“Frozen in Time” by Joseph McClozkey

Joseph McClozkey

AN EMERGING CONTEMPORARY ABSTRACT ARTIST

By Joan S. Peck

After reviewing Joseph’s art pieces on Instagram, I couldn’t wait to speak with him about them. His pieces are large, expressive, and unique. In some of his paintings, he uses Roman numerals as a coded language or inscription, and I couldn’t wait to learn their significance and to understand better why I was so drawn to them. Others of his paintings represent escapism reflected by portals and different dimensions. When I called, I was delighted for the opportunity to speak with him and his brother, Michael, who serves as his manager.

Hearing his story, I realized there’s always a beginning. It amazes me how one thing can lead to another when it isn’t clear where it’s going to end. It’s all part of a larger plan we sometimes cannot see, and it becomes part of our journey. And so it was with Joseph. At the age of nine, Joseph’s special grandmother gifted him with a camera. As a 15-year-old, he began to use his creative outlet to portray a story of the moment. But it was during his college years when Joseph took a look around him and where he was in life that he knew he wanted more than what he was experiencing. He dropped out of college, searching for greater meaning in life and how best to express himself. Joseph returned to working with his camera, which intrigued him to manifest his raw works of art that emotionally pertained to his life, vision, and mindset. Joseph opened himself up to be inspired by others and what he sees and feels, and to express it through his artwork.

After painting his first piece of artwork, Joseph put it up on Instagram, and it immediately sold for a “steal” price of $250, just about enough to cover the shipping cost to its new owner. Joseph, Michael, and I laugh. “Live and learn,” he adds. He knew at that point, though, that his creative expression was his calling and that it would be able to provide him a living. He’s come a long way since then.

Although Joseph has only been painting for a mere two years, he has become known in the corporate world. He’s awaiting the reopening of business to install his pieces into some large corporate companies who have already signed contracts with him. It’s nice to know that no matter what happens, the future looks bright for him.

“My art is an attempt to take focus away from negativity, at large. It’s an escape from the pessimism that’s rooted in our human nature and evolution.”

Find Joseph online at: McClozkey.com

“Walks in Gratitude” by Joseph McClozkey

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Frozen in Time
“This piece was completed right after the COVID pandemic started. A time where we lost our definitions of normal, we’re left to question if normal ever existed. This is my depiction of the feeling of seeing the flow of life come to a crystallized halt. A time of stillness is a time for reflection, from which positivity has the potential to sprout.”

Walks in Gratitude
“This piece was completed in late April 2020. I’ve been taking a lot of walks since the pandemic arose. As flat as the general frequency was, I would often stop to admire the town’s cherry blossom trees. It provided beacons of color in the overwhelming gray. It symbolized growth and prosperity against the current events. This piece is an attempt to share the positivity I experienced in those moments, to express my gratitude for the continued ability to experience.”