Josh is an artist and sign painter hailing from Virginia, USA. He and his wife Rachael run Variety Shop, a sign painting and design studio.
In his art practice, Josh primarily works in acrylic paint on panel, and coloured pencil on paper. He is drawn to bold colours, graphic shapes and vintage design — all of which you can see in his latest piece for us; ‘Happy Hour’.
We spoke to Josh about his painting process, memorable food moments and his pantry essentials.
Can you tell us about your painting process?
I do have a more layered approach. I use tape and stick on stencils to create a lot of the shapes in my work. I stick on the stencil paper and then cut out the shapes that I want to paint using an X-acto knife. Because of this process I work in layers and wait for each color to dry before taping and stenciling on top to create the next layer. On this painting I started with the pink background, then the checkered tablecloth, then the glassware and words, and finally the garnishes.
Tell us about your 'Happy Hour' painting.
Cocktail & martini glasses are a common icon in my work because I love the shape and how it can be simplified. It has a mid-century aesthetic with the curves and angles. Because I paint still life scenes and not people, I like the cocktail because it brings people into the work without literally doing so. It’s kind of an active object that means someone is doing something, rather than another piece of decor. I like the fun and communal aspect of the glasses sitting around, like a party just happened or is in the process of happening.
I have a really limited color palette of like 10 colors that I use for the most part. Pink, cream, red and brown are some of my favorites.
I only use latex paint on wooden panels and then I clear coat it with an acrylic finish coat. I like the latex because my wife and I have a sign and mural painting business. We’ve used this type of paint to paint on walls and buildings for years and it’s what I’m used to working with. The paint is pre-mixed from the paint store, so I buy the colors I like and rarely mix any color myself - which is another perk because I hate mixing colors and don’t have a great eye for it!
Can you share one of your most treasured food memories?
In 2023, my friends and I were visiting Japan and we got a reservation at Monk, a woodfired pizza restaurant in Kyoto. They were on the Netflix series Chef’s Table, and it’s really hard to get a spot. The food was so amazing and really highlighted all of the fresh ingredients. Definitely my favorite dining experience!
If we were to peer into your pantry & fridge, what are 5 things we would always find?
If you were a fruit or vegetable, what would you be?
I would be a Ruby Red Grapefruit! It’s my favorite fruit and I paint them often. I love the flavor but also how vibrant the color is.
Shop Josh Stover's Happy Hour
