Born in 1951 of Corsican Italian heritage, Joseph Vilella has become an emerging force in modern art by creating vibrant yet technically complex pieces that have greatly appealed to a strong following of art collectors. Due to their intrinsic aesthetic quality, his pieces have been compared to the works of the old masters of modern art. This is the result of his mastery of color composition in conjunction with the execution of exceptional freehand geometric forms that many times defy belief and inspire awe amongst those who view them. His acrylic on canvas works and aluminum sculptures are vibrant, positive and rich in color bringing a powerful appeal to the senses and expressing his constant optimism for life.

The real breakthrough in his artistic career happened when after years of external and introspective search, Vilella was able to understand and fully internalize the complex paradox that defines the essence of modern art. That true modern art is not about meaning and training, it is about feeling. It is about expressing your inner-self and being able to make your pieces captivate the senses and feelings of your viewing audience. “I came to the realization that the talent to be a modern art painter is a gift, not an acquired skill. I either had it or I didn’t and no amount of training was going to make a difference! This thought was liberating because it left it up to me to be able to produce meaningful and beautiful works and it would be up to my audience to decide whether that was or was not the case. Thankfully, through the years my art has been greatly appreciated and purchased by a wide spectrum of collectors.”  

There is another facet that all of those that have collected Vilella’s art fully appreciate and that is the outstanding value that their pieces have acquired in a very short period of time.  This is due to the artistic merit of his pieces in conjunction with their uniqueness and scarcity. “The rate of value appreciation of my art is of prime importance to me because I feel a deep sense of responsibility for my collectors and the investment they have made by purchasing my works. That is why I don’t make full size reproductions of my paintings and I don’t paint large quantities of them either. My collectors know that they have ‘one of a kind’ pieces and there is a sense of satisfaction in that uniqueness. It is also reassuring for them to know that because of my focus on technical complexity, my pieces are scarce. I truly believe that quality is paramount and should dictate the quantity of art produced. In my case this means typically producing two or maybe three pieces per year. And as long as those pieces appeal to the senses and produce happiness and admiration in those who view them, I feel I’m accomplishing my mission and giving them my best.”  

And it is with that strong sense of direction and purpose that Joseph Vilella continues to produces pieces of modern art that catch the eye and lift the spirit. He has also designed selected pieces of modern furniture and has carried his work to stained glass.

Summary of Artistic Accomplishments

Solo Expositions 
2003- Vectron,Inc., San Diego, CA
2004- Vectron, Inc., San Diego, CA
2005- CJ Gallery, Downtown, San Diego, CA
2006- Hallmark Galleries, La Jolla, CA
2007- Timmons Galleries, Rancho Santa Fe, CA  

Group Expositions
2004 - Gallerie D’art International – Del Mar, CA
2005 - Gallerie D’art International – Del Mar, CA
2006 - CJ Gallery, Downtown, San Diego 

Auctions
2004 - Gallerie D’art International – Del Mar, CA
2005 - Gallerie D’art International – Del Mar, CA
2006 – STA Special Event Auction – San Diego, CA 

Year-Around Viewings
2000 to 2004 - Vectron, Inc., San Diego, CA
2001 to Present - Blanchard, Krasner and French, LLP., La Jolla, CA
2005 to Present - Scripps Hospital, La Jolla, CA
2005 to Present - SAIC Corporation, San Diego, CA 

Selected Uses of the Art
2004 – National Promotion of Top Commercial Furniture Company, Kimball, Inc.
2004, 2005 - Promotion of the Printmaker.Net
2005 – April and May at Residence Featured on Dream Homes 

Works in Major Private Collections
The Eugene and Janice Ephron Collection – Vista, CA
The Moore Family Collection, Manhattan, New York City
The Victor Marin Collection – San Juan, Puerto Rico
The Scripps Hospital Collection, San Diego, CA

Private Owner and their Original Pieces

Floating Cubes, Origins - Mr. Robert Blanchard, Blanchard, Krasner and French, La Jolla, CA
Evolution - Mrs. Louarn Fleet, Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Oops!, In Eugene’s Memory, Majestic, Happiness – Mrs. Janice Ephron, Vista, CA
Pure Geo-Composition 4 – MR. Robert Beard, Vista, CA
One, Three Flowers – The Moore Collection, Manhattan, NYC
Spirals in Black – Mr. Victor Marin, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Avant-Garde (Sculpture) – Mrs. Janice Ephron & Mr. Robert Beard, Vista, CA
Gifts - Dr. & Mrs. Scott Barttelbort, Del Mar, CA
Semi Geo-Composition 4 – Mrs. Leigh Timmons, Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Shapes (Sculpture) – Mr. Paul Ephron, M.D., Pensacola, FL
Never Ending Love, Flowers Vase, Flower in Pink – Ms. Beatrice Lombardo, San Diego, CA
Sunshine – Scripps Hospital, La Jolla, CA
Pure Geo-Composition 1 – Private Collector, Scripps Ranch, CA
Blocks and Squiggles – Ms. Nickie Smith, San Diego, CA
Cubes and Rays in Stained Glass – Mr. Vinizio Corral, Chula Vista, CA
Life’s Symphony – Mrs. Elvira Lluch, La Mesa, CA
Flowers of Happiness – Mr. Vernon Yates, Del Mar, CA
Pink Dreams – Ms. Selma Alameri, San Diego, CA
Swirly Squares – Ms. Melanie Skiff, Phoenix, AZ
Streamers in Blue, Center – Mr. Blake Bowling, Del Mar, CA
Waves of Blue – Mrs. Colette Rickon, San Diego, CA
Springtime – Private Collector – San Diego, CA
Tones of Pink  – Private Collector – San Juan, Puerto Rico
Flowers of Joy – Ms. Julie Wong – San Diego, CA
Color Flares, Flower in Green, Flower Pot – Mr. & Mrs. Pierre Vilella – San Diego, CA
Color Flashes, Flower in Blue  – Mr. & Mrs. Shahriar Paksima – San Diego, CA
Solarays – Dr. & Mrs. Michael Sporty – Los Angeles, CA
Strength – Mrs. Anna Bjarnson-Carson – San Diego, CA

Details Related to Vilella’s Works of Art

The works of art of Joseph Vilella are geared towards the aspiring and the seasoned collector. The effort and care to detail he devotes to creating his works, the quality of his exposition venues, the limited availability of his works and the curatorial strength of his supporters play a fundamental role to provide the desired collector value as a function of time.   

In order to enhance collector value and focus on the unique quality of his work, Vilella paints a very limited amount of pieces of art each year. His originals are and will continue to be “one of a kind” works of art that will not be reproduced in their full size. The artist provides limited framed digital  reproductions for personal reasons or special occasions. They are not for sale to the public and they are reproduced in less than half of their size and museum quality mounted to his exacting specifications. His sculptures are not reproduced in their original size. They can be reproduced up to three times in their lifetime in scaled-up proportions of different sizes, the same size will never be reproduced. Such is the respect, commitment and dedication of this artist to his collectors.