Joel Iskowitz
Encyclopedia
Joel Iskowitz is an American
designer, book illustrator, print artist and stamp, coin and medal designer. From an initial interest in medical illustration, this graphic artist has branched to other fields. He specializes in highly realistic art resulting from extensive research to make his designs as accurate as possible. His philatelic (stamp) designs, he once said, "must be super accurate and well documented, for if you get so much as an animal's tuft of fur out of place on a philatelic design you will hear from someone critical of your design." Among his coin designs are the reverse of the 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial penny (3rd of 4: Professional Life in Illinois), 2008 Arizona State Quarter and 2009 District of Columbia Quarter.
in 1964. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Hunter College
in 1968, and attended a summer session on a scholarship at Yale
his junior year. He enrolled in several other fine arts courses, but found the instructors were more interested in abstract art rather that the traditional, realistic art he wanted to pursue. He eventually took a teaching course, allowing him to teach in New York City schools as a substitute teacher in math and art from 1970 to 1977.
After a year on the West Coast as a portrait artist in San Francisco, he returned to New York City to work in the music industry designing album covers. He found illustration work submitting freelance line drawings which were visual reviews of new albums to the rock music publication, Changes. This led to book and cover illustrations for young adult and romance books; though highly realistic, he called these historical romances "glorified Hollywood clinch scenes."
Each of these required that extra research effort, frequenting the New York Public Library as well as the scientific and historical archives. A bibliophile, Iskowitz also claims "Many hours were happily spent searching through the miles of books at Strand book store in lower Manhattan."
In 2005 he applied for the United States Mint Artist Infusion Program, applying on the last day, and won immediate acceptance, with which he is still associated. While working with the U.S. Mint, his 18 designs have been accepted for new coins and medals.
Iskowitz's work has been featured in many international journals; including profiles of his numismatic and philatelic art in COINage Magazine; Watercolor Magazine American, American Artist Magazine, Smithsonian Profiles; and his murals have been featured in Exhibit Builder Magazine.
Iskowitz also creates artwork commemorating significant historical events. His most recent effort, published in lithograph by Signature Art Medals, depicts the 1908 sitting of Theodore Roosevelt
for his obverse portrait on the Panama Canal Service Medal. Medalist Victor David Brenner
is shown sketching the president in preparation for his models. It is widely believed that while sitting for Brenner, Roosevelt saw one of Brenner's Lincoln plaques and was inspired to have Brenner design the new Lincoln Cent
, first released in 1909.
His experience at Hunter College with Ziemann and printmaking was formative in developing his "gravure" style which he employed in many of his stamp designs. His first philatelic (stamp) commission was to create a stamp series depicting endangered species sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund for Sierra Leone that featured a family of chimps.
Since that first stamp issue in 1977 his philatelic work continues to the present day, covering a wide variety of subject matter from flora and fauna to notable personages from heads of state to film stars. He has been noted for his work depicting the British Royal Family in commemorations, jubilees and festive occasions.
(USAF) artist, a number of his oils are in the USAF permanent collection.
His painting documenting D-Day events is represented in the permanent collection of the Historical Association of Carentan in Normandy, France. A recently completed mural which chronicles the history of aviation technology has been installed at Wright–Patterson AFB.
Iskowitz's most recent D-Day painting completed is "Filthy Thirteen", an oil painting depicting a paratroop unit called the Filthy Thirteen
, part of the 101st Airborne Division in Europe during World War II. Inclusion is this elite team meant parachuting behind enemy lines during the Allied retaking of Europe in 1944 in order to attack key targets. It has been suggested that this unit was the inspiration for "The Dirty Dozen", a movie depicting a similar military unit in World War II. The movie differs in many respects however; in the movie the team is selected from convicts.
Iskowitz has been invited twice to document Space Shuttle missions and his artwork is on permanent display at the NASA
Kennedy Space Center Museum.
The reverse design for the Dolley Madison First Spouse Gold Coin was created by Iskowitz and was displayed in the East Room of the White House
for the release ceremony which Iskowitz attended. His design for the District of Columbia quarter dollar reverse was displayed at the Smithsonian Institution
’s National Museum of American History
.
In September 2010 the U.S. Mint announced the designs for a series of commemorative coins to be issued in 2011 to honor the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Medal of Honor; the reverse side of the Gold coin was designed by Iskowitz.
His original design called for Lincoln to be "holding a rolled up piece of paper... as I imagined he might have held onto his words", but perhaps for "coinability" reasons - potential production difficulties - he was asked to remove the paper and the minted coin has Lincoln standing and gesticulating with one hand behind his back. Iskowitz said having his Lincoln penny design chosen is the "biggest honor" of his career.
The American Medallic Sculpture Association (AMSA)
The American Numismatic Association (ANA)
The American Numismatic Society (ANS)
Fédération Internationale de la Médaille d'Art (FIDEM)
Illustrators Partnership of America
New York Numismatic Club
Society of Illustrators
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
designer, book illustrator, print artist and stamp, coin and medal designer. From an initial interest in medical illustration, this graphic artist has branched to other fields. He specializes in highly realistic art resulting from extensive research to make his designs as accurate as possible. His philatelic (stamp) designs, he once said, "must be super accurate and well documented, for if you get so much as an animal's tuft of fur out of place on a philatelic design you will hear from someone critical of your design." Among his coin designs are the reverse of the 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial penny (3rd of 4: Professional Life in Illinois), 2008 Arizona State Quarter and 2009 District of Columbia Quarter.
Education and early career
Iskowitz graduated from New York's High School of Music and ArtFiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts is a high school specializing in teaching visual arts and performing arts, located near Lincoln Center and the Juilliard School in the Lincoln Center district of Manhattan, on Amsterdam Avenue...
in 1964. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
in 1968, and attended a summer session on a scholarship at Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
his junior year. He enrolled in several other fine arts courses, but found the instructors were more interested in abstract art rather that the traditional, realistic art he wanted to pursue. He eventually took a teaching course, allowing him to teach in New York City schools as a substitute teacher in math and art from 1970 to 1977.
After a year on the West Coast as a portrait artist in San Francisco, he returned to New York City to work in the music industry designing album covers. He found illustration work submitting freelance line drawings which were visual reviews of new albums to the rock music publication, Changes. This led to book and cover illustrations for young adult and romance books; though highly realistic, he called these historical romances "glorified Hollywood clinch scenes."
Transition to coins and medals
The research necessary to create believable period pieces helped prepare him for the exacting reference needed for his future philatelic and numismatic (coins and medals) works. He was exposed to etching and engraving while enrolled at Hunter College in 1964-1968, studying under Richard Claude Ziemann for whom he later served as an apprentice. This experience in printmaking was formative in developing his "gravure" style which he has used in many of his stamp and coin designs.Each of these required that extra research effort, frequenting the New York Public Library as well as the scientific and historical archives. A bibliophile, Iskowitz also claims "Many hours were happily spent searching through the miles of books at Strand book store in lower Manhattan."
In 2005 he applied for the United States Mint Artist Infusion Program, applying on the last day, and won immediate acceptance, with which he is still associated. While working with the U.S. Mint, his 18 designs have been accepted for new coins and medals.
Iskowitz's work has been featured in many international journals; including profiles of his numismatic and philatelic art in COINage Magazine; Watercolor Magazine American, American Artist Magazine, Smithsonian Profiles; and his murals have been featured in Exhibit Builder Magazine.
Corporate work
He has been awarded both bronze and silver medals for his corporate illustrations and grand-scale public art in Portfolios.com international competitions. Most recently his design for the American Numismatic Association’s Presidential Award won the 2008 silver medal in corporate illustration in the International Creative Shake competition.Iskowitz also creates artwork commemorating significant historical events. His most recent effort, published in lithograph by Signature Art Medals, depicts the 1908 sitting of Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
for his obverse portrait on the Panama Canal Service Medal. Medalist Victor David Brenner
Victor David Brenner
Victor David Brenner born as Viktoras Barnauskas was an Lithuanian-American sculptor, engraver, and medalist known primarily as the designer of the United States Lincoln Cent.-Biography:...
is shown sketching the president in preparation for his models. It is widely believed that while sitting for Brenner, Roosevelt saw one of Brenner's Lincoln plaques and was inspired to have Brenner design the new Lincoln Cent
Lincoln cent
Below are the mintage figures for the Lincoln penny-Mintage figures:Lincoln wheat cent, 1909-1958 Lincoln Memorial cent, 1959-1982 ...
, first released in 1909.
Philatelic work
Iskowitz has created over 2000 stamps for 40 separate nations. He has also received the National Oceanic and Philatelic Society citation for his contributions to Space Philately.His experience at Hunter College with Ziemann and printmaking was formative in developing his "gravure" style which he employed in many of his stamp designs. His first philatelic (stamp) commission was to create a stamp series depicting endangered species sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund for Sierra Leone that featured a family of chimps.
Since that first stamp issue in 1977 his philatelic work continues to the present day, covering a wide variety of subject matter from flora and fauna to notable personages from heads of state to film stars. He has been noted for his work depicting the British Royal Family in commemorations, jubilees and festive occasions.
United States Air Force and NASA artwork
As an active United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
(USAF) artist, a number of his oils are in the USAF permanent collection.
His painting documenting D-Day events is represented in the permanent collection of the Historical Association of Carentan in Normandy, France. A recently completed mural which chronicles the history of aviation technology has been installed at Wright–Patterson AFB.
Iskowitz's most recent D-Day painting completed is "Filthy Thirteen", an oil painting depicting a paratroop unit called the Filthy Thirteen
Filthy Thirteen
The Filthy Thirteen was the name given to a sub-unit of the regimental headquarters of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, of the United States Army, which fought in the European campaign in World War II. This unit was selected and trained to demolish enemy targets...
, part of the 101st Airborne Division in Europe during World War II. Inclusion is this elite team meant parachuting behind enemy lines during the Allied retaking of Europe in 1944 in order to attack key targets. It has been suggested that this unit was the inspiration for "The Dirty Dozen", a movie depicting a similar military unit in World War II. The movie differs in many respects however; in the movie the team is selected from convicts.
Iskowitz has been invited twice to document Space Shuttle missions and his artwork is on permanent display at the NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Kennedy Space Center Museum.
United States Mint work
Iskowitz has an extensive portfolio of designs which the U.S. Mint has produced into coins and medals. As of January 1, 2010, the mint has accepted 18 of his designs.The reverse design for the Dolley Madison First Spouse Gold Coin was created by Iskowitz and was displayed in the East Room of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
for the release ceremony which Iskowitz attended. His design for the District of Columbia quarter dollar reverse was displayed at the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
’s National Museum of American History
National Museum of American History
The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Among the items on display are the original Star-Spangled Banner and Archie Bunker's...
.
In September 2010 the U.S. Mint announced the designs for a series of commemorative coins to be issued in 2011 to honor the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Medal of Honor; the reverse side of the Gold coin was designed by Iskowitz.
2009 Lincoln bicentennial penny
Four new Lincoln pennies were released to honor the 2009 bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth. Iskowitz's design for the reverse of the "Professional Life in Illinois" 2009 Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Cent is displayed in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and the Lincoln home National Historic Site. Iskowitz was invited to speak there at the ceremony for the debut of the "Illinois" Lincoln Cent.His original design called for Lincoln to be "holding a rolled up piece of paper... as I imagined he might have held onto his words", but perhaps for "coinability" reasons - potential production difficulties - he was asked to remove the paper and the minted coin has Lincoln standing and gesticulating with one hand behind his back. Iskowitz said having his Lincoln penny design chosen is the "biggest honor" of his career.
Design portfolio
- 2011 American Eagle Platinum reverse.
- 2011 Medal of Honor Commemorative Gold Coin reverse
- 2010 First Spouse Mary Todd Lincoln reverse
- 2010 WASP Congressional Medal
- 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial Cent reverse, "Professional Life in Illinois" (3rd aspect)
- 2009 First Spouse Julia Tyler reverse
- 2009 First Spouse Julia Tyler obverse
- 2009 District of Columbia Quarter reverse
- 2009 Louis Braille Commemorative Silver obverse
- 2008 American Eagle Platinum reverse (Judicial Branch)
- 2008 Presidential $1 Andrew Jackson obverse
- 2008 Presidential $1 Martin Van Buren obverse
- 2008 First Spouse Elizabeth Monroe obverse
- 2008 Bald Eagle Commemorative Silver Dollar obverse
- 2008 Arizona Quarter reverse
- 2007 First Spouse Dolley Madison reverse
- 2007 Presidential $1 John Adams obverse
- 2007 Presidential $1 James Madison obverse
- 2006 American Eagle Platinum (Legislative Branch) reverse
Affiliations
The Abraham Lincoln Association (honorary)The American Medallic Sculpture Association (AMSA)
The American Numismatic Association (ANA)
The American Numismatic Society (ANS)
Fédération Internationale de la Médaille d'Art (FIDEM)
Illustrators Partnership of America
New York Numismatic Club
Society of Illustrators
Awards
- Portfolios.com Award
- New York Festivals
- NOAA Space Philately Award
- 17 winning (minted) United States coin designs
- 8 USAF citations
- COTY awards: The United States nominee for 2008, Most Artistic Design
- NEA Designated Master Designer,US MINT
- UK's Stamp of the Month