Last year, while visiting a friend on the East Coast, Joe noticed a series of Peter Beard photos, an African Elephant and other safari animals, with rustic old wood framing the images black and white images. He was interested in the way the gray patina colored wood complimented the black and white prints, and wanted, to at some point, emulate the look for his own work.

When it comes to his photography, Joe enjoys being involved in the whole process, “It's fun being hands-on from the dark room to framing.” For the past three years Joe has been building frames between trips and late at night in the work shop. He'd taken an adult education framing class for one semester at city college to get the basics, and has spent some time in San Fransisco hanging with friend and master frame builder Peter Kirkeby. “He showed me how to make basic clean shadow boxes out of maple.”


For the close at hand project “The Happening” Joe called Gunner Tautrim and John Bircham of Sea Born Designs, who are experts in framing and using recycled wood. Joe recalled the Beard photos and told the two craftsmen his ideas and the look he was going for. The beautiful wood they used came from an old redwood fence which once surrounded one of the Beach Boys Mesa property in Santa Barbara. The frames were completed just in time for the show. “It was a group effort--they were building and I was putting everything together. It's a good feeling knowing exactly where the finished product came from.”

To check out more of Joe's work go to www.joecurrenphotograpy.com “The Happening” will continue on to New York and Japan. Joe is also involved with the films “Thread” and “One California Day.” He recently signed on with a Local company, Simple and will have his photography on his own organic signature shoe. You will also see new sponsor Redsand on his boards.