Joseph Crocifisso was born and raised in Great Falls, Montana, where he graduated from Great Falls High School in 1965. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in art from Montana State University in 1969, then went on to receive a Masters of Fine Arts from the University California, Chico in 1973. He studied with Terry Jo (Potter) Melvin, Don Walters, Bob DeWeese and Kyle Hanton while in Bozeman and Ken Morrow and Sal Casa in California. Together they influenced the way he approached art for the next 35 years.
Joe retired from the State of Montana after 30 years of service. Then he built a studio on his property and continued his quest for the perfect artistic life. After reading a couple books by Kevin MacPherson, he started painting with a limited pallet and working in the French style of small (pochade) outdoor scenes (en plein air) to capture the natural light and the effects of weather. He’s inspired by the Montana landscape: it's mountains, the changing seasons, the wildlife and the people.
“With each sunrise, the day is new and different and I find myself filled with wonder and self-amazement when I capture the essence of the moment on canvas or paper. I look back at finished works and am still surprised that I actually accomplished an effect, or captured an image. Even at my age, each new canvas continues to be a new adventure.”