American Painter (watercolor and oil), Printmaker (colored woodblocks), Sculptor, Illustrator, Muralist, Designer (stained glass, china, ceramics), and Art Educator

by Holly Gruendyke

Joseph Edward Knowles was born in Kendall, Montana, on June 15, 1907. He grew up in San Diego, California. At age twenty, two years before the beginning of the Great Depression, he moved north to another town on the coast of California---Santa Barbara. There he began studying fine art at the Santa Barbara School of the Arts* (1927-1930), under the supervision of Frank Morley Fletcher, previously director of the Edinburgh College of Art. Fletcher, who was trained in portraiture, landscape painting, and woodblock* printing, was a great influence on young Knowles. It was there that Knowles learned the art of color woodblock printmaking, a medium in which he showed great skill.

Not long after completing his studies with Fletcher, Knowles began teaching art. For a period of thirty years, from 1930 to1960, he taught at the Cate School in Carpinteria, California. In 1934-1935, Knowles traveled throughout Europe, further developing his artistic skills in England, France, and Italy. Upon his return, he continued to teach art at various schools and institutions: Cate School, Crane Country School, extension classes at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB), and at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA). Knowles also served as an art education consultant for the County of Santa Barbara. In addition, he was founding co-director and president of the Santa Barbara Fine Arts Institute (1969-1972), which later developed a specialization in photography and became the Brooks Institute of Photography. Knowles died at his home in Santa Barbara on September 8, 1980.

Much of Knowles' watercolor work is associated with what has been termed the "California School*," a loose grouping of artists throughout the state that included such figures as Millard Sheets, Phil Dike, Dong Kingman, George Post, and the Santa Barbara painters Dan Lutz and Standish Backus, Jr. The California School artists, including Knowles, were known for their fresh, direct, spontaneous style of watercolor painting. Knowles and other members of the school found inspiration in nature and the built environment alike, emphasizing elements of design in their exuberant, boldly stated, colorful scenes from everyday life. While painting in a representational* manner, Knowles generally avoided photographic realism, preferring subjective interpretation of his subjects. In this, as well as in his experimental approach and vigorous brushwork, he displayed a strongly modern sensibility.

Knowles often used the wet-on-wet watercolor technique as he painted seascapes and landscapes, mostly along the California coast. He also employed dry-brush* techniques in many of his paintings, often leaving some of the white of the watercolor paper exposed. Some of the latter depict trees and other forms in a broken and airy manner that recalls Cezanne.

Knowles' colored woodblock prints are more reserved and exact in their draftsmanship than his paintings. Spare, clean, lyrical lines are drawn to illustrate floral motifs and boat scenes with a touch of asymmetry conjuring Japanese woodblock prints. His murals from the post-World War II period are considerably more modern in their approach and show an emphasis on design and color.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
California Watercolor Society (1940 - 1955)
Santa Barbara Art Association (Vice President - 1952)

ONE-MAN EXHIBITIONS
Golden Gate International Exposition (GGIE) - San Francisco, California
San Diego Fine Arts Gallery (SDMA) - San Diego, California
Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) - Santa Barbara, California
Cowie Galleries - Los Angeles, California
Gallery de Silva - Santa Barbara, California
Bradley Galleries - Santa Barbara, California

MURALS
Westmont College - Ellen Porter Hall Mural - Santa Barbara, California
Safeway Grocery (now Vons Grocery on West Victoria Street) - Exterior Tile Mosaic -
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara Bank & Trust - Interior Mosaic Panels, Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara Girls Club - Interior Mosaic Mural - Santa Barbara, California
Ernest Righetti High School - Mosaic Mural - Santa Maria, California
Shell Oil Company - Mosaic Panel - California
Beckman Instruments, Corporate Headquarters - Mosaic - Fullerton, California

STAINED GLASS WINDOWS, WALLS and PANELS
Katherine Thayer Cate Memorial Chapel - Cate School, Carpinteria, California
William S. Porter Memorial Chapel - Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara, California
La Rinconada Building - Santa Barbara, California

ILLUSTRATIONS
"California's Wonderful Corner: True Stories for Children from the History of the Santa Barbara Region," by Walter A. Tompkins (1962 & 1975)

China Designs:
Two sets of dinnerware for Winfield China, Inc., Santa Monica, CA

PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
Denver Art Museum - Denver, Colorado
Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) - Santa Barbara, California
San Diego Fine Arts Gallery (SDMA) - San Diego, California

Written and submitted August 2004 by Holly Gruendyke, art scholar.

* For more in-depth information about these terms and others, see AskART.com Glossary: http://www.askart.com/AskART/lists/Art_Definition.aspx

Joseph Knowles (1907-1980) born: Kendall, MT; Studied: Santa Barbara School of the Arts*; Member: California Watercolor Society*.

Joseph Knowles grew up in San Diego. When Knowles was twenty years old, he moved to Santa Barbara and studied art with Frank Morley Fletcher. He then traveled to Italy, France and England where he continued his art education.

In the 1930s, he returned to Santa Barbara, established himself as a fine art painter and designer, and began exhibiting his watercolor paintings. For many years, he taught art at the University of California, Santa Barbara and served as a president and co-director of the fine arts department at the Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara. He was also an accomplished oil painter, printmaker, designer and muralist, and did several large stained glass windows for public and private buildings.

Biographical information:
Studio 2 Gallery, Santa Barbara, 1985.

Biography courtesy of California Watercolors 1850-1970,
©2002 Hillcrest Press, Inc.

CaliforniaWatercolor.com

Painter, sculptor, illustrator, muralist, stained glass designer. Born in Kendall, MT on June 15, 1907. At age 20 Knowles moved to Santa Barbara, CA where he began art studies at the School of Arts under Frank M. Fletcher. After further study in Europe (1934-35), he taught at UC Extension in Santa Barbara and served as art consultant for the county schools. He was the founding co-director of the Santa Barbara Fine Arts Institute (later known as Brooks Institute). Knowles died at his home in Santa Barbara on Sept. 8, 1980. Member: Calif. WC Society; Santa Barbara AA (pres.). Exh: San Diego FA Gallery (solo); CPLH; De Young Museum; Santa Barbara Museum; Rotunda Gallery (SF); GGIE, 1939. In: Santa Barbara Girls Club; Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. lnvw; CSL; Santa Barbara News Press, 9-10-1980 (obit).