“Hieroglyhpics” by Joe Wilson
Action figures and cartoon characters live in the work and real life of artist Joe Wilson, a forgotten artist in the chronicle of Utah art. Joseph Francis Marion Wilson, better known as Joe, was born in Salt Lake City in 1913. He spent his early years in Idaho, but returned to Utah in his teens. During those years he worked with the C.C.C., the Civilian Conservation Corps. He also served in the Army during World War II.
This guy was no ordinary Joe.
He loved to paint and sculpt but few of his works are found today. Those rare pieces are whimsical in their content, ranging from cartoon riffs on Egyptian art, to depictions of the depression, to calendar art images that look like collage. Only they’re not. He painted those additions directly onto the canvas.
“Kansas” by Joe Wilson
Photographic source material for “Kansas”
Family members claim they have documentation stating he was the original G. I. Joe, an action figure that has gained icon status in the toy box. And he was offered a position as a cartoonist with the Walt Disney Corporation. Whether he actually worked for them is unknown. Wilson died in 1998.
But whatever is truth or fantasy about Joe Wilson, his work was charismatic and ever-changing.
Is there a Joe Wilson in your collection? Do you have a story about him? Can you add to the lore of legend? If so, please contact Kandace Steadman at ksteadman@muahnet.org.
Painting by Joe Wilson
UTAH’S ART MAGAZINE SINCE 2001, 15 Bytes is published by Artists of Utah, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Categories: Historical Artists | Visual Arts
