Influential Woman · Arts & Culture / Fine Art
Joan Cox
Chief Creative Officer / Art Director
Baltimore, MD 21218
I hope to leave behind a body of work that made queer love more visible and undeniable, making room for more honesty and dignity in the visual archive.
Joan Cox · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Joan
Joan Cox is a Baltimore-based figurative painter, creative director, and graphic designer with more than 30 years of experience in the arts and visual communications industry. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting from Towson University, where she graduated as valedictorian, and later earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Her artistic practice focuses on intimate, narrative portraiture that highlights lesbian identities and LGBTQ+ experiences, creating work that reflects visibility, belonging, and the importance of representation.
Throughout her career, Joan has combined her passion for fine art with expertise in branding, design, and visual storytelling. As Art Director at T. Rowe Price and Chief Creative Officer of Peacox Design, she has developed impactful brand identities, marketing materials, and creative solutions for organizations across industries including finance, cybersecurity, nonprofit, agriculture, fashion, tourism, and LGBTQ+ communities. Her artwork has received significant recognition, including being named a Women United Art Prize winner, a Visual Arts Association Top 100 international artist, and a Not Real Art Grant recipient. One of her most notable achievements was being selected for Baltimore’s Arts in Transit program, where two of her paintings were featured on a city bus during Pride Month.
Beyond her creative work, Joan is a dedicated LGBTQ+ community leader and advocate. She was instrumental in founding the Maryland LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, serving as Board President and later contributing through marketing, communications, and leadership roles. She continues to support LGBTQ+ organizations and artistic communities through her involvement with the Maryland LGBTQ+ Foundation, the Bureau of Queer Art, and other creative networks. Through her paintings, advocacy, and mentorship, Joan continues to champion authenticity, representation, and the power of art to connect people and tell meaningful stories.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Joan
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
My grandmother would say that it's all about who you know. You have to put yourself out there and network and get to know people, because people's where it's at. You can have all the degrees in the world on paper but if you're not out meeting people and sharing your knowledge and looking for knowledge from others, it's just gonna stay on the paper.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Find mentors who are women, and if you can't find a personal individual mentor, at least research and follow the lives and trajectories of other women artists. Don't feel knocked down because the opportunities aren't always as big or don't pay as well as they do for men, because we have to keep fighting that stereotype and changing that paradigm.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is that there's not a real roadmap like in the corporate world. In the art world it's like trying to be a rock and roll star. It's continued persistence, not giving up. The opportunities are everywhere these days in the digital environment with call for entries, groups, co-op galleries. It comes down to numbers. The more you apply for, the better the chances.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Authenticity is number one, especially being LGBT it's important to be able to be yourself and bring that self to everything you do. Number two, my personal value is just to be positive and energetic and kind to anybody younger, older, whether they're in your field or not.
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