Joe Anderson was born in 1958 on a sheep and cattle property just outside of Exeter, in the heart of the Southern Highlands. The son of fourth-generation farmers, Joe grew up among dew-soaked paddocks, wide skies, and the quiet rhythm of rural life. While his family worked the land, Joe spent hours sketching it, capturing the curve of a gumtree branch, the shifting shadows across sandstone, and the unmistakable characters of the countryside.

In Memory of Joe Anderson (1958–2023)

Joe Anderson’s early years were shaped by solitude, storytelling, and seasons. Growing up on the land in the Southern Highlands, he had no formal art training, only a keen eye, a curious mind, and a steady hand. Scraps of butcher’s paper, old seed bags, and fence palings became his first canvases. From there, he began capturing the essence of rural life with a blend of reverence and quiet humour.

Joe was particularly drawn to the contradictions of Australian wildlife, rugged yet delicate, reserved yet mischievous. Over the decades, his signature style emerged: a nostalgic nod to Australiana with a whimsical twist. His beloved series The Velvet Locals, featuring native animals clad in velvet smoking jackets and sipping local wines, remains a playful homage to the elegance tucked within our rural roots.

Though Joe passed away in late 2023, his legacy lives on. A deeply private man, he spent his life on the family farm, painting and drawing under the same gumtree that shaded him as a child. His work, like the Highlands themselves, is quiet, character-filled and utterly unforgettable.

We are honoured to showcase a selection of Joe’s work here at Bowral Cellar Door. His limited-edition postcards are available exclusively at our Cellar Door, a small way to celebrate a big talent and to keep a local legend alive.