BIO

Joel grew up in Orlando before Disney arrived, so the stories of a small town entered his psyche early. He went to school there and then off to Duke for college. That was followed by a stint as an English and journalism teacher at the junior high school he had attended just a few years before. A trip back to grad school at the University of North Carolina resulted in a masters degree in city planning.

For eight years, he was a city planner with a focus on social services, particularly for the elderly. Still not at home in any profession, he returned to Orlando to take over the family business, a display-equipment distribution firm. He did that work for twelve years, always working part-time as a writer on the side. When he sold that business to write full time, he wrote a string of novels. One was published and remains in print. He also began to hang out with artists and was, luckily and miraculously, encouraged to paint.

He takes various workshops and seminars but is mostly a self-taught artist. Since he paints so much and celebrates every painting day, he's a perfect candidate for trial and error learning as far as technique is concerned. He's been in a number of juried exhibitions and has gallery representation in several southern states. Outdoor shows allow him to offer a lot of work at once and to talk with others who find themselves on their own journeys to discovery. He has done commissions of various sorts, numerous pieces for benefits, and cover art for twenty or more books.

Joel lives in Atlanta now with his wife, Grace (a free-lance writer), and Jack the eternal puppy. His son is a jewelry maker and his daughter, a meeting planner. His son-in-law teaches business and his grandson learns and teaches.

RESUME
Gallery Shows and Exhibits:

2007