is a Colombian-Puerto Rican American artist who was born and currently resides in Hartford, Connecticut. Although he lived and attended school in Newington, Connecticut, JOËL always felt a connection to Hartford via his dad’s family who lived in the South End of Hartford. JOËL holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s of Science in Organizational Leadership from Goodwin University. While at UConn, JOËL decided to learn French and eventually studied abroad in Paris in 2011. Even though he never pursued art in school, JOËL always looked to art as a source of inspiration and served as an escape from the general monotony of everyday life. In 2018, he began teaching himself photography and videography to amplify his passion for storytelling. JOËL is also an accomplished writer who has written clips for the Hartford Courant and other local publications.

In 2023, JOËL was selected to participate in the second cohort of the Artists of Color Accelerate (AOCA) Fellowship, a project of The 224 Ecospace (located at 224 Farmington Ave, Hartford, CT) where he was paired with TheaterWorks Hartford. He also received the Artists Respond grant from the Connecticut Office of the Arts to help fund this exhibition.

JOËL’s work combines his love of culture, art, and anthropology while seeking to build a connection within his community and the world.