Growing up in Southern California’s San Fernando Valley, Joseph Quillan’s memories of his childhood always focus around three things, nature, animals and art. He was blessed to grow up with a large pond behind his parents home, where he and the neighborhood kids would play. His first “artworks” were shaping the mud and grasses to look like the animals of the pond. Turtles, frogs, ducks and even the fish in the pond became the subjects of his budding sculpture career, and as that child, he never imagined his works to come would represent some of the most accomplished environmentalists, oceanographers, researchers and scientists of the day. I mean, he was just a kid you know, and there were Pollywogs to capture.
Intrigued with nature, animals and wildlife, Joseph took jobs at kennels, shelters, joined the American Cetacean Society to “save whales”, and even helped write an article for “Whalewatcher” magazine. By the age of 20, Joseph had attended the Gemological Institute of America for advanced jewelry design, creating custom jewelry, including his first series of turtles and frogs playing sports, selling them to his growing list of collectors. While displaying his jewelry and sculpture at a charity event at the Los Angeles Zoo, he met Betty White, who encouraged his passion for wildlife. In fact, Joseph was encouraged by many animal lovers and activists of the day he met, including Bob Barker, Susan Dey and Actors and Others for Animals president, Earl Holliman, who asked Joseph to display his artwork for their first benefit in Studio City, CA.
His love of California’s coast, especially the central coast, where whales, otters and sea lions could be seen as he sat on cliffs above the beach, were Joseph’s inspiration to create his marine life designs, whales and dolphins, soon winning his first award at the Catalina Festival of Art in 1982. In an emotional moment, Joseph was presented his award at the famous Wrigley Casino, where his parents had first met and danced together 50 years earlier.
In 1983, while on a visit to Hawaii, Joseph was invited to exhibit his sculptures at the two most prestigious fine art galleries on Maui. His first showing was with legendary painter George Sumner. 1983 was certainly a magical year for marine life art in Hawaii. Joseph had just met Wyland the previous year when Wyland acquired a 14 kt gold Sperm Whale and baby from Joseph at the Catalina Festival of Arts. Joseph and he became friends Wyland invited Joseph to Hawaii to show his sculptures with the foremost environmental artists of the day at Sea Life Park on the Island of Oahu.
Joseph was the first artist to display fine art bronzes of marine life in Hawaii. He joined painters George Sumner and Robert Lyn Nelson in pioneering the wave of artists to come. Their efforts not only spawned the marine life art movement, but put Hawaii on the map as one of the world’s foremost art centers. Joseph feels blessed that his friends, artists Wyland, Robert Lyn Nelson and Christian Lassen have all acquired his creations.
Over the next several years, Joseph would establish his artwork through many prestigious awards, including the Mystic International Award for Excellence, several Best of Shows in juried outdoor festivals, the Beverly Hills Affair in the Gardens, Catalina Invitational and the Brentwood Festival of Arts. His artwork can be seen in dozens of fine art galleries in the United States and internationally, while his monumental works can be seen on both the East and West coast. Joseph is the creator of the prestigious Archie Carr Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to individuals who have given a majority of their lives to sea turtle preservation and research, as well as the sculptor of the Blue Ocean Film Festival “Legacy Award”, presented to notable filmographers, oceanographers and environmentalists.
On a more personal note, Joseph comes from a family of talented artists. His Father, John Quillan, was a comedy writer for several radio and television shows of the 1950’s. His scripts are permanently archived at the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television. Joseph’s mother, Anita Thompson Quillan, was a dancer featured in many Hollywood movies of the 1930’s, including “Gold Diggers of 1933“. His Uncle Eddie Quillan starred in over 60 motion pictures, with credits including “The Grapes of Wrath” and “Young Mr Lincoln” with Henry Fonda, “Mutiny on the Bounty” with Clark Gable, and “Brigadoon”. All twelve of Joseph’s aunts and uncles have appeared in movies in different roles. His Uncle Joe was a Broadway playwright who also wrote the 1950’s television comedy, “Our Miss Brooks”, as well as several movies starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, while his sister Barbara starred in the original 1936 version of “Swiss Family Robinson” at the age of three.