Interior with no autonomy

Christian Century, August 28, 2002 by Joel Sheesley

JOEL SHEESLEY'S oil paintings reflect the suburban environment, juxtaposing human figures with backyard swimming pools, highway landscapes and home interiors. Art itself is sometimes part of the subject. Recently he has been painting scenes from the interior of his 1950s-era ranch home in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

"Interior with No Autonomy" was part of a spring 2002 exhibition at the Wood Street Gallery in Chicago. Of an earlier exhibition, G. Jurek Polanski wrote that Sheesley "draws his content from suburban life, and then proceeds to play with insight and subtle wit on the process of seeing both the real within the art and art within the real. And within the images, the artist's hand at times leaves dues and keys, a wink and a nod to the viewer." Sheesley has taught for many years in the art department at Wheaton College in Illinois.