In this artist spotlight, Joseph Bradley gives a look at his life as an artist in The Village of West Greenville. From his atypical day-to-day duties to his commitment to enriching the arts community in Greenville, his belief in the redemptive power of art is evident.
You can watch full video Q&A below or read the edited transcript of our interview with Joseph Bradley below the video.
Joseph Bradley Q&A Transcript
How did you get started?
I really love nature and when I began making art early on in my life, I noticed that I have this whole theme of working around these ideas that I was painting the things I grew up with. Painting the sort of imagery that defined my childhood and somewhat of my adulthood. I really just connected with the things I found beautiful in the world and found sort of a redemptive quality when I would paint and represent them.
Why is building a studio in this area important to you?
I’m very committed to building the studio. I’ve never done anything in my career that I’ve worked as hard towards. For over three years I’ve been working on building this studio.
To have it burn down was obviously a shock. I also think that I’ve learned a tremendous amount from that experience and sort of what really matters to me in my career and in my family. I’m excited to see the space finished and to be an integrated part of Pendleton Street. To have my work there and to have this space there, it’s going to be a dream come true for me. You know I’ve been working on Pendleton Street since 2001. To have my own space is definitely a huge aspiration.
Can you walk us through a typical day?
I get in and work every day, but don’t paint every day. There are those memes where it’s like “Here’s what people think I do, here’s what I actually do.” I think people think I’m just constantly at my easel or painting. There’s a tremendous amount of work that goes into getting a surface ready to paint on, the materials I need, but I also love to delve into a podcast or music and kind of create things that way.
It’s different for everybody. I probably spend three hours a day painting, then there’s a lot of thinking I have to do to make the work.
How crucial are commissions?
Commissions are a huge part of what I do. It means a lot that someone will trust me with a vision of an idea that they have to go forward with it, but there is definitely a communication and trust factor.
I’ve had people come to me and say “Hey can you do a commission, I want you to paint me on a motorcycle, jumping the Grand Canyon while holding my dog.” I’m like look, that’s not in the anthology of anything I’ve done. I can’t do that.
Usually, there’s a trust built with somebody who’s been following my work, knows kind of what I make and we can kind of talk about something, but it’s pretty exciting to see that come forth.
Do you enjoy helping young artists?
I love helping young artists. I love helping people do what I do. I think there are these preconceptions about what being an artist is. You’re going to be poor, you’re going to struggle, you’re not going to have any support. A lot of times parents who are sending their kids off to college are disappointed or even try to discourage their children from majoring in art as a career.
But there are so many of us who are thriving in this work. There are so many examples here in Greenville of artists who are doing what we do. We need artists. We need more people for this job. Art makes our community better. It’s something that is redemptive in and of itself. There’s a lot of value to communities that have full-time artists in them. One of the measures of a healthy community is how many full-time artists are working there.
What has changed over the course of your career in art?
As you kind of look at my work for the past 20 years, my style has definitely changed over time. It’s hard to see it happening in the moment. I think there was a huge change in my work when incorporated metal leaf.
After college, I did an internship with someone who did frame restoration and faux finishing. I learned this process of using metal leaf. It started out small in my work and now it’s much more of a prominent feature.
You learn little tricks along the way that make work more economical. For example, I work on multiple pieces at a time instead of working on a single piece. In oil, you’re waiting an enormous amount of time for things to dry. To capitalize on that time, you can switch to something else. I usually have about 15 pieces or so that I’m working on at one time in different phases and stages.
I sketch almost every painting. The things I don’t sketch are more pattern-based paintings. They’re a little more intuitive. I just start with an idea and go forward.
Are your kids interested in pursuing the arts?
My kids over the years have definitely come in the studio and painted their own paintings. It’s also our family’s job. It’s something the kids know [art is] how we get food and shelter.
They’ll help from time to time to do a show.
What do you find fulfilling about art?
I think making art is good for the community. I would say art is redemptive. If you think you’re smearing a bunch of colors on a canvas and hanging it in someone’s house, how could that be redemptive?
But the space someone lives in is important to them. It in a lot of ways brings families together. It’s an expression of who they are. It makes them feel comfortable. It makes our interactions better in the home. People who buy art are supporting families and creative endeavors. There are so many wonderful things.
Do you enjoy Artisphere?
Artisphere is my absolute favorite show of the year. I look forward to it. It’s Mother’s Day weekend. I get to see so many of my friends come out. Everybody’s so supportive. I’m also bringing some of my best work to that show.
It’s one of the first shows I do in the spring. I’ve been working all winter long on new ideas. It’s kind of a great place to debut new work I’ve been doing.
How often do you show your work at art shows?
I live to do less than eight shows a year. Whether they’re festivals or gallery shows, I kind of do a mix of both. There’s a tremendous amount of preparation that goes into getting ready for an art show.
You’re working not just weeks, but months on building up an inventory that you can show. Then in between shows, you’re still replacing things that have sold. There’s a tremendous amount of work and dedication. It’s not for everyone, but I’m very thankful to live in Greenville. There’s so much support here for local artists and such a strong community among the artists. With each other, we are very supportive and that means the world to me.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I think that one of the things I’ve been thinking about lately is how I really want to encourage creatives to do their jobs without fear or thinking they can’t support themselves.
There are so many paths to doing that and there are so many resources out there. But still, I hear so many stories, “Look I really wish I was able to do your job,” “I have an art degree but I was scared,” or “I have always wanted to study this but my family wasn’t supportive.” It’s not too late.
I think I want to focus on helping the community and people realize they can do this. It’s attainable and a worthwhile job. You’re working with your hands. It’s hard work. All hard work is valuable.
