Joe Light

Place: Dyersburg

Born: 1934

Death: 2005

Biography:

Joe Light, an American painter from Dyersburg, Tennessee, is known for his transcendentalist approach to art. His work focuses on attaining spiritual or moral enlightenment and the balance and order of the universe. Born in 1934, Light grew up on a farm outside of Dyersburg with his mother, Virgie (Virgin) Mary, and father, Hiawatha. He became estranged from his parents as a young boy and completed until the eighth at Brewer High School.

Early Life and Career

Light spent his youth farming until he enlisted in the army in March 1951. However, in August of that same year, he was discharged because, as he said, "I found out they were going to send me to Korea, so I hurt my arm." Shortly after leaving the military, he was imprisoned from 1954-55 for armed robbery of a grocery store. He was also imprisoned in the Nashville penitentiary from 1960–66 and 1966-68. During his first prison sentence, Light met a Rabbi and converted to Judaism.

Artistic Style and Inspirations

Light's artistic style is characterized by his use of found materials such as driftwood, old T.V. sets, and hubcaps. He used house paint on thin plywood to create his paintings, which often featured illustrative outlines of landscapes or portraits in black, filled in with bold, saturated colors. His work was heavily influenced by pop art and commercialism of the mid-twentieth century. Light's greatest inspirations were religion and his personal faith, which he developed after renouncing Baptist Christianity.

• Light used found materials such as driftwood and old T.V. sets to create his sculptures and paintings.
• He was influenced by pop art and commercialism of the mid-twentieth century.
• His work often featured illustrative outlines of landscapes or portraits in black, filled in with bold, saturated colors.

Notable Works and Legacy

Some of Light's notable works include Joe Light:Jewelry Mountain, Joe Light:Pony, and Joe Light:Hobo # Birdman. His legacy continues to be celebrated through his art, which can be found on Wikioo.org. For more information on Joe Light's life and work, visit the McNay Art Museum or the Frederic Remington Art Museum, which feature a collection of his paintings and sculptures. Key points: - Joe Light was an American painter from Dyersburg, Tennessee. - His work focuses on transcendentalism and moral enlightenment. - He used found materials such as driftwood and old T.V. sets to create his art. - Light's legacy continues to be celebrated through his art, which can be found on Wikioo.org. For more information about Joe Light, visit Joe Louis Light on Wikipedia.