Joseph Wooten

Region: West

City / State: Houston, TX

My work exists in the arena of the whimsical and bizarre. And that’s where I feel most comfortable. Repetitively dyeing and cutting paper, a process I find meditative, allows me to draw from an amalgam of things around me. Imagery, literature, experiences, feelings, music, and conversations merge into ideas. This produces imagery that embraces an ephemeral area of mind. Skeletons, living creatures, bouquets, masks, and cigarettes all offer meaning to me. Portrayed in a cartoonish style and with an acidic palette, they become confrontational and odd.

I try my best not to interfere with subconscious processes, and approach my work with as open a mind as possible. I rely on my awareness and instinct to guide me in the right direction.