Joel Fletcher developed his passion for painting as a young man in his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. He painted prolifically, envisioning a career in the fine arts or book illustration. However, he had another artistic obsession: stop-motion animation. For a while, he pursued both art forms - experimenting, learning, and improving.
Deciding that animation and filmmaking were the best paths forward, Joel moved to Los Angeles in 1985 to pursue his dreams. This began a successful 35-year career as an animator and visual effects artist, though the move sidelined his painting aspirations. Joel’s skills grew through hands-on experience and collaboration with some of the industry's finest directors and artists on feature films, television, and commercial projects. Career highlights included Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, Disney's Dinosaur, and Peter Jackson's King Kong. In addition to animating, Joel occasionally took on other artistic roles, such as sculpting, model making, and photography. Even so, he never offered his painting skills to clients. Painting remained his sacred fine art—intentionally preserved as a pure, personal form of creative expression.
In 2010, Joel vowed to focus on painting again and re-energize his skills with the brush. As of 2020, having balanced professional success with a lifelong passion for the fine arts, he now fully dedicates himself to his original love of traditional canvas painting.