JJ Baker was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and spent his formative years there. He attended the University of Cincinnati, where he received his BFA, focusing on painting and education.

He currently lives and works in Houston, TX. He has a studio at Hardy & Nance Studios. 

JJ enjoys listening to cover songs, watching black and white movies, and painting.

"I paint the things that surround me. I pull images from art history, movies, and my surroundings. This synthesis of images represents the barrage of information we are subject to. Combining various drawing, painting, and collage techniques, I paint portraits to represent the perception of the self: how we perceive, how we are perceived, and how we want to be perceived."