Bio:
Joe Batt is originally from South Dakota. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of South Dakota and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Montana. Currently, Joe is full time art faculty at South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, Washington. He has also taught at California State University, Chico, California; the University of Montana, in Missoula, Montana; Lower Columbia College in Longview, Washington; and Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts in Victoria, British Columbia.
Joe’s work has been exhibited widely. Recent work includes narrative clay figures, installation, and mixed media pieces which feature hares and children as the main characters. These works are part of an ongoing exploration of innocence, endurance, and our relationship with technology and the natural world.
Joe has been a McKnight Artist in Residence at the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has also done residencies at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, Maine, and at Red Lodge Clay Center in Red Lodge, Montana
Artist Statement:
Congregation
Congregation is a recent series which comes from scenes I have observed, in person and in media, of people worshipping together outside in a time of political strain, intensified social justice struggles, and COVID - 19. I am learning that small-scale works have the power to transport us into another world. Though these figures are only about eight inches tall, this work feels like a large-scale installation, to me. The figures are modeled and carved solid from stoneware clay and fired to a mid-range temperature, unglazed. I have always found body language to be a rich area of exploration. I hope these small-scale figures capture some of the humanity of people seeking meaning and some kind of truth during trying times. I draw inspiration for these small, narrative works from artists Isaac Cordal, Patti Warashina, and Jack Earl.
Child with Egg
Child with Egg is part of an ongoing exploration of childhood and our relationship with nature. The child is wearing pajamas and to me this suggests a narrative drawing deeply from the dream world, where there are unlimited possibilities. A kind of magic might occur when young people come in contact with nature. The original form was sculpted in clay and then cast in bronze using the lost wax casting technique. Two Ravens Studio in Tacoma did the casting…I enjoyed going through the process with them and experiencing all of the different reincarnations of the form. Artists I have admired who work with children, nature, and the narrative are Arthur Gonzalez, Edith Garcia, and Kate MacDowell. My formative years were spent in a rural place, roaming freely in the natural world. I identify strongly with Kathleen Dean Moore’s writings of her adventures in nature. The collection of essays edited by Subhankar Banerjee, titled Arctic Voices, resonates deeply in my core.
Mixed Media Wall Pieces
These watercolor digital collages are based on some side projects I’ve been doing in my practice and in my course assignments. I wanted to take these techniques and ideas and make more finished works. The compositions begin as a quick composition of some digital images (photos, drawings, doodles). These are printed onto watercolor paper and then I use pen and watercolor to develop the idea and composition. I have always felt a freeing sense when I see the mixed media collages of Robert Rauschenberg, the busy painted compositions of Gladys Nilsson, and the 2D works of Jeff Koons. I am driven to use digital technology and media for creative purposes and this interest is encouraged by writers such as Nicholas Carr and Peter Bloom.