Jo Paff
The artist is a retired United States Combat Marine. Prior to enlisting in the Marine Corps, he studied art at the University of Nebraska in Omaha, and trained with art teachers & mentors: Peter Hill and Sidney "Buzz" Buchanan. Fine Arts and Art History 1976-1980. In 2025 he was awarded the International Prize:
The New Great Masters New York/Dubai sponsored by the Effetto Arte Foundation in Italy. And also, the Leonardo Da Vinci Universalist Artist award in Milan. He won Best of Show from CEV ART GALLERY for their "Square Exhibition".
In 2007 Jo Paff obtained a Master's Degree in Business and Marketing from the University of Phoenix, and subsequently taught Marketing, Financial Planning, Management and Critical Thinking at the college level for 10 years.
Currently, he resides in New Mexico and enjoys contemporary hard-edge painting. The depth and feeling in hi paintings is a reflection of a brave and selfless heart, molded by his 20 years of Military service and sacrifice.
Your artistic journey has clearly been shaped by two profound experiences, formal art education and rigorous military service. How does your identity as a Marine Corps Combat veteran influence your conceptual approach and the psychological dimensions of your contemporary hard-edge paintings?
I painted and studied art before enlisting in the Marine Corps, and then returned to painting after completing 20 years of service. I did not paint during my time with the Marines. Perfection and attention to detail was ingrained in the Marine Corps, and we were taught "don't stop until you get it right".
Given your extensive academic background in both fine arts and business marketing, how do you navigate the tension between artistic authenticity and commercial viability within your practice?
You need to find your niche within the art market with three levels of buyers:
1) Art collectors
2) Buyers of art for their office buildings
3) Curators who purchase art for Museum collections
Your works are characterized by sharp precision and geometric intensity. In what ways do you consider your method of "hard-edge" painting a metaphor for discipline, control, or perhaps the regimentation of military life?
I think you need to create a work of art that catches the viewer's eye...... something that no one has ever seen.
Having received prestigious international recognitions such as the Leonardo da Vinci Universalist Artist Award and the International Prize: The New Great Masters, how do you balance external acknowledgement with internal creative exploration?
I don't paint for awards. I paint to inspire people. It is good to be recognized for my work and awards are an encouragement to me.
Could you elaborate on how your mentors, Peter Hill and Sidney "Buzz" Buchanan, specifically shaped your foundational perspectives on contemporary art, and how those lessons have endured through your military experience?
As art teachers, they encouraged students to create something (non-commercial) that had never yet been seen. Unlike portraits and landscapes which can be seen daily in life.
The notion of sacrifice is recurrent in descriptions of your work and your military background. How do you visually interpret and manifest themes of sacrifice, resilience, and bravery through abstraction in your paintings?
Creating a painting is not a sacrifice, rather it is a very enjoyable process. My courageous use of bold colors and color combinations is how I connect with the viewer.
Residing now in New Mexico, a place historically rich in artistic inspiration, does your geographical context inform your current artistic practice, and if so, how are these influences visually articulated?
New Mexico has not influenced my art. There is not much contemporary art here, rather the popular focus is on Southwestern motif. I am drawn more to contemporary inspiration of the Chicago and NYC MOMA. I am not a commercial artist, rather a private artist who creates amazing work to inspire the general public.
Your paintings exhibit emotional depth despite their geometric rigor. Can you describe your process for embedding emotional narrative within what might initially appear as purely formal visual structures?
All paintings are well thought out and a preliminary sketch is made. for each. The colors I use change monthly with my feelings. My use of bold color combinations connotes emotions. I do not paint on an easel as this allows me to walk around the flat canvas from all angles. The process of painting excites me.
Critical thinking and strategic management are central to your academic teaching experience. Do these intellectual frameworks explicitly influence your artistic methodologies, particularly in planning, composition, and execution of your artworks?
Each painting is critically planned out in a sketch. I use my heart and mind instead of emotions when composing a painting.
Reflecting upon your evolution from art student to honored contemporary artist, could you discuss the role of art as both personal catharsis and social commentary, and how you negotiate these dual aspects in your creative output today?
As an artist, I am continually learning. Jonathan (Rob) Hill published a book of his father's complete works of art (art teacher Peter Hill) which has greatly inspired me and re-connected me to my art student days. Painting is relaxing for me and the end process of connecting with viewers is most gratifying.