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JOSEPH KEIFFER was born in 1952 in New York City, N.Y. His father was a painter and his mother was a writer. Their careers enabled the family to spend quite a few years abroad, mainly in Europe. He began painting at 17, while in Paris. The following year he enrolled at Brandeis, and after several leaves of absence to attend the New York Studio School, he graduated from college, having majored in philosophy and art history. 

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Following a year at Sotheby’s “Works of Art” course, he was employed by Sotheby's as a cataloguer and appraiser of paintings, and after six years there and three years at Doyle Galleries, he became president of a non-profit art foundation. In his late 30's he started painting full time, and for a living. His artistic direction was formed by the New York Studio School and his exposure to academic pictorial technique while working at Sotheby's

 

Joseph’s work is represented in the collections of numerous institutions, including Adelphi University, the Berkshire Museum, Bryn Mawr College, and the Pfizer Art Collection.