Joe Mustachia – Bio

Joe Mustachia is the American South's leading drip painter— full stop. His work is bold, instantly recognizable, and rooted in the soul of the region. Born in New Orleans, Joe’s path to the canvas wasn’t linear. He first studied art at the University of New Orleans in the late 1980s but stepped away to build a successful landscaping business and raise a family. Decades later, a simple pencil sketch of the family dog awakened a passion for creating art — and he hasn’t stopped painting since. He became a full time artist at the age of 53.

In the years since, Joe has created a unique visual language that blends representational Southern imagery with an explosive, painterly drip  and splatter technique that’s all his own. It’s paint-slinging with a purpose. It's dripping with color. His red beans are iconic. His streetcars feel like they’re poised to roar off the canvas. His portraits of everyday New Orleans moments are both nostalgic and electric.

Joe’s career has been a meteoric rise, a testament to the strength of the work and the singularity of his artistic voice. He was commissioned to create the official poster and medal for the 2025 Crescent City Classic, and was commissioned to create the celebratory image of Washington Mardi Gras in 2022 — two of the state’s highest-profile honors for an artist. He’s also created original artwork for two Louisiana Governors, and his paintings now hang in the Governor’s Suite at the Superdome, a fitting home for work that celebrates the spirit of the state on its biggest stage.

Today, his large scale works are in important collections around the world. Whether it’s a Roman Candy cart, a shotgun house, or a can of red beans, Joe has a way of turning the familiar into something unforgettable.

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Artist Statement

I paint what I love — Louisiana, and the stories that make this place home.

Everything I do starts with a feeling. It might be a memory, a smell, a moment — and I throw that onto the canvas, sometimes literally. My drip technique lets me layer motion and meaning. It’s a bit order and a bit chaos, exaggerated and spontaneous, and alive with movement and color. But it’s real. I’m not chasing perfection — I’m chasing truth, place, soul, and collective memory.

My signature drip style, slinging, dripping, and throwing acrylic paint across the canvas is built in layers until an image starts to come together. It may seem chaotic, but it clicks. That’s how I’ve built a career painting the South as I see it — vibrant, layered, and full of life.

At the end of the day, I just want my work to make people feel something. To remember a walk through the Quarter. A meal with loved ones at the table. A breeze off the river. This is my love letter to Louisiana — and I’m still writing it.

-Joe