I am continually learning and creating art is a way for me to learn, to see the progression of my style, and my evolving interpretation of line, stroke, weight, color and texture. I do not limit myself to convention and am not confined by pretense. Art simply is, and that realization has been profoundly freeing.

I am from a family of artists. I recall charcoal sketches my grandfather created proudly hanging on the wall in our living room when I was young, my father's paintings in the hallway, my uncle's paintings in the dining room. I am so happy I was surrounded by art, it encouraged me to create and to think broadly. I graduated from UCSB with a double major in Film Studies and English, while taking art classes along the way. I have always had a creative bent, playing trumpet in high school, writing and copyrighting my own music and always painting and sketching in my spare time in high school and college. Currently I work as an Art Director requiring expertise in the latest layout and web design programs, but my passion is for art: original and distinct creations. My strength as an artist comes from the breadth of my interests and accomplishments. I bring a rich, open perspective to every piece and am fulfilled by each motion toward finality: pen to paper, paint to canvas. Additional samples of my work can be viewed at http://www.joemonica.com