Joey Korom

Chicago, IL

"There is an element of rawness to my work; I avoid “pretty” in favor of roughness. I employ dripping, feathered edges, and intentional brushy strokes often as a contrast to a more defined line or edge. Often I contrast areas of heavy impasto with those of more transparency."

Joey Korom was born in Milwaukee in the summer of 1955. In 1979, after studying architecture for years, Korom published his first book on architectural history and design. Korom went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in 1989 from the School of Architecture, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; in 1992 he attained a Master of Architecture degree. Shortly after graduation and until 1997, Korom assisted as graduate student mentor at the School of Architecture. From 1994 until 2003, Korom was employed as an architectural designer/project architect at TOKI & Associates Architects, Tri-Corp Housing, Neighborhood Housing Services, Warner-Pfaller & Associates Architects, and Valerio-Georgeson Architects. In 2003, Korom founded Apex Design; one year later he established Fusion Design Professionals, both architecture firms in Milwaukee.

In addition to composing detailed architectural drawings, Korom also produced many building and landscape models. As a result of his expertise, he was asked by a director of the Milwaukee Art Museum to construct a large-scale model of the Seth Peterson Cottage designed in 1959 by Frank Lloyd Wright. Korom completed this model in Russian white birch, and it was displayed during the 2012 retrospective of Wright’s work at the museum. Additionally, he participated in the 2003 World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition, sponsored by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, by submitting a sophisticated design to honor those who perished there on September 11, 2001 (competition #683184).

During the period 1992 to 1995, Korom served as co-owner of two commercial art galleries, Gallery 218 in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood, and Gallery H2O, located in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward. For some thirty years Korom has painted and shown his work in numerous commercial galleries and has had success with multiple in-studio exhibitions.

Besides being a devoted artist, Korom is also the owner and president of Korom Creative LLC, a fine arts firm focusing on Korom’s painting, photography, and writing. Furthermore, having photographed buildings in some fifty major cities for professional publication, he remains a professional architectural photographer. Joey Korom has recently (2014) completed his ninth full-length book about American art and architecture.

Korom is a member of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Wescover creator since 2020