E15: Breaking Chains of Shame: Religion, Creativity, and Community with Artist Joey Brock

Summary

Joey Brock, a queer mixed-media artist with a background in corporate America and fashion merchandising, shares his poignant journey embracing self-love and identity through his evocative portrait work. From confronting religious shame to celebrating queer bodies as sacred, Joey blends photography, stitching, and mylar overlays to create layered, powerful narratives that uplift marginalized voices and challenge societal norms.

Keywords

• Joey Brock
• Queer Art
• Mixed Media
• Religious Shame
• Portrait Photography
• Mylar Art
• Self-Love
• American South Queer Artists
• Textile Art
• LGBTQ+ Community

Takeaways

• Joey’s experience in corporate America honed skills like focus, time management, and networking that positively influence his career as an independent artist.
• Growing up in a Primitive Baptist family in Texas shaped his early relationship with religious shame and queer identity but also inspired his critique of religious hypocrisy toward the LGBTQ+ community.
• The "Heavenly Bodies" project reclaims queer bodies as divine, using hyper-stylized photos combined with fabric overlays to evoke spirituality and beauty.
• Joey’s use of materials such as mylar and hand stitching creates multi-layered architectural artworks that explore visibility, presence, and vulnerability.
• His shift from abstraction to portraiture, inspired by artists like Robert Mapplethorpe, allowed him to confront body image and identity in raw, honest ways.
• Joey’s broader social practice projects include interviews and portraits addressing discrimination across race, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and body types, highlighting shared human pain and resilience.
• He consciously balances commercial and conceptual work, maintaining a recognizable style while addressing critical social issues.
• Joey emphasizes the importance of self-love for queer artists, encouraging individuals to release toxic relationships, including family, and prioritize chosen family.
• His artistic legacy aspires to uplift communities, be innovative, and challenge viewers to reconsider love, identity, and acceptance.
• The lightning round reveals Joey's humor, humility, and personal taste, from disliking loud mufflers to admiring Buddhist chants and the value of “quiet the noise” as a personal and artistic mantra.

Chapters

• 00:00 – Introductions and background in corporate and art worlds
• 02:20 – Religious upbringing and its influence on identity and art
• 05:10 – Genesis of portraiture and self-portrait work
• 07:30 – “Heavenly Bodies” project and reclaiming queer divinity
• 15:40 – Fashion merchandising roots and textile techniques
• 18:00 – The technical and mixed media aspects of Joey’s work
• 23:30 – Blending personal, political, and social themes in art
• 27:00 – Handling discrimination and backlash as a queer artist
• 30:10 – Portrait subjects and community celebration
• 32:20 – Definitions of success and artistic legacy
• 36:10 – Advice for young queer artists on self-love and acceptance
• 39:10 – Quick fire: personal favorites and artistic inspirations
• 44:00 – Closing thoughts and future connections

Guest Website and Socials

• Joey Brock Official Website
• Instagram @joeybrockart
• Facebook: Joey Brock Art
• BlueSky @joeybrockart.bsky.social

Art in the Raw — Show Links

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• Newsletter on Substack
• Twitter @artintherawpod
• Instagram @artintherawpodcast
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Spotify

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