People often ask artist Joe Garcia how he manages to paint something on a daily basis.
“Every day I have something to paint,” is his usual answer.
He may be 80 years old, but Garcia is painting more than ever.
“Because I love what I do so much, it’s hard for me to consider it work. I’m in my studio seven days a week whenever I can. If I’m not there, it’s like I’m missing something,” he said.
On a chilly day in late October, the Julian artist was preparing for his upcoming exhibition “Impressions” at the Santa Ysabel Art Gallery. The exhibition is open from Saturday, November 2 to January 5. There will be an artistic reception November 2 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the gallery.
In this watercolor by Joe Garcia titled “Wired,” a sparrow poses for a moment on a barbed wire fence. The piece shows Garcia’s connection between the natural world and the man-made world. (Anna Garcia)
Garcia expects to present about 50 paintings in the exhibition, both watercolors and oils.
“There will be many different topics; lots of birds and animals, from roosters and chickens to rabbits, coyotes and foxes, scenery and a variety of things that can be found from the coast to the mountains,” he said.
Garcia has been exhibiting his work at the gallery almost since its founding over 25 years ago, and typically hosts a one-person show once a year.
Gallery owner Stephen Clugston said Garcia is one of his most popular artists.
“Joe really captures the detail and light of the local landscape, the detail in his still lifes is amazing, and the audience really appreciates his ability to paint outdoors and wildlife,” Clugston said. “He’s just a really good, all-around artist who has a lot of fans.”
Garcia and his wife Anne have lived in Julian for 35 years, so he is familiar with the local scenery and wildlife.
“Living in Julian is the perfect place to paint natural things and nature,” he said.
From his home and studio, surrounded by numerous oak trees, he can see everything from birds to pumas, he said.
Garcia is rarely without a camera in his hand. And Anne, who is also a photographer, said she encourages him in this habit.
“You never know when you will see something that will stimulate future painting,” she said.
Joe Garcia’s oil painting “The Red Chalice” shows a woman on the steps of a church in Florence, Italy. Garcia always carries a camera with him, waiting for the right moment. (Anna Garcia)
Garcia said he is always ready to paint.
“I have no shortage of things I want to paint and I want to paint as many paintings as I have… It’s kind of refreshing,” he said. “I was never bored.”
Born in 1945 near Escondido, Garcia developed an early interest in art. After studying illustration at Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, one of the top two commercial art schools, he worked as an illustrator for several years.
After leaving work and putting his son to bed, Garcia said he would often start painting for fun, sometimes until 1 or 2 a.m.
In 1983, he decided to focus primarily on fine arts. Since then, Garcia has exhibited his work in numerous exhibitions, taught classes from Greece and Italy to France and New Zealand, and authored several books. His paintings are in collections throughout North America and Europe.
In “Tres Amigos,” Julian artist Joe Garcia captures the chaparral and oak-covered hills that are familiar to anyone who regularly travels Highway 78 from Ramona to Julian. (Anne Garcia)
“My favorite topic would be something involving birds. “I deal with other topics – deer, cattle, wildlife – but in a way I am attracted to what I have around me, which is birds,” he said.
And it’s the little things, like a bird sitting on a fence wire or a shorebird chasing the waves, that often catch his attention.
“I bring additional life to the painting with landscapes and birds,” he said.
In addition to his passion for birds, he is also known for using natural colors and the play of light and shadow.
But Garcia said he likes the composition more than the color.
“This is the most important thing, the most important thing in painting. I like interesting, diverse compositions,” he said.
For example, he might use the vertical lines of a fence or plant to contrast with a bird, or a winding road might transition into a forest or mountain.
Accuracy in his work is also important to Garcia. He said he often does a lot of research before painting, such as checking to see if it’s natural to the bird before placing it in an area.
Garcia said he used to paint outdoors more often, but now he prefers to work in his studio.
“I have control over my elements and I know what I want to paint,” he said. Outdoors, it might take me half an hour or 45 minutes to figure out what I want to paint, and I consider that a wasted opportunity.”
Anne Garcia, a talented weaver, has her own home studio and works at Julian Weaving Works. Their son, 53, is a graphic designer.
Julian artist Joe Garcia will be exhibiting his oil and watercolor paintings at the Santa Ysabel Art Gallery from November 2 to January 5. (Anne Garcia)
Juliana residents Rob and Dee Ruark have been collecting Garcia paintings for about 30 years and are looking forward to the new exhibit.
“We see it (his work) every day and we enjoy it as much now as we did when we first saw each painting. His works make us feel close to nature, which is important to us,” said Dee Ruark.
“It seems like there are huge audiences at every show. People come out amazed and excited about his work and can’t wait to choose what they want,” Anne Garcia said.
People who haven’t seen his work for a while may be surprised by the addition of oil figures that he now paints, she added.
For Garcia, his ability to see the image in what others might miss is simply “how you look at things.”
“I think there are so many aspects of themes, things to pay attention to and to analyze – it could be a cityscape, a landscape, a seascape – the themes are everywhere if you look for them,” he said.
For more information about Garcia’s exhibition, call 760-765-1676 or visit: https://santaysabelartgallery.com or on their social media.