Janet Gwendolyn Smith Art

Joseph Steven Valencia

Joseph Steven Valencia was born in Inglewood, California 1952. His father was Joseph Valencia, Navajo and Cherokee decent and mother, Elidia Valenzuela, Yaqui decent. He has remained a lifelong native of Southern California.

J. S. Valencia was drawing before five. The first picture he painted was of Christopher Columbus's sailing ships. Watercolor and acrylic are his favorite medium on just about any surface. The colors of his palette are southwestern and influenced by his native desert home. He painted his first mural in grade school a 4'x 8' of the local water company.

Valencia's early drawing instructor was Shirley Boyington. In 1970 Valencia was recognized as the "Artist of the Year". He attended college at El Camino College in Gardena, CA where he studied art. After this formal education his pursuit of the arts was mainly self-taught leading him to silk screening and ceramic tiles.
Valencia's traveled extensively in the 1970s surfing and painting while traveling to Hawaii, Mexico, the west coast and other southwestern states. His enjoyment of surfing and fishing provide him with the opportunity to paint beautiful places.

Valencia was on the Board of Directors for the Victor Valley Museum in California in 1985. He was the art director and a principal of "The Art Tile West" in the 1990s. This is where he established his international reputation for his ceramic tile murals. One of his murals is on permanent display in Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka, Russia.

Valencia's art traveled with exhibits of Diego Rivera at the Con Lel Corazon n en Mexico Collective art exhibit Mexico and ethic collection with Mexican influence at
Walter Library in San Diego in 1990. This exhibition of art is still touring and at the San Bernardino Mexican Consulate. His art and tile work has shown in national and international exhibitions from San Diego, Mexico City, Nairobi to Russia.

Valencia created a ceramic piece for the first historic exchange in 1993 between the United States and newly organized Russian Republic since reformation. It was exhibited in many cities with over 30 artists participating. Edward Carson Beall, AIA, orchestrated this juried exhibition and exchange. Valencia received letters of thanks and acknowledgement from senators and other dignitaries worldwide.

Valencia's art has been exhibited and sold by the following galleries: A. Albert Allen Fine Art Gallery in Palm Desert, California. Gallery West in Apple Valley, CA. Minus One Gallery in Torrance California, Rogers Art and Framing in Hesperia California, Adeline Gallery in Hesperia, CA, Graphics Gallery in Victorville, CA, Tribal Treasures in Victorville, CA, Verona International Gallery in Palm Springs, CA, Melrose Gallery in Los Angeles, California, Buffalo Trading Post in Apple Valley California.

Valencia is community minded and serves as a board member for Apple Valley Teen Center. Valencia's workshops at public schools are designed to inspire the children to be creative. In 2003 his workshops included Los Coyotes in La Palma, California and Vista Del Sol in Victorville, California middle school students.
Valencia loves to paint with his six-year-old granddaughter Haley named after the comet. She is developing her portfolio of art. When Grandfather Valencia tries to assist her with her art she says "Grandpa I love you, but do not touch my work."

The creative process continues with three generations of Valencia's.

Personal interview with the artist.
Copyright 2004-2023 Janet Gwendolyn Smith
Copyright 2004-2024 Janet Gwendolyn Smith Art
All artwork is copyright of the respective owner or artist