MFA Rhode Island School of Design 1991
BFA California Institute of the Arts 1987
Fulbright Fellow, Poland

Joseph Coates is an award winning photographer, graphic designer, art director, digital media designer, and design and photography educator. He has taught design and photography at various state research universities and private art and design schools since 1988.

Coates has exhibited in Rhode Island, California, Iowa, Maryland, Poland, and many other states and countries overseas in traveling group shows.

His photography is influenced by Agnes Martin, Lewis Baltz, John Divola, Aaron Siskind, Gerhard Richter, John Baldessari, Robert Ryman, Edward Westin, Stuart Davis, Ansel Adams, Sol LeWitt, Buckminster Fuller, Diane Arbus, Alexander Rodchenko, Jan Vermeer, Jo Ann Callis, Blinky Palermo, Grapus, and Jan van Toorn to name a few.