Elevating Print to an Art Form

I'm Joe Cox, founder of Joe Public Press. I'm a Huntington, West Virginia, native; doting girl dad; and dedicated addiction recovery activist. This business is my passion project and the culmination of many years of artmaking, goal setting, and boundary breaking.

JPP evolved from both a desire to give back to my community and to make art in a way that feels authentic. After studying printmaking at Marshall University, I officially embarked on my journey as an artist, using whatever was at my disposal to make art the way a printmaker would. Some of the different processes I have used (and still do) include letterpress, relief, linocut, woodcut, stenciling, monotype, and screen printing. 

Over the years, I noticed that the commercial market lacks the intimacy that makes art so special, so I started crafting a business built around specialty printing, with the unique twist of providing an immersive printing experience for the public. As technology has changed and printmaking has become more accessible, I felt compelled to go back to basics with machinery that reflects the artistry and history of printmaking. As I worked on my vision for JPP, I had the good fortune of becoming friends with Austin Jones, who I purchased my #2 Potter Proof Press from, and who serves as the current head of the printing exhibit at Heritage Farm.

For an artist from a small town in a struggling state, barriers were a natural part of my path. I was told my dreams were too lofty, advice I took with a grain of salt. I was up against intense competition for funding too, so I committed to researching and applying for grants, and I'm proud to say I was awarded the Professional Development for Individual Artists through the West Virginia Division of Arts, Culture and History.

As I look toward the future of JPP, I see more workshops and special events as well as more presses, including a portable press for live printing.

Thanks for visiting. I hope JPP will inspire you to visit my workshop and express yourself through art!