Meet Joe Dull

I was born and grew up in Parma, OH. I have enjoyed art and creating things since as far back as I can recall. Drawing, painting, and sewing were pastimes I enjoyed as a child. Much of my art during childhood was trying to imitate the work of my talented older siblings, especially my sister Kat. In grade school I often helped teachers create classroom bulletin boards and banners for school Masses. When I went to high school I joined the Poster Club and was named Most Promising Artist my senior year.
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Art took a back seat as I started college in my career field of Nursing. When I started grad school for Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing, I found I needed a distraction from school so I took my first stained glass class.
While I loved the techniques and medium I was not content building traditional panels/light catchers/lamp shades. I began dabbling with different framing for my glass. While living on the West Coast in the mid-late 1990's I began selling photographs, early sculpture-like glass pieces, and wreaths adorned in glass. In 2001, after returning to Ohio from the West Coast for a second time, I began using repurposed bike rims as a framework for glass. This soon became my signature item. I obtained a vendor's license and began selling my glass art across from the West Side Market in the "Open Air in Market Square" events on Saturdays. What I thought would be a 1or 2 time thing grabbed my interest and I enjoyed those Saturday afternoons selling my work for several years. I met wonderful artists who encouraged me to continue developing my craft.
Over many years I continued to slowly add other summer art shows as the main venue to sell/promote my glass work. Eventually I was invited to have my glass art in a studio showing at Negative Space Gallery in Cleveland, OH -- that was when the process of accepting the term "Artist " could really refer to me began.
I have found art a great companion to my Nursing career. My chosen specialty in Nursing is Child/ Adolescent Psychiatric/Mental Health (try saying that 5 times fast!). Art has found it's way into my work in this field -- both as a tool with my clients as well as a tool for myself to process/deal with the complexities of this line of work. I have used artwork in groups and individual/ family sessions with clients. Art is a wonderful coping skill, healer, and communicative tool to explore and express oneself.
In January 2023 I took a leap of faith based on a longtime dream and created Reflecting Point Arts, LLC. I hope my art and the plans I have for this space can spark creativity in individuals, families and the community in general. I truly believe that everybody can be creative, art promotes wellness, and the world needs art.