Artist Statement

I am foremost a painter although I would also say I'm a chronic shifter, always looking for ways to make my mark more personal.

My work is loud, moody, and imperfect. I tend to lean into epochs of time , this often manifests as portraits or memorable places. When choosing my subject I like to embellish things with some color but I also try to stay true to the experience that the place or person gave me. It coincides with my desire to have kept them closer in my life ,but people and places are fleeting. I recognize , with greater acceptance each year, that no one person or place is permanent. It's the romanticism of that specific moment that makes me want to create. I see the value in those tiny fragments of time.
I find myself inspired by punk aesthetics and environmental elements which often ooze their way into my art. Through their interconnectedness a common theme of time and action -intertwines. We are at the mercy of things in motion . Always


~Joe Luna, 2025