Joel Baxter is a Fort Lauderdale-based artist who originally called San Francisco home. He kicked off his painting journey back in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. Before art took over, he was working in the medical field and studied Biology and Art History in college. Over time, he drifted into creative work through interior design, photography, and the performing arts—and eventually found his groove in painting.

“I started painting with stir sticks and kitchen utensils,” Joel says. His first pieces didn’t even involve brushes—not because he was being edgy, but because he literally didn’t have any and didn’t know how to use them beyond painting walls. A few dozen pieces later, his raw, Pollock-inspired style started catching the attention of collectors. That pushed him to experiment with other influences like Warhol, Miro, Kandinsky, De Kooning, and those funky Mid-Century “Atomic Cats.”

These days, Joel’s got a diverse body of work, mostly in the realm of contemporary abstract and surrealism. He loves working on wood and finishing pieces in glossy resin. That combo eventually led to his table series—art you can actually use—like coffee tables, side tables, and entryway pieces that double as conversation starters.

His art has made its way into homes and offices from NorCal to Palm Springs, Chicago, Ohio, Upstate New York, Virginia, the Carolinas, and all across Florida.

Take a look, enjoy the ride, and hey—“remember what the dormouse said... feed your head.”

See more of Joels work here: https://www.instagram.com/joelbaxterart/