Joseph Mota

Taking his cues from the likes of Richard Diebenkorn, Nicola Simbari and Southwest master Walt Gonske, Mota approaches his canvas with speed and abandon like the impressionists and expressionists of the mid-century. His subjects are whatever interests him that day: a view of the mesa near his Arizona home, the rabbits, donkeys, cows or songbirds near his home and the fruit or flowers laid out the night before. It doesn’t matter, whatever gets the most attractive light that day gets captured for posterity.

He’s a self-taught and unassuming mid-thirties journeyman. There’s not a lot of flash in his personal style or in the work. The art, like himself is honest and direct. He approaches drawing and painting like a job, showing up every day and just does the work. He is, to quote an oft-quoted inventor, 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.