Joseph McGurl has been referred to as one of the acknowledged leaders in the current American landscape school. M. Stephen Dougherty, Editor, American Artist considers him "one of the most gifted of contemporary artists." This has been confirmed by his exhibitions in several important museum shows, a successful relationship with some of the country's leading galleries, and inclusion in numerous magazine articles and books.
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Joseph McGurl was born in Massachusetts in 1958. He grew up working with his father, James McGurl, who was a muralist and his most influential teacher. Through him, he was exposed to a wide variety of materials and learned an appreciation of the craft of painting. Another early influence was Ralph Rosenthal, a teacher at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. He subsequently graduated from Massachusetts College of Art with a dual major in painting and education. He also studied in England and Italy. After college, he worked for a period of time as a yacht captain, sailing throughout the east coast from Maine to the Caribbean. After a few years he realized that in order to improve, he must devote himself solely to painting. In search of a more solid training in drawing, he sought out Robert Cormier, a devotee of the French Academy methods and he studied figure drawing under him.
Mr. McGurl's paintings have been included in several museum exhibitions in Massachusetts, New York, California, and Rhode Island. He has had retrospective solo shows at the Cape Museum of Fine Arts, The Cahoon Museum of American Art, and the Saint Botolph Club of Boston. He was a participant in the Sea to Shining Sea Exhibition which traveled to twelve museums over a four-year period. Representing Representation, a survey of the most significant realist work being done today included his work in the 2001 show at the Arnot Art Museum, and he was one of the few artists invited to simultaneously exhibit at the concurrent Representing Representation West which showcased western art at the Rockwell Museum of Western Art. McGurl has been elected to the Guild of Boston Artists and is a Copley Master with the Copley Society of Boston. He has won top awards from both organizations including the John Singleton Copley Award for Artistic Achievement. He is also an elected fellow of the American Society of Marine Artists. He has also been the subject of numerous book and magazine articles. Galleries in Boston, New York, San Francisco and Cape Cod represent his work.
Joseph's paintings are often seen in relationship to the great 19th century luminist painters but with a thoroughly modern approach to style and subject. For him, the process, rather than the product is the most important part of a painting. For this reason, his large studio paintings are developed from sketches painted on location. Rather than relying on photography, this method gives him the freedom to create paintings based on his imagination, memory, and his sketches. Although the objects depicted in the paintings are elements of the landscape and have a deep personal meaning to him, an equally important subject is an exploration of light, form, space, and color interpreted through paint.
During the summer months, he cruises the coast of New England with his wife and children aboard their classic Alden designed ketch, "Atelier," which he uses as a floating studio; many of his sketches are executed from her decks.
After living for several years in Rhode Island, Joseph, his wife Patricia, and sons Max and Sean moved to Cape Cod in 1994. Their home and studio are a restored 19th-century carriage house on the shore of Amrita Island.
Mr. McGurl has been elected to the Guild of Boston Artists where he was the recipient of the first place gold medallion at the annual members' show. He has also won awards from the Salmagundi Club in New York City and The Copley Society of Boston. He was the youngest member ever designated a Copley Master and has won the John Singleton Copley Award for artistic achievement.
Joseph's paintings are often seen in relation to the great 19th-century luminist painters but with a thoroughly modern approach to style and subject. His creative process is to paint small sketches of the scene on location. Back at the studio, these are re-interpreted to form the foundation for the large finished canvases. Rather than relying on photography, this method allows him to create his works based on his sketches, memory, and imagination.
Joseph worked for a period as a yacht captain sailing throughout the East Coast and in the Caribbean. During the summer months, he cruises the coast of New England with his wife and children aboard their Down East cruiser "Atelier" which he uses as a floating studio.
After living for several years in Rhode Island, Joseph, his wife Patricia and sons Max and Sean moved to Cape Cod in 1994. Their home and studio is a converted 19th-century carriage house on the shore of Amrita Island. Joseph supervised and designed a significant renovation which was influenced by his interest in architecture and historic preservation and became the subject of a magazine article.
