This is the credo that has guided Joseph LaPierre throughout his journey as a artist. LaPierre was born in New Hampshire and received his formal art education at the New England School of Art and the Boston Museum School of Art. As a veteran of the Vietnam war, he developed skills painting murals for the United States Army. Later, he worked as an art director for several corporations throughout the country and also performed as a singer songwriter. As a painter, LaPierre has developed a style that can ultimately be characterized as cheerful, lighthearted and optimistic. Through the use of a palette knife and thick full bodied paints he is able to keep his paintings very loose and bright. In addition to the strong technical element found in his compositions, there is also a very powerful emotive element in LaPierre's work; one which conveys a carefree atmosphere which draws the viewer into the depicted scene.