Joey

Joey loves to travel. Family vacations are spent globetrotting, visiting faraway places and experiencing new things.

When he returns to OC Connections, he documents these experiences with mixed media. Felt markers, acrylic paint, yellow paper bags; these all serve as means to share what he sees and feels.

Incredibly dedicated to his art, Joey spends a lot of time in the art program at OC Connections, with teacher Val. For him, art is not just a past time or another activity but a true passion. Joey is able to maintain a very strong focus on what he is doing. A perfectionist at heart, Joey can spend months working on a single piece and just like that, rip it to shreds if he decides it is not good enough. It is for this reason that Val documents the progress of his bigger pieces in photographs – just in case the original is gone.

Joey paints the world as he sees it. Certain people whom he loves, or have left a lasting impression are featured in his pieces in a colourful and expressive way. Puppet shows, bridges, costumes and people are some of the memories he has immortalized in his art.

Val excitedly praises Joey’s talent and passion:

“With the right encouragement and support, Joey will go very, very far with his art.”

Joey loves showing his art and being photographed. Usually quite withdrawn, he proudly holds up  his pieces for anyone who asks to see them, talking about the different places and people depicted in them, a huge smile radiating from his face.