Joe Vaux is the offspring of two talented artists. In addition to painting, he keeps busy with his day job as a director on the very popular TV show “Family Guy”. In fact, you can see Joe’s artwork featured in a recent episode of Family Guy, check out this clip from a recent episode to see Joe Vaux’s artwork in the backgrounds and spliced into the characters of Family Guy as Brian has a bad trip.
1xRun Thru Interview
Two Weeks by Joe Vaux
1xRun: Tell us a little bit about this piece, when was it created?
Joe Vaux: Gamers might recognize some of the characters in the composition. The work was inspired by the games of Blizzard Entertainment. (Makers of World of Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo) Also, “Two Weeks” was selected to be in the most recent edition of Spectrum. I believe it was book 19. Like most of my other work, I created this painting with acrylic on wood panel. This was a commission piece that I completed this painting over the summer months of 2011.
1xRun: Tell us how the idea and execution came about?
Joe Vaux: In this case, I was given tons of reference and ideas to incorporate in the work. The challenge was picking a choosing my key figures and sorting out the composition. My work tends to be busy but gets that way from stream of conscious. This work needed to be more planned in the sketch stage.
1xRun: Why should people buy this print?
Joe Vaux: People should only buy this work if they like it.
1xRun: Describe the piece in one gut reaction word.
Joe Vaux: Pressure!
1xRun: When did you first start making art? What was your first piece?
Joe Vaux: I always enjoyed drawing and building, but I didn’t start taking art seriously until I was sixteen. This was when I knew that making art would be my life. Red 1. By that I mean this was my first work completed for gallery exhibition.
1xRun: What artists inspired you early on? What artists inspire you now?
Joe Vaux: Richard Vaux, Sandra Benny (My parents), H. Bosch, Frank Frazetta, Ralph Bakshi, Simon Bisley, Early Looney Tune and Disney Animation. Currently it has been Nathan Spoor, Mark Covell, Peter Shin, Dominic Bianchi, and anyone else who makes sweet stuff.
1xRun: Do you listen to music while you work? If so what?
Joe Vaux: I need tunes to keep me going. Lately, I’ve been jamming to Foxy Shazam, Grizzly Bear, and Soundgarden’s King Animal.
1xRun: If you could collaborate with any living artist who would it be and why? Any deceased artist?
Joe Vaux: I think I’d still like to work with a quality film maker. I would love to work with Heironymous Bosch. That guy was a genius.
1xRun: What was the first piece of art that you bought? Do you still have it? The last?
Joe Vaux: I purchased a painting by my friend Tim Brock. It hangs proudly in my house. The last was a small piece by Travis Louie.
1xRun: What else have you been up to? What else do you have coming up?
Joe Vaux: Well, I’m swamped at Family Guy Directing an episode that I co-wrote with my pal Dom Bianchi. Also, starting to organize a bunch of early work into a sort of story book/biography. And, I always have some new paintings in the works.
1xRun: Where else can people find you?
Joe Vaux: – Website – Facebook – Twitter –
-1xRUN