ABOUT JOE

Joe is an artist and working commercial photographer. He started Joseph McDonald Photography approximately 25 years ago and his history of specialized photography of fine art and custom printing predates his appointment as Photographer for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco in 1988.

Educational achievements include a BA from the University of Minnesota in Literature and Music, an MA in Humanities from Arizona State and a subsequent MA from San Francisco State in Studio Art (Photography).

Currently Joe is a partner at Digital Grange, a photography and custom printing studio as well as sole proprietor of the adjacent IceHouse Gallery curating and hanging various artists’ shows. He taught for 25 years at Santa Rosa Junior College as an adjunct professor in the art department.

A collection of renowned commercial clients include: Pixar Animation Studios, Lucas Film, Chronicle Books, The Corcoran Gallery, McSweeneys, Antiques Magazine, Hewlett Packard, The Chicago Art Institute, Winterthur, and the Gordon and Ann Getty Collections as well as many other commissions from museums, galleries and individual artists.

Artist Statement

Joe’s artwork reflects his interests in photography, printmaking, painting and collage often combined with digital technology which defines his creative process. Often straight photography alone is enough to realize his artistic goals, more often he records objects, surfaces and textures that are blended together to form visual compositions. The output of the multi-layered process is fine printmaking enhanced to produce rich, beautiful, archival works throughout the limited editions. Joe continues to explore the use of the computer with photography along with more traditional methods of art.