Oil on canvas, 36” x 48"

There is a deep introspective energy in Leaving Winter 2020 that draws you in and asks you to stay… a profound sense of transition, of awakening, of something stirring beneath the surface. In this original oil on canvas, Cape Cod artist Joe Diggs captures the quiet ache of seasonal transition: the weight of winter beginning to lift, the uncertain light of spring just beginning to break through. Created at the height of the pandemic, the piece reflects a moment of collective stillness and personal reckoning, inviting the viewer into a layered emotional landscape.

The longer you look, the more there is to see – shifting textures, subtle forms, and colors that seem to glow from beneath the surface. Like much of Diggs’ work, Leaving Winter 2020 balances abstraction and story, creating space for reflection, memory, and movement.

As the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod’s 2025 Artist of the Year, Diggs is being recognized not only for his extraordinary skill, but for the emotional and cultural resonance of his work. Raised on Cape Cod, he has spent decades cultivating a practice that bridges beauty and truth, art and advocacy. His paintings often explore themes of identity, race, history, and place – each one a conversation in color and form.

Diggs’ work has been shown widely across the Northeast and beyond and is currently represented by the Berta Walker Gallery in Provincetown. Joe’s influence can be felt across the region as he continues to shape the arts community through mentorship and education.

Leaving Winter 2020 is a bold, stirring piece by an artist at the height of his power – a testament to what art can be when it is both deeply personal and universally felt. Visit Digg's website at: JoeDiggsArt.com
 

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