ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Growing up in Southern California’s San Fernando Valley, Joseph Quillan’s memories of his childhood always focus around three things, nature, animals and art. He was blessed to grow up with a large pond behind his parents home, where he and the neighborhood kids would play. His first “artworks” were shaping the mud and grasses to look like the animals of the pond. Turtles, frogs, ducks and even the fish in the pond became the subjects of his budding sculpture career, and as that child, he never imagined his works to come would represent some of the most accomplished environmentalists, oceanographers, researchers and scientists of the day. I mean, he was just a kid you know, and there were Pollywogs to capture…
Intrigued with nature, animals and wildlife,Joseph took jobs at kennels, shelters, joined the American Cetacean Society to “save whales”, and even helped write an article for “Whalewatcher” magazine. By the age of 20, Joseph had attended the Gemological Institute of America for advanced jewelry design, creating custom jewelry, including his first series of turtles and frogs playing sports, selling them to his growing list of collectors. While displaying his jewelry and sculpture at a charity event at the Los Angeles Zoo, he met Betty White, who encouraged his passion for wildlife. In fact, Joseph was encouraged by many animal lovers and activists of the day he met, including Bob Barker, Susan Dey and Actors and Others for Animals president, Earl Holliman, who asked Joseph to display his artwork for their first benefit in Studio City, CA.
Growing up in Southern California’s San Fernando Valley, Joseph Quillan’s memories of his childhood always focus around three things, nature, animals and art. He was blessed to grow up with a large pond behind his parents home, where he and the neighborhood kids would play. His first “artworks” were shaping the mud and grasses to look like the animals of the pond. Turtles, frogs, ducks and even the fish in the pond became the subjects of his budding sculpture career, and as that child, he never imagined his works to come would represent some of the most accomplished environmentalists, oceanographers, researchers and scientists of the day. I mean, he was just a kid you know, and there were Pollywogs to capture…
Intrigued with nature, animals and wildlife,Joseph took jobs at kennels, shelters, joined the American Cetacean Society to “save whales”, and even helped write an article for “Whalewatcher” magazine. By the age of 20, Joseph had attended the Gemological Institute of America for advanced jewelry design, creating custom jewelry, including his first series of turtles and frogs playing sports, selling them to his growing list of collectors. While displaying his jewelry and sculpture at a charity event at the Los Angeles Zoo, he met Betty White, who encouraged his passion for wildlife. In fact, Joseph was encouraged by many animal lovers and activists of the day he met, including Bob Barker, Susan Dey and Actors and Others for Animals president, Earl Holliman, who asked Joseph to display his artwork for their first benefit in Studio City, CA.
His love of California’s coast, especially the central coast, where whales, otters and sea lions could be seen as he sat on cliffs above the beach, were Joseph’s inspiration to create his marine life designs, whales and dolphins, soon winning his first award at the Catalina Festival of Art in 1982. In an emotional moment, Joseph was presented his award at the famous Wrigley Casino, where his parents had first met and danced together 50 years earlier.
In 1983, while on a visit to Hawaii, Joseph was invited to exhibit his sculptures at the two most prestigious fine art galleries on Maui. His first showing was with legendary painter George Sumner. 1983 was certainly a magical year for marine life art in Hawaii. Joseph had just met Wyland the previous year when Wyland acquired a 14 kt gold Sperm Whale and baby from Joseph at the Catalina Festival of Arts. Joseph and he became friends Wyland invited Joseph to Hawaii to show his sculptures with the foremost environmental artists of the day at Sea Life Park on the Island of Oahu.
Joseph was the first artist to display fine art bronzes of marine life in Hawaii. He joined painters George Sumner and Robert Lyn Nelson in pioneering the wave of artists to come. Their efforts not only spawned the marine life art movement, but put Hawaii on the map as one of the world’s foremost art centers. Joseph feels blessed that his friends, artists Wyland, Robert Lyn Nelson and Christian Lassen have all acquired his creations.
Over the next several years, Joseph would establish his artwork through many prestigious awards, including the Mystic International Award for Excellence, several Best of Shows in juried outdoor festivals, the Beverly Hills Affair in the Gardens, Catalina Invitational and the Brentwood Festival of Arts. His artwork can be seen in dozens of fine art galleries in the United States and internationally, while his monumental works can be seen on both the East and West coast. Joseph is the creator of the prestigious Archie Carr Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to individuals who have given a majority of their lives to sea turtle preservation and research, as well as the sculptor of the Blue Ocean Film Festival “Legacy Award”, presented to notable filmographers, oceanographers and environmentalists.
On a more personal note, Joseph comes from a family of talented artists. His Father, John Quillan, was a comedy writer for several radio and television shows of the 1950’s. His scripts are permanently archived at the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television. Joseph’s mother, Anita Thompson Quillan, was a dancer featured in many Hollywood movies of the 1930’s, including “Gold Diggers of 1933“. His Uncle Eddie Quillan starred in over 60 motion pictures, with credits including “The Grapes of Wrath” and “Young Mr Lincoln” with Henry Fonda, “Mutiny on the Bounty” with Clark Gable, and “Brigadoon”. All twelve of Joseph’s aunts and uncles have appeared in movies in different roles. His Uncle Joe was a Broadway playwright who also wrote the 1950’s television comedy, “Our Miss Brooks”, as well as several movies starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, while his sister Barbara starred in the original 1936 version of “Swiss Family Robinson” at the age of three.
In 1983, while on a visit to Hawaii, Joseph was invited to exhibit his sculptures at the two most prestigious fine art galleries on Maui. His first showing was with legendary painter George Sumner. 1983 was certainly a magical year for marine life art in Hawaii. Joseph had just met Wyland the previous year when Wyland acquired a 14 kt gold Sperm Whale and baby from Joseph at the Catalina Festival of Arts. Joseph and he became friends Wyland invited Joseph to Hawaii to show his sculptures with the foremost environmental artists of the day at Sea Life Park on the Island of Oahu.
Joseph was the first artist to display fine art bronzes of marine life in Hawaii. He joined painters George Sumner and Robert Lyn Nelson in pioneering the wave of artists to come. Their efforts not only spawned the marine life art movement, but put Hawaii on the map as one of the world’s foremost art centers. Joseph feels blessed that his friends, artists Wyland, Robert Lyn Nelson and Christian Lassen have all acquired his creations.
Over the next several years, Joseph would establish his artwork through many prestigious awards, including the Mystic International Award for Excellence, several Best of Shows in juried outdoor festivals, the Beverly Hills Affair in the Gardens, Catalina Invitational and the Brentwood Festival of Arts. His artwork can be seen in dozens of fine art galleries in the United States and internationally, while his monumental works can be seen on both the East and West coast. Joseph is the creator of the prestigious Archie Carr Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to individuals who have given a majority of their lives to sea turtle preservation and research, as well as the sculptor of the Blue Ocean Film Festival “Legacy Award”, presented to notable filmographers, oceanographers and environmentalists.
On a more personal note, Joseph comes from a family of talented artists. His Father, John Quillan, was a comedy writer for several radio and television shows of the 1950’s. His scripts are permanently archived at the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television. Joseph’s mother, Anita Thompson Quillan, was a dancer featured in many Hollywood movies of the 1930’s, including “Gold Diggers of 1933“. His Uncle Eddie Quillan starred in over 60 motion pictures, with credits including “The Grapes of Wrath” and “Young Mr Lincoln” with Henry Fonda, “Mutiny on the Bounty” with Clark Gable, and “Brigadoon”. All twelve of Joseph’s aunts and uncles have appeared in movies in different roles. His Uncle Joe was a Broadway playwright who also wrote the 1950’s television comedy, “Our Miss Brooks”, as well as several movies starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, while his sister Barbara starred in the original 1936 version of “Swiss Family Robinson” at the age of three.
THE CREATION AND LOST WAX PROCESS
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Joseph’s sculptures are made entirely in the United States of America, California to be exact. California has the strictest regulations in the foundry industry; from wax emissions and sandblasting, to the chemicals used in the patinas. Many other artists cast their work in other countries without strict regulations to protect our environment. When you acquire Joseph’s work, you know you are not only taking home beautiful work, but work made in the U.S. under strict environmental standards.
Joseph’s bronze sculptures are created by a method known as the “lost wax process.” Though the exact origins of the lost wax process are unknown, it is believed to have been first used between 1100 and 1700 BC to produce precise replicas in metal from the artisans handmade original. |
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Joseph’s bronze sculptures are created by a method known as the “lost wax process.” Though the exact origins of the lost wax process are unknown, it is believed to have been first used between 1100 and 1700 BC to produce precise replicas in metal from the artisans handmade original.
ORIGINAL:
For Joseph, the first step is the creation of the original sculpture in clay or wax. This is the only step that is done once and it involves weeks or months of research before and during the sculpting process to produce the finished product. To research his subject, Joseph relies on 30 years of experience and a vast library of research materials as well as working closely with many of the creatures he helps protect.
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MOLD:When Joseph is finished with the original, he takes it to his mold maker so he can produce his sculptures in a limited edition. After “sizing up” the artwork, the mold maker creates a pliable rubber mold to capture the very fine detail needed to reproduce the exact characteristics of the artists creation.This process can take days or even weeks depending on the size of the original artwork
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Wax Reproduction:Molten wax is then poured into the rubber mold to produce an exact replica of the original. Waxes can be poured solid or hollow, usually depending on the size of the artwork. When cool, the wax casting is carefully removed from the mold. The artist or his artisans then spend several hours with the wax working by hand to reproduce all the details of the original. Every step of the process so far is of extreme importance to make sure the replicas meet the quality Joseph expects
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GATING:Now the wax casting is attached to a wax "pour-cup" which will eventually channel molten metal into the mold from the outside. Rods of wax called “gates” are then attached to the original to help in the metal flow and to release gases when molten metal is finally poured into the mold.
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CERAMIC DIP:Once the wax casting is set up with its gates, it is then dipped repeatedly over a period of a week or so in liquid ceramic slurry. The wet slurry fills all of the detailed areas of the wax casting. Each day, the casting is dipped into the wet slurry and a special aggregate is applied. This is repeated, using coarser aggregate on each day until the shell around the wax has reached a sufficient thickness to hold together through the burn-out process and the pouring of molten metal.
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BURN OUT:Once it is completely dry, the ceramic shell is fired in a burnout kiln and slowly heated to approximately 1200 degrees, baking the ceramic mold and melting out the wax casting and creating a void, hence the term “lost wax”
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POURING METAL:
Molten bronze is then poured into the hollow ceramic shell, filling the space with liquid bronze. The ceramic shell now holds the bronze as it cools, just waiting a bit longer for the birth of a sculpture. When cold, the ceramic shell is carefully broken away, revealing the bronze.
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SANDBLASTING:The bronze is then sandblasted to remove the smallest bits of ceramic and to reveal any imperfections that will need to be addressed by the metal workers.
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METALWORK:
Most sculptures are cast in several pieces that need to be precisely welded together to match the original. Once the pieces are welded together, hours of chasing, welding and other metal work are performed to recapture the detail of the original wax model
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PATINA:At this point, the metal sculpture is ready for the patina, which gives the bronze life. Many of the colors Joseph chooses, he created himself while working at American Fine Arts Studio over twenty years ago. The colors of the patinas can be made from chemicals, a combination of several chemicals or water based dyes called “paintinas”. Joseph prefers paintinas because they have less impact on the environment. Before the patina can be applied, the bronze is heated in a kiln, then colorful dyes are sprayed or brushed on to produce the desired effects.
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SEAL:
A fine wax or lacquer is then applied to the sculpture to seal the color and prepare the work for display
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QUALITY CONTROL:Once the sculpture is finished, and before shipping, it is carefully looked at to make sure it meets quality standards.
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CHRONOLOGY & EXHIBITIONS
Learn about how Joseph has gotten to where he is today and the people who supported him along the way.
1956Born November 27, 1956, Glendale, California.
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1962 - 1974Attended St. Elisabeth Grade School and Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks, Calif
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1972Works at Veterinary Clinic where Joseph is introduced to the many celebrity clients who love their animals, including Bob Barker, and Betty White. He paints the animals of clients and show dogs on commission. Sells his first painting for $120.00
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1973Attends L.A. Pierce College concentrating on pre-veterinary and art classes, including sculpture, advanced casting and jewelry design
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1976Attends Gemological Institute of America studying advanced jewelry design. He creates his first series of sea turtles and frogs playing tennis, hang gliding and scuba diving. (Yea, these designs were pretty silly.)
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1977Joins American Cetacean Society and creates his first whale and dolphin designs. Sales of Marine Life designs donated to environmental and animal organizations, including ACS and Actors and Others for Animals.
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1982First ever award in sculpture at Catalina Arts Festival. Presented at the famous “Wrigley Casino”, where his mom and dad first met 50 years earlier. Creates fashion jewelry designs of whales and dolphins for Center for Environmental Education, Washington, D.C.
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1985Obtains special permission from UCLA School of Medicine to study human anatomy through dissection.
Studies sculpture and anatomy with Marion Young. Creates and sculpts the Pacific Peace Award to be given to Rita Marley, Yoko Ono and others. Joseph creates a dolphin holding an olive branch and circling the earth, Sydney Australia Several one man and group shows benefiting environmental causes, including Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association and Hubbs Marine Research Institute. One Man Show, Ocean Designs Center, Westlake, CA One Man Show, Seafront Gallery, Newport Beach, CA |
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1988Obtains special permission from UCLA School of Medicine to study human anatomy through dissection.
Studies sculpture and anatomy with Marion Young. Creates and sculpts the Pacific Peace Award to be given to Rita Marley, Yoko Ono and others. Joseph creates a dolphin holding an olive branch and circling the earth, Sydney Australia Several one man and group shows benefiting environmental causes, including Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association and Hubbs Marine Research Institute. |
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1991One Man retrospective show that includes 6 years of figurative work, Lahaina Gallery, Newport Beach, Calif.
One Man Show and Fashion Show, Fashion Island, Newport Beach, CA Group show, Ocean Arts Festival, Maui, Hawaii Group Show, Lahaina Galleries, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii Group exhibition benefiting Montessori Schools Promotes conservation causes and Hawaii’s Ocean Arts Festival on KLHI, Lahaina, HI |
1992Group Show, Esther Wells Collection, Laguna Beach, Calif.
Group Show, Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center, Maui, Hawaii One Man Show, Off White Gallery, Catalina, Calif. One Man Show, Lahaina Galleries, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii |
1994Swims with his daughter Sascha in their first “together” encounter with a Green Sea Turtle.
One Man Show, Galerie Lassen, Lahaina, Maui, HI One Man Show, Galerie Lassen, Las Vegas, NV One Man Show, Galerie Lassen, Honolulu, Hawaii Group Show, Galerie Lassen, Las Vegas, Hawaii |
1995One Man Show, Gallery Lau Chun, Honolulu, Hawaii
One Man Show, Connoisseur Gallery, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, Big Island, Hawaii Group Show, Front Street Gallery, Maui, Hawaii Group show, Esther Wells Collection, Laguna Beach, Calif |
1996One Man show, Galerie Lassen, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada
One Man show, Gallery 700, Maui, Hawaii One Man show, Galerie Lassen Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii One Man show, Off White Gallery, Catalina Island, California |
1997One Man show, Galerie Lassen, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada
One Man show, Gallery 700, Maui, Hawaii One Man show, Off White Gallery, Catalina Island, Calif. One Man Show, Gallery Lau Chun, Honolulu, Hawaii Several group exhibitions for conservation organizations |
1998Unveiling of “Leaping Tuna” monument in Avalon, Catalina Island, part of a California State Historical Landmark
One Man Show, Galerie Lassen, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada Group Show, Galerie Lassen, Laguna Beach, CA Group Show, Endangered Arts Ltd, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina One Man Show, Off White Gallery, Avalon, Calif. |
1999Starts sculpting large Sea Turtle, “Companion” monument in front of thousands of viewers at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV.
One Man show, Galerie Lassen, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV One Man show, Off White Gallery, Catalina Island, Calif. Group Show, Gallery Whitt-Krausse, San Diego, Calif. |
2000One Man show, Endangered Arts Ltd, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
One Man show, Off White Gallery, Catalina Island, Calif. Group Show, Gallery Whitt-Krausse, San Diego, Calif. One Man Show, Galerie Lassen, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii Joseph creates sculptures for “Gumps” catalog |
2001Group Show, Gallery Whitt-Krause Gallery, San Diego, Calif.
One Man Show, Theresa Belle Gallery, Cambria, CA Group Show, Galerie Lassen, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada One Man Show, Galerie Lassen, Honolulu, Hawaii One Man Show, Galerie Lassen, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii Numerous Group Shows |
2002One Man Show, Off White Gallery, Avalon, CA
One Man Show, Galerie Lassen, Maui, HI One Man Show, Galerie Lassen, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada One Man Show, Theresa Belle Gallery, Cambria, CA One Man Show, Galerie Lassen, Honolulu, HI Group Show, Endangered Arts Ltd, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. |
2005One Man Show, Off White Gallery, Avalon, CA
One Man Show, Naples Registry Resort, Naples, Florida, with percentge of proceeds going to local environmental and sea turtle organizations. Numerous group shows Starts working with several charitable organizations including ARTS, Caribbean Conservation Corp and Amphibian Alliance, with donations contributed through MissionFish. Joseph is featured on the Outdoor Channel’s “Wildlife Art Gallery” |
2006One Man Show, Galerie Lassen, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV
Group Show, 2nd Annual ARTS A Reason To Survive Gala, benefiting youth facing adversities, including cancer, through art Group Show benefiting the Arts Council of the Temecula Valley. Wins “People’s Choice Award”. Joseph starts creating his “Endangered Species Series.” Joseph auctions his sculptures and t-shirts throughMissionFish, with 100% of the monies going to conservation charities including Sea Turtle Conservancy and Rainforst Alliance. |
2007Group Show, 3rd Annual ARTS A Reason To Survive Gala
One Man Show, Marcus Ashley Gallery, Lake Tahoe, CA Creates and sculpts the Archie Carr Award, the most prestigious award in sea turtles, to be presented to the person who has given the most to saving sea turtles around the world. Participates in online auction, benefiting the Rainforest Alliance, New York City, NY Joseph creates “Conserve, Educate, Participate” educational pamphlets to educate middle and high school kids and their parents on ideas for conservation. |
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Archie Carr Lifetime Achievement Award
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In 2007 the Caribbean Conservation Corporation asked Joseph Quillan to create and sculpt the "Archie carr Lifetime Achievement Award", the most prestigious award in sea turtle conservation. This award was created to honor people, who, like Archie Carr, had dedicated a substantial part of their lives to the cause of sea turtle conservation.
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