Joe's vocation is computer programming - custom software and websites - and he designed, created and maintains websites for the Housatonic Valley Art League (www.hvart.org - formerly the Sheffield Art League) and numerous individual artists, among others. See his website at www.bakerworks.com. Prior to this career, he was for many years an instrument-maker. His violins, violas da gamba, and hardanger fiddles are owned and played by musicians on three continents, as well as being included in university and museum collections. Joe is also a musician, playing guitar and calling dances in the longstanding contradance band Mountain Laurel (www.mountainlaurelband.com). He has a BA in biology from Princeton University and worked for five years as a cowboy in Wyoming before moving to the Berkshires in western Massachusetts in 1974.Joe Baker has active membership in: The Pastel Society of America (PSA), the Connecticut Pastel Society (CPS) [Signature member], and the Housatonic Valley Art League (HVAL).
Teachers: Joan Griswold (oil studio); classes & workshops with others including June Parker, Frank Federico, Dennis Sheehan, Richard McKinley, Larry Zingale.
Selected Awards:
March 2013: CPS Member Show; Dakota Art Pastels Award
Oct 2011: PPSCC FPO National Exhibition; My Art Tutor Award
March 2011: CPS Member Show; Rembrandt Pastel Award
Aug 2010: HVAL Member Show; Award of Excellence
July 2010: HVAL Juried Show; Honorable Mention
Jan 2009: CPS Member Show; Diane Townsend Pastel Award
Aug 2007: HVAL Member Show; 3rd Prize
Aug 2006: HVAL Member Show; Honorable Mention
Sep 2005: KAA Fall Show; John T. Mott Award for Marine Painting
Aug 2005: HVAL Member Show; 3rd Prize
July 2005 HVAL Juried Summer Show; 3rd Prize.
Selected Shows and Exhibitions:
2012-13: Northeast National Pastel Exhibition, VIEW, Old Forge, NY
2012: CPS Signature Member Show, Old Lyme, CT
2011: CPS Signature Member Show, East Hartford, CT
2011: Solo Show "Recent Paintings", Knox Gallery, Monterey, MA
2010: CPS Signature Member Show, Old Lyme, CT
2010-11: Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod, "For Pastels Only", S. Yarmouth, MA
2009-12: CPS Renaissance in Pastel Show, Waterbury, CT
2009: Solo Show "Close to Home", Sandisfield Arts Center, Sandisfield, MA
2008-12: CPS Member Shows, Meriden, CT
2006-10: KAA Members, Spring, President's & EAI Shows, Kent, CT
2006-12: HVAL Summer & Member Shows, Sheffield, MA
2005: KAA Members, Spring, Elected Artist, President's and Fall Shows, Kent, CT
2005: SAL Juried Summer & Member's Shows, Sheffield, MA
2004: KAA Members, Spring, Fall and President's Shows, Kent, CT
2004: SAL "Housatonic River Summer" Show & Member Show, Sheffield, MA
2003: KAA Members and Spring Shows, Kent, CT
1998 - 2003: Sheffield Art League Juried and Member Shows, Sheffield, MA
Publications:
Sanctuary, The Journal of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, Nov/Dec 1996.