The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona and CF Campus are thrilled to highlight individuals currently showcasing their art on our Campus! In March 2023, CF Campus welcomed 60 newly installed pieces of art that will be on display for a year and available to purchase. CFSA is proud to offer this opportunity to local artists at no cost and receives no commission on artists’ sales.
Featured artist Joe Bourne was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and relocated to the Netherlands in 1975, where he performed as a Jazz and Pop music vocalist. His work as a vocalist presented him with opportunities to travel worldwide, allowing him to be exposed by various cultures and visual art masters. In the mid-nineties, while performing on a cruise ship sailing between Mananus and Cape Town, South Africa, Joe took part in a watercolor workshop. From that moment on, you would find Joe with a paintbrush in one hand and a microphone in the other.
Q & A with Joe Bourne
Tell us about your favorite medium. Why is it your favorite?
My favorite medium is encaustic (painting with beeswax). I like the transparency that you get from the different layers of wax and the fact that you can engrave into the wax. That one can embed stones, metal, glass, paper, and other objects into the wax.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find my inspiration from my surroundings, my music, and my interactions with others and derive new inspiration from the forms and rhythms of deserts, mountains, big skies, and canyons.
How do you usually start your pieces?
I start with an idea or design, or I start with a different palette to see where it takes me.
What motivates you to create art?
I am motivated by the relaxation that painting gives me. I am motivated by the positive reaction that I get each time a finished piece of artwork is presented to the public. Recently a new collector who has purchased several pieces of my artwork has informed me that my approach, my use of colors, and the subject matter made her feel less stressed and that it had a positive impact on her mood. Statements like this are very motivating.
Why do you think it is important for art to be part of public spaces?
Public art directly influences how people see and connect with a community. It supports artists and other creatives by validating them as important contributors to the community. It provides a visual way of understanding other cultures and perspectives.
Joe’s artwork, “Absolutely Yucca” is on display at CF Campus.
Contact Campus to schedule a time to see Joe’s art and the other artwork that is on display!