Biography
Joe Day was born in Ogden, Utah, in 1971 and grew up in Vancouver, Washington, after his family relocated there. Captivated by the Pacific Northwest’s beauty, he was equally drawn to the Southwest deserts, spending many winter and summer vacations in Southern Utah, which inspired his focus on Western art.
Joe’s artistic talent emerged early when his grandmother discovered him sketching a bird at the kitchen table. The next day, she gifted him a bird book filled with reference images, igniting a lifelong passion. Throughout childhood, he sketched tirelessly on any available piece of paper. In high school, he sold drawings and created commissioned portraits to fund art supplies and oil painting classes. Influenced by masters like Charles M. Russell, Frederic Remington, Norman Rockwell, Robert Bateman, and his mentor, Stan Capon, Joe frequented the local library to study their techniques, analyzing every brush and pencil stroke to refine his skills.
After graduating, Joe pursued a successful 25-year corporate career, which limited his time for art. He sketched and painted in the evenings but rarely completed large works. Driven by a dream to become a full-time artist, Joe waited patiently. “After supporting our three children through college,” he says, “my wife and I decided it was time for a change. With my family’s blessing, I resigned to pursue art full-time.”
Joe’s work, rooted in pencils and oils, captures the American West’s wildlife, landscapes, and people, aiming to evoke wonder, excitement, and appreciation. “I want viewers to feel the drama, mystery, and atmosphere of Western life,” he explains, “getting lost in the brush strokes of a painting or the pencil lines of a graphite drawing.” His art reflects nature’s contrasting majesty and humility, succeeding when viewers share that emotional connection.
Known for precise detail, realistic authenticity, and capturing the spirit of his subjects, Joe’s drawings and paintings blend photographic realism with three-dimensional depth through form, values, and contrast. His work has been featured in national shows, exhibitions, and art auctions, including the Arizona Fine Art Expo, and is held in private collections across the country. Joe and his wife currently reside in Peoria, Arizona, where he creates as a full-time Western artist.
