Joseph Thiebes portland, oregon | art | science | philosophy | politics | food

About

Thiebes rhymes with phoebus.

Education

Joseph Thiebes has been an autodidact for most of his adulthood. He is now a student of physics at Portland Community College, a NASA National Community College Aerospace Scholar, and a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society.

Artistic Bio & Statement

Joseph Thiebes (rhymes with Phoebus) first began making digital art in about 1985 in Missoula, Montana. The early works of his childhood included digital art created with a simple graphical programming language on an Apple II. Over the course of the next nine years, he studied watercolor and geometry, photography and fractals, until at last in 1994 the digital medium caught up with him on the advent of Adobe Photoshop 2.5. This opened the door to many possibilities and the focus in Joseph's work in the early nineties is indicative of exploration and discovery, both artistically and spiritually.

In 1996-1997, there was a larger volume of work as Joseph began creating pieces that are more expressive of his visions, dreams, and life experiences, while incorporating the symbolism of his prior work. From 1996 to 2008, several thematic threads are apparent; among the most prominent are themes of esoteric symbolism, the shadow, and the feminine other.

"For a long time, I have approached my work as sculpture. Each piece will start as ten or thirty source images; some of my photography or drawings, some random clip-art or photo from the internet, or a random object placed on my scanner. I see things I like, and I add them to the pile. Then layering them, and altering each one so that they fit together. This is actually forming the stone of the sculpture analogy - the layers of images are the stone, and once I piece them together by applying effects, highlighting, rotating, stretching, blurring, sharpening, distorting, pixelating... then I begin to carve by removing the things which interfere with the image. I think of it as carving stone of my own making."

Since 2008, Joseph returned to his early interest in photography and has begun studying digital SLR. He has shown his art at exhibits in L.A., Barcelona, and his current city of Portland, Oregon.

Professional & Volunteer History

Joseph's professional focus has been in using technology to help businesses communicate, develop community, and ultimately market and support their products and services. He has developed technical documentation, trained employees and customers, assessed business needs, and innovated far-reaching and visionary solutions.

Joseph's volunteer work has been extensive and ongoing since 1989 and has included typesetting and editing periodical publications; video production and editing; treasury and bookkeeping; event planning, marketing, and execution; community leadership and executive responsibility; website design and marketing; graphic design; dramatic production, direction and performance; volunteer recruitment, training, and retention; and extensive online social network marketing.

Religious and Philosophical Contributions

Joseph is a Thelemite, Priest of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, and Initiator of Mysteria Mystica Maxima. He is former editor of Agapé and of Lion & Serpent, and a principal contributor to Thelemapedia. He is a founding co-producer and contributor for the monthly Speech in the Silence podcast and the creator of AC2012. He also co-edited and contributed to the proceedings book from NOTOCON VII.

Joseph has participated in hundreds of public dramatic rituals in the last two decades, in every aspect of such productions, from performance in solo ritual, to Eucharistic ceremony and initiatory rites, to directing and producing invocative performances with full lighting & live music, to promotion and support of dramatic ritual groups in other cities.

Joseph has spoken publicly on a variety of topics, from religion & esoteric philosophy to leadership & organizational development, in Portland and various other locations in the U.S. and abroad. He continues to create and offer presentations, workshops, and symposia on a regular basis, and speaks regularly at conferences.