Joe Frederick Mayer

1931 - 2020

BORN

1931

DIED

2020

About

Sherwood High School

Joe Mayer Obituary

Artist, friend, and teacher, Joe Mayer died of natural causes on January 28, 2020. Born in Johnstown, PA, began an art teaching career at Sherwood High School in Olney, MD and later moved to be an art professor at Prince George's Community College in Largo, MD, including many contributions as Chair of the Art Department. After retirement, he embarked on a career as a private art teacher and a full-time painter. He led hundreds of watercolor workshops along the eastern seaboard, as well as Mexico and France. His work hung in numerous juried shows of the American Watercolor Society, as well as dozens of regional art galleries. He was a prolific abstract artist who concentrated on composition. Over the last 30 years of his life, Joe lived in Shepherdstown, WV; Santa Fe, NM; and Easton, MD, and he was active in starting or joining associations of artists in Easton and Shepherdstown. He was also a director for many productions at the Avalon theater as well as a teacher of improvisational theater in Easton, Santa Fe, NM and Shepherd College. Joe was married to the late Careen Marie Rizzo, with whom he had three children, and later to Ann Sharp, also a professional artist. He is survived by Ann Sharp; children Dana Mayer, Eric Mayer, and Andrea Mayer; stepchildren, Larry and Tom Zeigenfuss, Terry Vakas and numerous grandchildren and step grandchildren. A memorial service will be held this spring in Shepherdstown, WV.

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Published by The Star Democrat on Feb. 11, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for Joe Mayer

3 Entries

John Consoli

December 11, 2020

Wow... I was just writing in a journal to my daughter about how I decided to study art in college back in 1981, and I remembered Joe Mayer. He was one of my favorite art teachers at PGCC and made a big impression on me. He was always upbeat and always wanted you to try new things and experiment with your artwork. He was an amazing watercolorist, and I was always impressed at what he didn't paint... how he used the negative space and white of the paper to create the snow and the highlights of the scene he had painted. I still can picture wood fencing with snow on the rails that was the white of the paper... his work was unforgettable. I remembered meeting with him in his office at PGCC and him advising me and helping me to get my art sample portfolio together to apply for a Creative and Performing Scholarship at the University of Maryland. He was always so kind and helpful. I luckily received that full scholarship at UM, and I went on to study art and took printmaking classes with Jim Forbes... who was another great teacher and person that I had the fortune to learn from. I did not know that there was a connection between these 2 larger than life artists, but it makes so much sense now. I only wish that I could THANK each of these men for believing in me and helping me to become more of an artist. I have been lucky enough to have a career in art and photography for over 30 years at the University of Maryland, and these 2 artists were key in helping me to pursue my dream of being creative and making a living in this field. I am so sad that I missed the chance to see Joe Mayer again, and I was hoping to locate him instead of coming across this memorial page. I really enjoyed reading the memories of Joe and Jim from his son Scott Forbes... (both bigger than life personalities)....we'll have to have a beer sometime and talk more about these 2 wonderful men and artists who helped to shape my career and who come to mind when I think of my journey in trying to become an artist. I'm very sad to learn of Joe's passing, but I'm so lucky and happy to have crossed paths with him. I am sure Joe and Jim are both having a deep, resounding laugh together and enjoying each other's company once again.

Dan Kessler

April 23, 2020

I was one of Joes students at Prince Georges Community College back in 1977-78- He was the best art teacher I ever had (Ive been a full time artist for 29 years now) and he was also extremely funny! I loved his classes and think about what I learned fro him all the time. Sorry to hear of his passing- God bless him!

Scott Forbes

February 15, 2020

Joe was the number one person in this world that made my father, Jim Forbes, laugh the most and the hardest. I suppose that my father was a great source of laughter for Joe, too. I never heard my dad literally say that Joe was his best friend, but I remember that my family always assumed that Joe was dad's best bud because of all the fun they would have together every single time they were in one another's company. They shared much on all others levels, too.

Because Joe brought so much delight to my late father, I am now and have always been very, very happy that he was my father's friend. As the son of Joe's friend, I always felt I was cared for and loved unconditionally by this lovely and gentle man.

Both Joe and my dad were artists. Both of them were storytellers. Both of them were jokesters.

I have over 50 years of memories that involve Joe, but I will share just one here. It doesn't summarize the man, maybe it isn't the most significant memory I actually have of him, but it simply comes to mind because it is the top anecdote that I tell to friends about Joe. Here's that memory.

Joe told me and my family one time that he was making a painting of a Maine seascape on location, and a man came up to see what his painting was shaping up to be. This man admired the painting (probably one of Joe's many watercolors) and asked Joe how much he would take for the painting. Joe casually named a price and the man said, "Okay." As Joe continued to paint, the man asked Joe after a minute or two how long it took for him to make that painting.

Joe's reply, which was casual and conversational was, "Oh, about 35 years."

If it's not understood here what this answer implies, it's that it takes an artist decades to become as good as he is once a practiced and seasoned professional at his "trade."

I've always liked this story because it expresses to me how a serious artist needs to make it clear that good art is something that must be valued, both to others as well as to the artist, him or herself. I'm an artist, too, and I've told this story a dozens of times to others as it illustrates so well how artists need to make money from their work, just like anyone does from any other field of expertise.

There are many other stories Joe told me and many experiences I remember, but above all things I might mention, I just want to say that Joe Mayer was a joyful man who I had the great privilege of having in my life. I can say with confidence that just being around the man taught me a lot about how to live life well in general. Like my father, he didn't spend much time at all on complaining or being negative or angry. He surely made the best of the days he had in this world, and he added a lot of good to the days and lives of many others, as well. Godspeed to you, Joe, and, thank you, thank you, thank you.

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