AGAWAM – Each month the Agawam Community Artists and Artisans spotlights one of its members. This month, the spotlight on art is on Artist Joseph Burger.

Burger was born and raised in Buffalo, NY, and now resides in Broad Brook, CT. As a kid, he loved to draw airplanes. He would paint 9-foot-long airplanes on his dad’s basement wall. One of his favorite things to do as a kid was to take his bike to the airport, sit in the grass and watch the airplanes go by. At the time, he believed he would one day be a pilot.

He earned his bachelor’s in engineering science from the University of Detroit in 1967 and later worked in aerospace from 1967-1971. He moved to Combustion Engineering’s nuclear power division where he acted as a technical lead and served in project management and line management roles and worked on jet engine starters and did a lot of drawing and designing until retiring in 2009. He stated that all during his engineering career, it was always a good day when drawing was required to get a point across.

“As an engineer, I was a problem solver all my life, and now as an artist I look at the world in a whole different way. I’m always looking for the beauty or the shadows or contrast in a different way than I ever did before, so I’m really happy to be a participant in this alley,” Burger said.  

He didn’t start watercolor painting until after he retired at 65, where he started off using colored pencils beginning with a series of classic aircraft, later expanding to watercolor and pastel mediums after he took classes.

His preferred medium is watercolor, and his works are generally in the traditional realistic style. Burger has won numerous awards in local exhibits, including two Best in Show awards and two First Place in Watercolor awards in the last few years, the most recent being First Place in Watercolor in the East Granby Public Library’s 2021 Art Exhibit. He is an active member of several art organizations including the Tobacco Valley Artists Association, the Arts of Tolland, Agawam Community Artists and Artisans, and Academic Artists Association. He has conducted workshops on understanding perspective, reflections, shadows, and the like, to help other artists on the road to better paintings.

His favorite painting is Frog Hollow Pond, which won first place in a Watercolor Awards and from there was purchased.

“Because of the hobby, participation in art classes, and teaching, I have met some of the nicest people, so it has been a great endeavor,” Burger said.     

Beginning in 2021, he will serve as an instructor for Painting in Watercolor for Arts Center East in Vernon, CT. His works can be seen online at joseph-burger.pixels.com or at his home in Broad Brook, CT. You can contact Burger via email at JoeBurger07@gmail.com

The Agawam Community Artists and Artisans organization currently has over 70 artists and are looking for more members to join. Membership is $20 annually. For further information about Spotlight on Art contact Ceil Rossi 207-1247 or email tocarefree2@hotmail.com.