A Doorway to Joe - The Art of Joe Coleman

Joe Coleman paints incredibly detailed portraits of sinners, saints, freaks, and personal friends that collectively present a dark history of America. Painting with a single-hair brush and a jeweller''s loupe, the artist states he only knows when the painting is done because he runs out of room on the canvas. With a body of work that spans five decades (including his early work as a comic book artist), Coleman''s work includes subjects such as Hank Williams, Ed Gein, Jayne Mansfield, and his wife and muse, Whitney Ward. Coleman not only captures his subject''s likeness, but his portraits also serve as ambitious narratives of the subject''s life. Told in lozenges scattered throughout the often-larger-than-life works, the portraits contain scenes from the subject''s life and words and phrases. Coleman is not afraid to explore the dark reaches of the human psyche, but also portrays a distinct humanity in his subjects and often includes a touch of humour. A Doorway To Joe collects over 150