Sharp, Joseph Henry

Born at Bridgeport, OH; deafened at an early age from an ear infection; dropped out of public school at age 14 since he could not understand the teachers with his increasing deafness. Studied art at the McMicken School of Design in Cincinnati and picked up sign language. Studied art in Europe, then returned to Cincinnati in 1883, taught art for a few years, then returned to Europe for more study. He fell in love with the American West and with Native Americans and devoted most of his work thereafter to them. He was one of the founding artists of the Taos (NM) art colony; lived in Taos and in Los Angeles, where he died.