Joe Villarreal

Raised in San Antonio, he started drawing at the age of three. In 1964 while in school, he entered his first art contest and won his first blue ribbon. He now has a total of eleven first place awards that he has received from art competitions. He took art classes in elementary, middle and high school. His first art show and exhibition was in 1969 at Trinity University. He then attended the “Warren Hunter School of art”. He then went to work as a graphics designer for Southwest Research Institute for the next twenty years. There he created cover art for technical publications, and brochures. In 1993 a work related injury forced him into semi-retirement a few years later. He says that it is a constant struggle, and sometimes it is very difficult for him to paint, but his love for art is what keeps him going. In over 40 years as an artist, he has painted portraits, sports art, landscapes, still life, western art, cultural art and contemporary southwest art. Among his many exhibit shows, he has had a one-man art show at the Joe Freeman Coliseum. He has given lectures at local schools, community organizations and most recently, the Edgewood Academy of Art. He stresses to the students in schools about confidence, self-esteem, and personal values as a key to success. He encourages the students to take advantage of what talents they may have and to develop them by constant practice!

In 2001, he gave a lecture in Rockford College in Illinois for a Cinco De Mayo celebration. He has had his paintings sold to collectors as far away as Japan, Germany, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, Italy, England and throughout the U.S. He currently has over 30 print editions of his work on the market. His cultural Hispanic prints are the most popular that people collect. Many of the editions are already sold out. Actors Jesse Borrego, Cheech Marin and Edward James Olmos own some of his artwork. Because the artist also paints sports art, some of the Dallas Cowboys and The San Antonio Spurs also have some of his work. He has been a member of the San Antonio Watercolor society, the Artist Alliance, the Art Cellar, and the famed River Art Group. He continues to make many donations year round and has helped over 50 benefactors which include schools, churches, non-profit organizations and fundraisers for people who were terminally ill. He has been selected “Artist of the Month” he also had profiles of him on both radio and television. Some of his paintings were part of the PBS special, “The Mexican Americans” that aired on August 2000. One of his paintings was converted into a cartoon image which was used on a national show titled “King of the Hill”. The president of UTSA, “Richard Romo” unveiled the painting titled “Las Canicas” at USAA, and reporter Bridgett Smith conducted a television profile about the artist and his art during the Hispanic Heritage Month.

Previous Board member: Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center
Previous Board member: Cultural Arts Board for the City of San Antonio
Previous Board member: United States Military Parade Association
Member of: San Antonio Living History Association
2002: Community Leader Award
2003: National Hispanic Artist Hall of Fame Nominee

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