Joel P. West

PLNU alumni Wes Bruce (07) and Joel P. West (06) each received one of the first 15 Creative Catalyst: Individual Artist Fellowship grants ever awarded by the San Diego Foundation. The Creative Catalyst fund is intended to advance the careers of San Diego artists and musicians by partnering grant winners with nonprofit organizations for specially funded projects. Each of their projects challenges traditional boundaries of their genre in compelling ways.

Songwriter and musician Joel P. West and his band, The Tree Ring, play music that combines folk, classical, and chamber music elements. Their unique contribution to the San Diego music scene is part of what nabbed them their Creative Catalyst grant.

The band includes a number of PLNU alumni, including Kelly Bennett (06) (violin), Douglas Welcome (08) (double bass), Daniel Rhine (04) (double bass), and Jon Titterington (06) (trumpet and auxiliary), as well as San Diegan Darla Hawn (drums and vocals). West provides vocals and plays guitar and pump organ, in addition to songwriting.

The band’s debut album, “Generous Shadows,” released in February 2011 and won a San Diego Music Award for best Americana album. West had previously released three solo albums. The Tree Ring’s second record will be funded by the Creative Catalyst grant and is being created in partnership with Camarada, a chamber music group. Not only will Camarada help with composition, but members will also perform with The Tree Ring on the recording and in a live performance scheduled for Oct. 27 in the Birch North Park Theatre.

“The project will give us a chance to sort of formalize the type of music we do and to work with people who specialize in chamber music,” said West.

The songs on the new album will be inspired by Southern California landscapes. Growing up in Oregon, West has a particular penchant for nature, and with the new album, he is looking to embrace and embody in song the beauty that surrounds his current San Diego home.

West combines an open-minded approach to music with a commitment to doing his work well. His determination to do things right and to claim opportunities as they arise has been evident throughout his career. A graphic design major while at PLNU, West eventually moved from freelance design work into teaching graphic design at Kearny High School in San Diego.

After three years of full-time teaching, West’s music career was starting to take up a significant amount of his time.

Since he didn’t want his songwriting and performances to negatively impact his students, he decided to take a step back from teaching and a step of faith into a full-time music career.

During the past two years of making music full time, West has earned his primary income from film scoring. He has also done a lot of work for and with his artistic friends, including Wes Bruce (07) and filmmaker Destin Cretton (01). He learned about the San Diego Foundation’s grants to young artists through his friends and connections at Sezio.org, a nonprofit devoted to supporting emerging artists and musicians.

“I think what I would want other young artists to know is that this is just one thing I’ve applied for out of so many things that didn’t work out,” he said.

The key, he noted, is not giving up and working consistently and passionately.

“I know a lot of PLNU people who are making it in art,” he said. “I think if you do something you love every day, and you really work at it, you will be successful.”