Citizen Pride

BIO on ARTIST, JOE BARSIN

When you combine a passion for history, culture and community with a deep seeded pride in America and love of the natural world, you begin to understand what makes Joe Barsin’s illustrations so special. Living abroad in Europe during his formative years developed his understanding of an artist’s role in defining a community’s culture and history. Being an Eagle Scout developed his sense of community, patriotism and appreciation for the natural world. This unique alchemy of influences is reflected in the projects he’s worked on since branching out from the graphic design business he and his wife Eva built to create BarsinArt in 2010. His advocacy for the environment is reflected in his design of the Maryland “Treasure the Chesapeake” license plate featuring the heron and the Maryland blue crab. His appreciation of culture and the arts is evident when he volunteered to illustrate the banners and promotional materials for the first Annapolis Film Festival. Naval Academy illustrations. His understanding of history is captured in his 1812 print “By the Dawn’s Early Light” depicting the Constellation sailing past Fort McHenry with the 2012 skyline of Baltimore in the background. With Joe’s latest endeavor, “Citizen Pride” he has found a way to express these values with illustrations that capture the images, symbols and icons that connect all of us and the things that define what we love about our home. His Citizen Crab illustration is uniquely Maryland. The Citizen Terrapin is not only a nod to Maryland’s natural heritage but to our pride in the state’s University. The Citizen Raven is both a reflection of our beloved two-times Super Bowl champion and a representation of Maryland native Edgar Allen Poe’s famous work. Joe is a native of Akron, Ohio, who graduated from Kent State University with a degree in graphic design and made the Baltimore/Annapolis area his home in 1992. He and his wife Eva started their own design firm in 1998, JEB Design, Inc., and continue to work from home while raising their two boys, Robert and James.