moment of engagement with the sublime. I am an artist on a  mission! A mission to touch people’s heart and soul. To inspire them  to revere and reconnect with the beauty that is nature and life. And  to reconnect with their own inner beauty. People get that about me  and find it in my art. 

A successful artist friend compliments my art compositions and tells me she sees my music experience in my art. Perhaps my experience in composing and performing music has had an effect on my art and  guides me to present a cohesive visual story as if creating a song. I  do see another parallel between my playing jazz music and creating art. As a jazz improviser, I state the melodic theme and then improvise variations that add color, rhythm and emotion. I do feel as though I am playing music when I create art – improvising chorus  after chorus until I say what I need to say. I print my art on a variety of materials including glossy metal,  canvas and paper and recently I added a new textured metal that provides vivid color with the softness of canvas.

My art continues to grow and change so my fans and collectors always see something new and fresh. I recently completed a  collection of digital collage prints that won several awards. I am delighted that though the style may change they still find the heart in my work.  Right now I am working on a new collection featuring digital painting, that I will introduce in an exhibition in June at Surface  Gallery Colorado Springs. What I most proud of are my donations of art to medical facilities and to hard working medical staff as a thank you for their service to others. I am most grateful for the opportunity to create art, to share my passion and to inspire as many people as I can! 

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

I see great value in NFT’s as a means of authenticating my digital  art. I am not much interested in the financial marketplace and the  commercial trading of NFTs for profit. I have minted some NFT’s  for pieces of my art and right now I am working through the idea of  minting an NFT for each of my artworks. 

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I could share many stories about tapping into my resilience to continue on my journey. I have become a master at “bouncing back”  from injuries, losses and times of great change. When the pandemic started I was performing regularly as a professional musician. The combination of closures, illness and the worsening of an old spine injury made it impossible for me to perform. I turned to digital art because I could sit at a computer. I know it sounds corny but the  saying “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” It is so true.  There’s always a new day and a fresh start. My attitude is life is for  living! It’s exciting and it is happening now! 

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