About Me
Who Am I?
My name is Joel, I am a UK artist specialising in pen and pencil drawings. My obsession with art began as a child, as it offered an outlet for me from my terrible home situation. I pursued art throughout secondary school, achieving a grade 9 in GCSE art and an A* in A-level art. Between the ages of 18 to 21, I studied Economics and Business Management at the Univerisity of Southampton.
Throughout my childhood and teenage years, the house I lived in was a warzone. It was full of manipulation and at times it was violent. However, I found an outlet and comfort in art, as it distracted me from the chaos going on around me and the pain I was dealing with. I would lock myself in my room and constantly draw. But, despite finding peace in art, as a teenager I felt severely depressed and at times suicidal due to a lot of issues. Therefore, when I turned 18 I decided to move away from the place I grew up, with the hope of becoming successful and bettering my future.
My Style of Art
I primarily work with pen and pencil - using materials like HB pencils, colouring pencils, watercolour brush pens, and biro pens. My style blends elements of street art with realism, while being heavily influenced by hip-hop and urban culture. Each piece I draw takes an average of 25 hours to complete.
The Future...
My artwork has always carried a dark and mysterious edge. So far, I’ve explored realism and graffiti, drawing inspiration from hip-hop and urban culture to create thought-provoking pieces.
As I continue evolving my work, I find myself deeply drawn to human psychology and philosophy. Moving forward, I intend to integrate these themes into my work, creating art that challenges perceptions and encourages people to rethink their reality.