Painter of landscapes, portraits and self-portraits, muralist and art teacher, born in Aberdeen. Joe Edwards studied locally under Robert Sivell at Gray’s School of Art, 1950–4; completed his National Service, 1954–6; and on demobilisation went with his wife Betty to live in the bothy at Home Farm, Kingswells, a village just east of Aberdeen. Three years later they settled at nearby Speedwell Cottage. Kingswells gradually became a suburb and Edwards devoted much of his time as a painter to depicting changing country life and farming personalities, his enthusiasm triggered by his 1958 portrait of farmer George Findlay. Edwards completed a cycle of notable murals held by Aberdeen University. These were based on the seasons, including Harvesters, 1966, and Plough: song of the earth, 1967.