Joe was a student from 1946 to 1949, then became music faculty until summer 1953. He was a painter and collagist. He began teaching art at the college at the departure of Josef Albers.

Relationships

Marries two BMC students, Anne Furman Banks and Mary Falconer Fitton

Black Mountain College Project

Mary Emma Harris interviewed Joseph in 1998 and the transcript is available from Appalachian State University under The Mary Emma Harris and Black Mountain College Project, Inc. Oral History collection.

Topics: Hearing about BMC – service in Second World War – family background – 1946 summer session – Jean Varda – Jacob Lawrence – Greek party – Ilya Bolotowsky as teacher – student work at BMC – exhibitions in Cleveland – music study at BMC – Charlotte Schlesinger – Max Dehn – year in California – 1948 summer session – John Cage and Satie festival – Willem de Kooning class – painting windows for Tin Angel – appointment to teach art at BMC – post-Albers/Dreier transition and issues – refusal to renew appointment and issues involved – Paul Goodman conflict – participation in drama and music – Charles Olson – community changes in 1950s – cottage fire and loss of paintings – 1956 leave-of-absence and college closing – dead-cow debacle and Christmas Eve serenade

Courses Taken

Summer Art Institute 1946: Painting with Varda, Painting with Lawrence, Design with J. Albers, Sculpture with Scaravaglione and Amino

Fall 1946-1947: Drawing with Bolotowsky, Painting with Bolotowsky, Psychology-Social Issues with Wallen, Chorus with Schlesinger, Piano with Schlesinger, Intro to Music with Schlesinger, Harmony with Schlesinger

Spring 1946-1947: Painting with Bolotowsky, Drawing with Bolotowsky, Harmony with Schlesinger, A Capella with Lowinsky, Design and Art History Tutorial with Bolotowsky, Piano with Schlesinger

Summer Art Institute 1947: Painting with Bolotowsky, Drawing with Bolotowsky, Elementary Italian with Bartoli, Bach Keyboard Music with Bodky, Gothic to Romantic Art and Music (lectures) with Bell

Fall 1947-1948: Painting with Bolotowsky, Drawing with Bolotowsky, Advanced Music with Schlesinger, Chorus with Schlesinger, French with Goldowsky, Piano with Schlesinger

Spring 1947-1948: Drawing with Bolotowsky, Painting (tutorial) with Bolotowsky, Design with J. Albers, Music II with Schlesinger, Chorus with Schlesinger, Piano with Schlesinger

Summer 1948 Art Institute: Painting with DeKooning, Beethoven Sonatas with Bodky, 300 Years of Keyboard Music with Bodky

Summer 1949 Art Institute: Painting (tutorial)with Woelffer, Chorus with Matthen, Silkscreen with Jennerjahn (dropped)