Hello I'm Joseph, I make oil paintings.

Im interested in the line between physical paint and the painted image. How paint applied to a canvas can look like anything we can think of, and why this paint stuff is such a good vehicle for creating the world. The very basic idea of painting, sure, but still such an exciting magic trick for me. I try to bring this mystery onto my canvas's.

I paint from direct observation, in figurative or still life motives mostly. Developing my work over the last 20 years, or so, I have looked more and more into the old masters, and what they brought to painting. Attempting to recreate some of the techniques we seem to have lost.

One thing this has led to is making the paint itself, some of these process's I've made short videos about. the film 'Making Linseed oil; a process' was featured on mental floss.com

I have exhibited around the country, including in 2023 showing at the Salmugundy club in New York. I am currently a member of the New Zone Gallery in Eugene OR.

If you have any inquires please reach out to me joebesch2@gmail.com