In many parts of the world, artists have more freedom than ever to express the Muse, but this latitude can also blur the lines between excellence and mediocrity, and the truly gifted artist can fall between the cracks of sensationalism and wanna-be culture. In a time of cultural bankruptcy, it is beautiful to come across painters who are thriving like flowers growing in cement, who remain loyal to excellence and forge their own path.

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It is an honor to profile Joe Mooney—a man who uses his gift of striking realism without the bells and whistles of technology and imparts every day wisdom within every brush stroke for those with eyes to see. Mr. Mooney’s color-drenched acrylic palette conjures icons of pop culture and human stories audible only in the eyes of the soul. His work arrests attention from across the room, and like the artist, is bold without being self-important. His portrait commissions have ranged from well-respected individuals in the community to film personalities, and his murals give life to establishments including independent film theaters.

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Here he is, in his own words, delivered with the same honesty that is so evident in his paintings. Be sure to show your support on Joe’s Facebook page and keep up with his latest offerings. Enjoy!

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Q: How old were you when you first felt the joy of creating art? Do you remember what you were painting or drawing, where you were, and what you felt?

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A: I was really young, maybe 4 or so. My dad was a sign painter and was working on a job in our basement. It was a sign job with a picture of the school mascot where my dad worked. I was sort of set up near him and was working on the same thing he was, trying to copy him, I guess! I remember asking him to let me use his brush and the good paint he was using, but of course he had a job to do and needed to get done!

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Q: Your technique and realism as a fine acrylic painter sets you apart from many… What inspires your dedication to convey the life and breath of a subject? What, for you, whispers beneath the surface of technical brush strokes?

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A: There is something about turning a blank, white canvas into something. It doesn't matter what it is I'm doing. The feeling of completing something is satisfying. It's never boring.

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Q: As an artist who specializes in portraiture, what is it about the human face and the individual story that captivates your brush? What features of a face speak to and are your favorite to paint?

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A: When I first got really serious about art, any artist that could paint people really well impressed me. I don't know why, but I viewed it as a challenge, so I started doing portraits. I figured if I could do that, I could do anything. As for the face itself, the eyes, there is something about the eyes of a person. Both artistically but also spiritually. They say everything to me. Aside from getting into portraits because of the artistic challenge, I'm attracted to mood and psychology. What makes a person the way they are? What makes them good or bad? I find human nature fascinating. The face says a lot to me.

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Q: Describe your work space—what are your must-haves when you begin a new painting? What time of day is it? Are you listening to music?

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A: I have everything I need in my work area. I have an easel, a good drafting board, lighting, reference, books, etc. I usually listen to ocean waves, or some kind of mood music. Sometimes classical, but never rock! I need something that relaxes and soothes. I get really tranquil and that's how I like to be when I work. I'm a night owl, so I'm usually painting very late at night. Everything is perfectly quiet then, no interruptions nor distractions.

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Q: As an extraordinary artist in a time of cultural bankruptcy, what is your greatest inner struggle? What inspires you about these times?

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A: My biggest worry, honestly, is paying the bills unfortunately! What inspires me is I think I'm more old-school. I think growing up from a different era makes you think differently. I believe if you are sincere and you work hard and are good at it, it has to get recognized. If your intentions are positive, it has to work itself out in a positive way. I don't lose faith because of that thought.

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Q: As an accomplished artist with serious, extraordinary talent, how do you deflect inevitable jealousy and the underbelly of not-so-desirable behaviors in artistic circles?

A: Really, I don't even think about it much what others are doing or what they think of me.

 

Q: As a painter, how do you see the world? Describe any ordinary day walking down the street or looking out the window.

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A: Honestly, I think people have given up on themselves. I see a lot of people caught in the rut of life and wish they could be doing something else, something bigger, something for THEM. However, because of family or financial responsibility, or whatever.... they feel they can't... I see this with a lot of people.

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Q: What is your dream portrait commission…. who is sitting for you? Where are you painting? How large is your canvas? Where will it hang?

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A: Well, there was a time I would have said the president. I'm not into politics, but I always thought that would be as big as it gets and would bring me a lot of notoriety. Unfortunately, the country is in a lot of confusion. There is a lot of division. I'm not so interested in getting involved in that. So that's not really a goal of mine anymore. As for "dream commission", I don't think about that much now. Actually, I'd like to get away from doing portraits and paint only for me! I'd like to branch out and try other things with my art.

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Q: If your thoughts manifested as a mural, what would they convey and what story would they tell?

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A: Deep questions! I've never really thought about it! My mind wonders a lot, I have a lot of things I'd like to paint, as for something with a deep spiritual or political message, I don't know... I used to think that way with my art, but now I just paint whatever I'm working on at the moment, and if people like it-great! If not, that's okay, too!

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Q: If you had the option of stepping into a parallel world, what would you like to find there? What would your life as a painter be like?

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A: What I think I might like or what I might want it to be like experienced firsthand, I may change my mind and not like it! It's like when someone sees a picture of a log cabin deep in the woods, and they say "oh, how I'd love to live there!" Then they move to a place like that and end up hating it! They realize, this wasn't what they thought it would be like. There is no one around. The nearest store is several miles away. They miss the sound of cars and people. So this is a difficult question for me to answer.

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Q: Describe a time when a mistake on the canvas turned into something more wonderful than you had originally planned.

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A: I've had that happen with paintings. Usually, almost immediately, a painting will start to "pop" for me. I can see it forming, getting there, where I'm headed with it... but there have been times it didn't work that way. There have been times I didn't get that initial "pop", and I was about to paint over it, I was getting frustrated... but I stayed with it, and in the end it came out pretty good. That experience taught me a lesson. Don't give up with something too easily, sometimes (for whatever reason), a particular work might just take a little more effort before it starts to look good. It could have been for several reasons—my mood, maybe I was a little off that day, or perhaps the particular picture I was working on needed a little different technique. Sometimes you just need to make adjustments and relax....

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Q: What about today’s art scenes—urban or suburban—would you change if you had the power?

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A: Artists should do what they feel. Everyone should do their own thing. That's the beauty of art and music. How boring the world would be if everyone was doing the same thing, right?

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