Doorway to Joe: Joe Coleman 

About the exhibition

Joe Coleman paints incredibly detailed portraits of sinners, saints, freaks, and personal friends. Painting with a single-hair brush and a jeweler’s loupe, the artist states he only knows when the painting is done because he runs out of room on the canvas. With a body of work that spans decades and beginning his career as a comic book artist, Coleman’s work includes subjects such as Hank Williams, Ed Gein, Jayne Mansfield and his adoring wife Whitney Ward.

Joe Coleman not only captures his subject’s likeness, but his portraits also serve as narratives of the subject’s life. Told in lozenges scattered throughout the often larger than life works, the portraits contain scenes from the subject’s life and words and phrases. Coleman is not afraid to explore the dark reaches of the human psyche, but also portrays a distinct humanity in his subjects and often includes a touch of humor.

Juxtapoz Magazine article -  Joe Coleman: The Devil and Design in the Detail
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