Joseph Liberti shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Joseph, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
My days start before sunrise. At 4:00 AM I jump out of bed, eager to create. After coffee, I head to my studio and lose myself in painting while the world is still quiet.
By mid-morning, I’m on my e-bike for a 12–15 mile ride through Manitou Springs and Garden of the Gods. I stop at Rock Ledge Ranch to walk among the geese and gardens, then pedal the hills back home for a workout, shower, and quick rest.
Afternoons are for music. I practice on my Aerophone, an electronic wind instrument, blending scales with jazz improvisation as I prepare for upcoming concerts.
Evenings are simple and grounding — dinner with my wife, a little news, and reflection. I’m in bed by 8 PM, closing the day with meditation and gratitude.
Every day is an adventure, and I live it with joy.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Joseph Liberti — an abstract artist, jazz musician, and lover of life.
At 87, I’m still creating every day, whether that’s painting bold digital works or performing jazz on my Aerophone, an electronic wind instrument.
What makes my work unique is the spirit behind it. My art and music are born from gratitude, optimism, and a deep belief in possibility. I want people who experience my work to feel a “bright moment” — a spark of joy, hope, or realization that lifts them.
Recently, my paintings have been winning awards and gaining recognition, while my house concerts continue to connect people through music.
For me, creativity isn’t just about producing work — it’s about inspiring others to live fully and embrace the joy of being alive.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The moments that shaped me have all carried the same theme: reinvention.
In my early seventies, I decided to become a professional jazz musician. I improved my childhood level music reading and learned to write and arrange music. I performed in clubs and for special events and created and performed themed concerts. I had the pleasure of working with some of the finest musicians in Colorado.
A decade late,r after Covid and when I could no longer drive to gigs, I reinvented myself again — this time as a digital abstract artist. I needed to keep creating so I used my computer skills and a point ant shoot camera to make digital collage art. The computer helped me compensate for my vision loss. Soon I began digital abstract painting. I found a whole new world of art and a new way to inspire people.
In 2024 I fell in love with the sound of ab electronic wind instrument. I developed some of my own sounds to create interesting jazz music. Then I and created a concert with audience participation activities and began regularly performing house concerts. .
And now, I’m experiencing yet another turning point. I’ve begun working with a doctor who is helping me train the undamaged parts of my eyes to enable me to see better longer, and though it’s difficult work, it’s also exhilarating.
Each of these chapters has taught me the same truth: life is always offering us the chance to grow. With gratitude, joy, and commitment, we can turn every challenge into a new beginning.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Defining wounds and what suffering taught me
Like many others, life has handed me many challenges that at first seemed impossible, yet each one became an opportunity for reinvention. In 1998, I was running a successful speaking and consulting business from Hawaii when a sudden medical crisis forced two emergency surgeries. I lost my voice for three months, couldn’t work, and ultimately had to return to the mainland — losing clients, income, and the life I had built. That experience taught me that even the most painful setbacks can become a springboard for growth. I rebuilt myself, creating an internet-based coaching and consulting business and discovering new ways to connect with people.
In other time of my life, in response to other challenges, I pivoted to music and to art. Through many experiences, I’ve learned that suffering teaches lessons success never can: patience, resilience, presence, and gratitude for the small, luminous moments of life. Each challenge has deepened my commitment and my ability to living joyfully — proof that even wounds can become the source of inspiration.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely — the public version of me is the real me.
For much of my life, I tried to be what I thought the world wanted me to be or what I needed to do to survive. Over time, through learning to love, practicing gratitude, embracing optimism, and pursuing a more conscious life, I made a profound shifts. Not overnight but gradually with conscious effort. That transformation continues to deepen and accelerate, and it guides everything I do — from my art and music to the way I connect with people and to the way that I deal with a world of escalating challenges.
When people meet me or experience my work, they’re seeing the same vitality and zest for life that drives me every day, and I hope it inspires them to embrace their own creativity and live fully.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
What I understand deeply is that we humans are incredibly powerful beings. Life has given us the extraordinary gift of experience — the chance to explore feelings, discover, create, and manifest almost anything we can imagine.
I believe, as many spiritual leaders and scholars do, that the universe responds to our energy: it’s a “yes” when we fully live what we want to create.
My guiding principle is simple: stop wishing for greatness — live the greatness that you already are. Stop wishing for happiness — be grateful and embrace the joy inherent in the gift of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://josephliberti.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/josephlibertiart
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/josephliberti
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