By Joey Withinarts
For most of my life, I never imagined that I would become an artist, an author, or a storyteller.
I was simply Joey.
I was born in Virginia and grew up in a large family with five brothers and three sisters. Like many people, I experienced both good and difficult moments while growing up. I made mistakes, learned lessons, and spent years trying to understand what direction my life was supposed to take.
I also never considered myself a writer growing up. I wasn’t the person who imagined one day putting my life into a book. But life has a way of taking us places we never planned to go.
For me, that journey began to reveal itself through art.
After high school, I eventually made South Carolina my home. I worked different jobs while trying to figure myself out. At one point, I was working as a receptionist in downtown Greenville, South Carolina.
Even while I was working, I couldn’t stop drawing.
I would sit at my desk and draw whenever I had the opportunity. At first, it was simply something I enjoyed. I wasn’t thinking about building a career. I wasn’t thinking about becoming known. I was just creating.
Then something happened that changed the way I looked at my own ability.
I sold one of my drawings.
That may not sound like a life-changing moment to everyone, but for me, it was important. Someone saw something in my artwork and was willing to pay for something I had created with my own hands.
That gave me confidence to keep going.
My artwork eventually caught the attention of people in my community. Rhonda Rawlings saw my work and invited me to 107.3 JAMZ. That opportunity led to radio appearances and conversations about my artwork. I later appeared on other stations, including 95.3 FM in Anderson and 1090 AM in Greenwood.
The more I created, the more I realized that art could be more than something I did for myself.
It could connect me with people.
It could honor people.
It could preserve memories.
It could make someone feel seen.
Over the years, I created portraits of influential people, including Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama. I also created artwork for the Greenville branch of the NAACP and donated artwork to children’s hospitals and nursing homes.
One of the experiences I will always remember was meeting Reverend Jesse Jackson and creating artwork for him.
I have also had opportunities to create artwork honoring community leaders. Each project has taught me something different about the relationship between an artist and the people around them.
I began to understand that when you create something for another person, you’re not simply making an object.
You’re creating a connection.
That idea has become increasingly important to me.
My artistic journey eventually led me somewhere I never expected: becoming an author.
I began writing my memoir, Discovering Joey Withinarts, to document my life and the experiences that helped shape me. Writing forced me to look back at parts of my life that I might otherwise have left behind.
The name Joey Withinarts represents what creativity means to me.
The art comes from within.
It isn’t only about the finished painting. It’s about the experiences, emotions, memories, people, and lessons that exist behind the work.
That’s why I believe everyone’s story has value.
You don’t have to be famous for your experiences to matter. You don’t have to have everything figured out. Sometimes your greatest purpose can begin with something small that you simply love doing.
For me, that was drawing at a receptionist’s desk.
Today, I continue creating artwork, writing, documenting my journey, and looking for ways to use my creativity to contribute to the communities around me.
My story has also begun reaching beyond South Carolina. In 2026, I had opportunities to connect with people in Ghana and share my story internationally. I’ve continued working on my documentary, expanding my presence across social media, and developing new creative projects.
But despite all of those accomplishments, I still think about where I started.
I was just a person who liked to draw.
I didn’t know where it would take me.
I didn’t know that one drawing could lead to another opportunity, and another opportunity could lead to another door.
I simply kept creating.
That’s the lesson I carry with me today.
Sometimes we spend so much time looking for our purpose that we overlook the thing already inside us.
My journey has taught me to pay attention to that inner voice.
For me, it was art.
For someone else, it might be writing, music, teaching, helping people, caring for others, building something, or simply using their talents to make another person’s day better.
I believe creativity has the power to bring people together because it gives us a way to communicate things that words sometimes cannot.
I am still learning.
I’m still creating.
I’m still writing.
And I’m still discovering who Joey Withinarts is becoming.
A New Part of My Journey
As my journey continued, my family and the people connected to my art continued to inspire me in different ways. One of the experiences that touched me deeply was watching my cousin fight cancer. It reminded me that life is bigger than art, recognition, and accomplishments. Sometimes, the most important part of the journey is simply being there for the people you love and appreciating every moment you have with them.
My art has also allowed me to tell the stories of people around me. Hubert Hilton became part of that story through my artwork, and Immanuwel Aleem, my cousin and a boxer, represents another part of the journey I have been documenting through my creativity.
These stories are important to me because my art has never been just about creating a picture. It has always been about the people, the experiences, the struggles, and the moments behind the picture.
I continue to create because every person I meet and every experience I go through becomes another piece of the story.
The journey isn’t finished.
— Joey Withinarts
Artist | Author | Storyteller
Editor’s Note: From the People is a space for voices, experiences, and perspectives that deserve to be heard in their own words. Joey Withinarts’ story is one of creativity, persistence, community, and the unexpected places purpose can begin. We’re pleased to share his journey here, exactly where stories like his belong: with the people.
