JoeRap
Poet · Author · Illustrator

poetry & prose
on the human
experience.

Three Collections West Hollywood, CA Est. 2017
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“

Physical beauty on its own is superficial. It is only when we recognize that it is an extension and manifestation of spiritual beauty that it suddenly carries great power. The purpose of creation is that we express inner beauty outwardly — so that true inner beauty doesn’t remain locked inside, but is expressed in the domain of the material.

— Joe Rap
The Library

three collections,
one journey.

A trilogy of poetry and prose tracing the contours of trauma, love, loss, and the long walk back to wholeness. Each volume a waypoint, each page a door.

03
poetry & illustration
01 The Map to Metamorphosis cover
Debut Collection Poetry Watercolor on Stencil

the map to
metamorphosis

An invitation to traverse the terrain of human emotion — from the shadows of childhood to the light of adult love and loss. Each chapter a waypoint, guiding you through the intricate landscapes of the heart. With every page, discover yourself.

Childhood Resilience Watercolor Growth
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02 At the End of the Retrograde cover
Sophomore Collection Poetry White on Black Surrealism Pointillism

at the end of
the retrograde

A fearless journey into the dark corners of the human subconscious. Surreal landscapes, caves, and corners of the mind — with over 40 white-on-black illustrations inspired by surrealist expressionism. Once you enter, you will never be the same.

Trauma Healing Recovery Surrealism
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03 Nuclear Winter cover
Third Collection Poetry Collage Transcendentalism

nuclear
winter

A reckoning with collapse — personal, political, atmospheric. Poems written from the long cold quiet after the bright unbearable flash. The aftermath as its own country, and what survives when everything else doesn’t.

Aftermath Solitude Endurance
Coming Fall 2026
Joe Rap portrait
The Poet

Joe Rap writes, illustrates, and curates his work from his studio in West Hollywood, CA.

He composes other original work on social media — where he is, by his own admission, generally very loud. And occasionally, funny.

The studio practice spans three published collections, an ongoing portrait series, and a long-running observation on what beauty is actually for.

BasedWest Hollywood, CA
Working since2017
StudioBy appointment

come up to breathe.

Letters from the studio, new work in progress, and occasional dispatches from the in-between. Delivered to your inbox, on no particular schedule.

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