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Joe Velázquez began his journey as a creative thinker very early in life. While his father was away from home during World War II, his mother would treat him with crayons and paper when she returned from her shopping trips. His penchant for art was reinforced throughout his high school years as he was sought after by acquaintances to create drawings of family members, sweethearts or movie heroes. Velázquez earned money for college by creating architectural delineations for local builders. This endeavor would play a significant role in his future as a professional fine artist. The accurate creation of the visual representation of a proposed building from floor plans, gave Velázquez a succinct understanding of perspective and an object’s relationship to its environment. Joe attended Colorado State University in the early 60’s and was significantly influenced by one of his instructors, John Sorbie. Sorbie was a tremendous motivator for the serious student of art. “When I took his courses it was as though he lit a rocket and I was riding it”, says Velázquez. Velázquez’ creative passion is the exploration of the human spirit … whether it is a by-gone moment in history or a snippet from yesterday’s fare. His personal challenge begins as he envisions the role light, shadow and shade will play in the accurate depiction of the scene emerging from his canvas. The play of light is what causes the mystery of form and shadow to become a visual feast, an emotional experience. Velázquez’ use of color depends on the ambiance of the story to be told. Sometimes his color usage is very bold and brilliant. Other times it is soft and monochromatic. The emerging story dictates the palette. Velázquez enjoys plein air painting as an exercise for the analysis of nature’s palette. He feels there is no better way to study true color than being outdoors experiencing and observing the elements of nature at work. Joe’s paintings are more than the telling of a story. They are a reminder of the fragility of the world and its people we treasure. When a painting is
complete, Velázquez judges its success by the emotion it evokes from the viewer. Original works can be seen at: West Lives On Gallery in Jackson, Wyoming, 1-800-883-6080 www.westliveson.com
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Joe’s paintings and sculptures are held in corporate and private collections throughout the US, Canada and Europe. Honors and Recognitions: Bronze sculpture titled Arsata received first-place honors in the 1986 North American Sculpture Exhibition. The painting The Big Hitch was selected for the cover of the 1984 US West Telephone Directory. 29 million copies were printed. Sculpture commission: Spirit of the Bear by the Bear Dance Golf Course, Castle Rock, CO Works have been acquired by the following museums: Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta Works have been featured in the following books and publications:
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