Short History: 

I was born in Salisbury, Rhodesia, in 1959, lived in England for a few years, and moved to United States in 1970. I graduated from St. Charles Prep High School in Columbus, OH., in 1978. Was a monk for a short time in St. Leo Abby, St. Leo, FL. Worked in the Floral and Special Event décor industry for about twenty-seven years, most of them owning my own business in Chicago, IL. Moved to Indiana in 1999, and lived there until 2007 when I moved to Salmon, ID. I moved to Smithtown, NY., October of 2007 to start and establish an art career.

I stopped sketching at the end of my senior year in High School, (1978), because, I wasn't all that good. It never crossed my mind that I could ever do it for a living. So I focused on applying my talents in the floral and special event industries. 

After a few personally hard years dealing with cancer myself, a death of a dear friend whom I had cared for the last nine years of her life, and working as a Private Care CNA for Hospice care patients, I found myself wanting to do something totally different. In the summer of 2006 I got a job on a Dude Ranch in Idaho. I have always wanted to be a cowboy even as a kid in England. I can't be now, I am too old and broken to do the work that is required. But I have found that I can express it through sketches. In Idaho I was exposed to a lifestyle that is honest hard work without much pretense. Being a cowboy may not be an option for me now, but would have suited me as a young man for sure. To say, I was inspired by the young men and their talents with horses and the knowledge of the wildlife and mountains would be putting it very lightly. I learned that first summer how much I didn't know and how much I wanted to know. 

In November of 2006, after I returned to Indiana, I was bored so I picked up a pencil and a sketch pad. I thought I would try to sketch a few of the wranglers from the ranch. I found out to my surprise, that I was actually was pretty good at sketching. I continued to sketch as a hobby after going back to the Ranch the next Spring. I received wonderful compliments, and was encouraged to sell prints. People have liked them enough to buy over one hundred twenty five signed limited edition prints that summer. So far, there are seven prints for sale. You can see them on Image up close page.  

I am now represented by Jerico Gallery in Cody, WY., (http:www.jericogallery.com), where some of my originals are on display and are for sale. Besides a few galleries and retail outlets that sell my prints throughout Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, I was juried into the Cody Art League, in Cody, WY., in September.  They too are selling my signed limited edition prints. I am now relocated in Smithtown, NY., where I have family. Currently, my plan is for me to work on a ranch out west for the summers, winter with my brother and his family in Smithtown, NY. While I love it with my brother and his family, my heart will remain out in the West, where God formed the heart of the Cowboy. 

Lastly, I am thankful to Dylan, Dusty, Hoss, JD, Jared, Chaseon, and the other cowboys that have allowed me to sketch them doing their thing. I am especially grateful to Dylan Ellis who is my frame maker. He does a wonderful job, and I highly recommend him for custom frames. He is a young man that I worked with on the Ranch and quickly came to respect and think a lot of. I am honored to call him a friend too.

I am extremely grateful, and will continue to be, to my brother and his wife, Jim and Janet Fawcett, who has been so kind to welcome me into their home and family. If I have an art career worth mentioning, it will be mostly because of their kindness, generosity, support, and encouragement!

I am a member of the Smithtown, NY., Township Art Council, and the Port Jefferson Art Council both in NY, and Cody Art League in Cody, WY.

All my work will come onto my website so if you want to see what is going on or the various types of sketches I am doing or can do, please visit again and drop me an email. I love to hear any comments you may have, suggestions you might think of, things I could improve upon, or just say hi.

Thank you kindly for your time coming to the website and viewing a sample of what inspires me, and is my passion.

Joseph Fawcett – Artist