Joe Duncan Gleason (1881-1959) was an American painter, illustrator and engraver born in Watsonville California. He was mostly known for his landscape and marine paintings of San Pedro Harbor on the California coast. He also wrote and illustrated books on California maritime history and worked at the Metro Goldwyn Mayer and Warner Brothers studios in the scenic art department. When he was 14, he worked for the Union Engraving Company. Gleason then started his art training under Lees Judson at the University of Southern California to build up his skills in drawing and sketching. Gleason moved to San Francisco afterwards to attend the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art whilst working as a commercial artist for the Sunset Engraving Company. He also studied in Chicago at the Art Institute of Chicago and took lessons under Frank DuMond at the Art Students League in New York City from 1900-1901. He stayed in New York for 10 years as a commercial artist until he moved back to Los Angeles in 1910. Over the years, he exhibited at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1924, the Arizona State Fair in 1932, the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939 and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in 1945. He also painted murals in the Hotel Clark and Garden High School in Los Angeles. While Gleason wasn't focusing on his art, he was training for gymnastics. He won the International Championships 11 times on the rings. Gleason also wrote and illustrated 2 books about the California coast. Gleason later worked for several Hollywood movie studios, like MGM and Warner Brothers.