Joe Heaps Nelson
Sep 16, 1968 - Apr 16, 2018
During his times in the hospital, Joe created collages from the magazines he found and sent the images to friends. Here’s a collection of collages he sent me from 2015 to 2017. Nothing could take away his sense of humor and whimsy. Joe played with familiar flyover state themes of advertising distorted down-home ideals and “all-Americanness”, ever sprinkled with the absurd. These collages are a little more all over the place, being from found resources, but they carry his signature comedic tone, his vitality of color, and his bold composition.
Though he may not be with us any longer, his friendship and the light and laughter he brought to so many will always be. RIP
BIO
A native of Iowa and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Joe Heaps Nelson first began showing his work in 1992. He was exhibited at Gawker Artists, Fountain Art Fair, Governor's Island Art Fair, Leo Kesting Gallery, Jack the Pelican Presents, Dumbo Art Center, and the Waldemar A. Schmidt Art Gallery, and more. He was interviewed by Gawker, Heyoka Magazine, and Trigger Magazine. Joe also wrote for Whitehot Magazine.