Primarily a plein air landscape painter, Joe Baker works in oils and pastels with occasional pieces in watercolors, acrylics, conte, charcoal and sculpture. Recent paintings exhibited include subjects from the Berkshires and other sections of New England, the Adirondacks, and travels to Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, Florida and Baja California.

Joe's vocation is computer programming - custom software and websites - and he designed, created and maintains websites for the Kent Art Association (www.kentart.org) and the Housatonic Valley Art League (www.hvart.org - formerly the Sheffield Art League) 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 muscians on three continents, as well as being included in university and museum collections. 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 is a Signature member of the Connecticut Pastel Society (CPS), an Elected Artist member of the Kent Art Association (KAA), and a member of the Housatonic Valley Art League (HVAL).

Teachers: Joan Griswold (oil studio); classes & workshops with others including June Parker, Frank Federico, Dennis Sheehan, Richard McKinley

Selected Awards:
  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:
   2009: CPS Renaissance in Pastel Show, Waterbury, CT
   2009: Solo Show "Close to Home", Sandisfield, MA
   2009: HVAL Member Shows, Sheffield, MA
   2008-09: CPS Member Shows, Meriden, CT
   2006-09: KAA Members, Spring, President's & EAI Shows, Kent, CT
   2006-08: 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.