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Joshua Been, born in 1974, had no shortage of outdoor adventures that cultivated his appreciation for the natural world. Drawing
since he could manage a pencil, he was captivated by animation and cartooning. This interest remained with him throughout high school and an active duty enlistment in the US Army. Been then went on to pursue his BA in Fine Art at Fort Lewis
College in Durango, Colorado. As a Magna Cum Laude graduate from this small liberal arts college, he Been found interest in more than just art classes. He was active in theatre and performing arts, while studying Earth Sciences as well.
This interdisciplinary foundation is evident in the intricacies and truthful fascination of his landscape as well as his figurative work. |
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After graduation, Been relocated to the Los Angeles area where he worked for several years in the entertainment industry as a Character
Animator. Cartoon Network, and Disney TV were some of the studios where he found work. It wasn’t long, however, before Been craved a more liberating art form, so he enrolled in some oil painting classes at the California Art Institute.
While simplifying his life in order to pursue the more nomadic life of a painter, Been moved back to his native land in Colorado. For a short time Been worked in the Programs Department of the medium/high security, Buena Vista Correctional
Facility where he taught Art and Design to inmates. He now lives and paints in Salida, a place known as the “Heart of the Rockies”. Fedor Zakharov, a master Russian impressionist, Anders Zorn, a contemporary of John Singer Sargent, and
Trevor Chamberlain, a living master impressionist, are among the many artists that he reveres. |
