Joe Barbieri uses oil and watercolor to depict a wide range of subjects. Whether he is painting portraits, landscapes, still life or scenes from the agrarian community in which he lives, Mr. Barbieri (who was born and raised near New York City) hopes to communicate the vibrancy of the natural world and simplicity of his life and relationships in rural Texas.

Mr. Barbieri notes, "I'm a traditionalist concerning art. A friend once said that a 'critical constituent of beauty is order, which relates all the parts into an expressively proportionate whole. Beauty is the outshining of an order that puts the mind of him who beholds it at rest, in the sense that the mind feels fulfilled and finds joy in the fulfillment. "I seek to paint images that will bring the mind of the viewer to rest. My subjects are people I know and live with. They are horse farmers, ranchers, craftsmen, family members and so on. Other subjects that inspire me are the land where I live and raise my five children, the Southwest that I've traveled over the last twenty-five years, and the everyday objects that add meaning to life."

Mr. Barbieri is mainly self taught, using literature, study of other artist's work, and taking advantage of the critique of knowledgeable friends. He has studied with CA artist R.S. Riddick, and has exhibited his work in the Phippen Museum Show, the Salon International Show, and the Mountain Oyster Club Show. His paintings hang in museums and private collections across the country. Mr. Barbieri is represented by The Judith Hale Gallery in Los Olivos, Ca, The Greenhouse Gallery in San Antonio, TX, Visual Expressions Gallery in Cedar Hill TX, and The Barn at Homestead Heritage, in Elm Mott, TX.