Terry Joshua is, in spite of the sophistication of his work, is entirely self-taught and only 24 years old.
He dates his earliest memory of creating art to exploring feelings he couldn’t articulate with words. Throughout his upbringing, he was immersed in poverty, often moving every couple of months to yearly. As a result, his art began to speak to and about his environment. By his teen years, Joshua had experienced various emotional and mental hardships that shaped his outlook on life. While being outspoken in high school and involved in art programs, he would not put a brush to canvas until he was 18, during his junior year in high school in Cleveland. Although this first painting was the catalyst to his career as a visual artist, it was not a decision he chose; he recalls being forced by his art teacher to, “paint or fail.” Not only did this painting earn the artist a passing grade, but sent him on a journey into self-discovery, trauma, and confidence in his life and artistic abilities. Joshua characterizes his painting as a “visual love letter” both to those who support him and to the people that have shaped him and his perspective.
In 2021 Terry Joshua had a one man show at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland.
