"Plein air painting is such an honest approach to see the light as it hits the scene. The wind in your face flies in your paint and a couple hours to capture the scene. One must paint fast and loose, go in with your feelings, but using your brain and experience to balance colors, to vibrate and sing, Hallelujah."

Joel is a painter in motion - restless to capture nature and the country in all it moods and seasons. A plein air painter, he believes that you capture the spirit of a place by experiencing it directly. He and his wife Karen travel throughout the country with easel, camera and paints capturing all aspect of the landscape, cityscapes and the people they meet. An outstanding colorist, Joel favors thick, juicy oils applied in a loosely impressionistic style.

Born and raised in Indiana, but Bugg Hollow in Cottontown, Tennessee is now the place Joel calls home. Here he teaches workshops and paints the valleys and streams and the every changing landscape.

Joel's work has been published in Southwest Art, Art Business New, and Indiana Waterway Book. Individual and corporate collectors of his paintings include Opryland Hotel, Ronald MacDonald House, Ingram Industries, Volunteer State College, Columbia Orthopedic Group, J. Alexander Restaurants and many other schools, libraries, hospitals, businesses, and homes.

Joel has received numerous awards from Central South, Indiana Plein Air, T.C. Steele, Indiana Heritage, Hoosier Salon, Painting the Parks [Rocky Mountain], and he has been selected as the Artist in Residence at the Indiana National Lake Shore. His work can be purchased from numerous galleries throughout the country.

His work may be viewed at http://www.joelknapp.com