Joe Sanders, Professor of Art at Columbus State University, is an accomplished artist known for his printmaking, book arts, and handmade paper. Included in over 180 exhibitions, his work has been represented in numerous collections including the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, the Library of Congress, Harvard Art Museums, and more.

By R. Caligaris- Photography by S. Saxon

Born into a military family, Joe Sanders was constantly moving during his childhood years which is frequently reflected in his works. His father, Joe Sr., worked casually with different art styles on the side of his distinguished military career. This served as a great initial inspiration for Sanders to become an artist. Graduating from Florida State University, he went on to obtain a graduate degree from Arizona State University where he found his true interest in printmaking as well as teaching art. After pursuing careers in Colorado, Florida, Atlanta, and Athens, Sanders has settled in as a professor conducting creative research at Columbus State University, and he is constantly traveling between his two studios in Columbus, GA and Dog Island, FL. Sanders kindly took the time to talk with SVM, and he discussed his artistic process, the impact he hopes he makes with his work, and where his interest and inspiration come from.

You have been working with printmaking for over 30 years. What first interested you in this art form? My first experiences revealed that it was more than just an art form, it was a community. My first visit to a printmaking classroom was to assist a fellow art student, so I suppose I discovered printmaking by chance. My interests in science, mythology, and photographic processes connected through printmaking, so I joined the community. My printmaking family remains one of the most important foundations of my creative activity, providing support, camaraderie, and engagement.

In printmaking, what is your preferred technique? Throughout college, my primary focus was stone lithography, a technically demanding medium grounded in chemistry. Upon joining the faculty at UGA in 1988, my research broadened to include other forms of printmaking, papermaking, artist’s books, photography, and even sculptural installation. Currently my investigations have consolidated to mostly monotype (one-of-a-kindprints), handmade paper and woodcut printmaking. Whichever technique is employed, seeking a level of mastery helps them become as fluid as possible.

When creating your artwork, do you have a process? I typically work within a framework that has a loosely defined visual and conceptual structure, within which I allow experimentation, play, and improvisation. Taking risks can lead to failure as well as new discoveries and directions. My creative process allows for some risk as well as fluidity and adaptation. When working alone, I listen to a collection of music and seek moments of transcendence. “Getting into the flow” can be a desirable creative mental state, and through practice I’ve developed a capacity to slip into this mode. While working in a teaching or otherwise communal setting typical of most printmaking studios, I’m energized by the excitement of the group. Making art becomes almost performative.

Do you work from photographs or memory? How do you get inspiration? I’ve always worked primarily from imagination and memory. I develop preliminary drawings. My work often references memory, place, imaginary architecture, and natural patterns and forms. Travel has led to some discrete bodies of work as these experiences assimilate. My youth was marked by constant change and adaptation, so memory for me became simultaneously essential and fleeting. While I have often incorporated photographic and appropriated elements, these are more like short stories within an anthology, serving to support and link formal and conceptual elements.

An Interdisciplinary Studies course I recently developed called “The Art of Creativity” has led to more intentional consideration of my inspiration and motivation, as well as the role of play and mindfulness in creativity. I’ve applied some of these ideas to my own practice, for example strategies for problem solving and methods to emerge from a creative block, challenges many artists deal with at one time or another.

Are there any artists in particular who have influenced you? It’s a difficult question. My professors had the greatest influence on my early work by providing mentoring, perspective, and context. Many of my students have influenced my work. Lately, I’ve enjoyed learning more about Japanese “shin hanga” (new prints) and “sosaku hanga” (creative prints) with their focus on color, texture, abstraction, landscape, and the natural world.

Living in Japan in the early 1960’s may have contributed to my bias, and my current work employs similar techniques, tools and material. I’ve spent significant time in Italy and experiences like exploring Pompeii and the Venice Biennale exhibitions have had a profound impact. Continuous exposure to diverse artistic practices, ideas, and dialogue is critical for artists to remain engaged and inspired.

What are some of your favorite pieces you’ve created? All of them (laughing). My handmade books have been multi-year projects funded by grants requiring proposals, budgets and reports. With small edition artist’s books it’s often a labor of love, sometimes created in collaboration, so I would say I am especially fond of those. On the other end of the spectrum would be monotypes, which may have multiple runs through the press but still completed in a day –very improvisational, fresh, and full of immediate gratification.

What do you hope people get out of your artwork? If a viewer see one of my works and they are curious, moved, intrigued, empathetic, or motivated, then I’ve done my job of expressing my artistic ideas to the best of my ability. I encourage viewers to draw on their own connections, memories and experiences. If they like an artist’s work enough to live with it, even better.

You also have a passion for art collecting. What are some of the pieces that you have for sale, and where can people buy your art? When buying works from the art market, be sure to work with a qualified professional. Collectors of works by living artists should seek interaction with the artist. Through interaction, collectors deepen their appreciation of the work, obtain context for their collection, and ensure they are collecting for the right reasons. Spend time with the artist in their studio exploring their work until you find just the right piece. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Artists love to talk about and sell their work, and it’s through interaction with our patrons that we often obtain motivation for another day in the studio. Collectors and curators can find me at joesandersart.com

JOE SANDERS