Joe Carter, raised along Florida’s Emerald Coast, discovered the airbrush during his freshman year of college—an encounter that would shape the course of his creative life. After graduating from Florida State University in 1979, he built a career in the souvenir T‑shirt world, spending summers painting on the panhandle and winters working in Las Vegas, St. Thomas, and Atlanta.

In 1983, an unexpected opportunity led Joe to Key West, where he established a small custom airbrush studio beside the legendary Captain Tony’s Saloon. Over the next twelve years, his shop became a creative hub during the rise of Fantasy Fest, helping ignite what would become the modern era of body painting. His work soon expanded to national stages including Mardi Gras, Woodstock ’99, Bonnaroo, Sunfest, Voodoo Fest, and the Phish Millennium Concert—events that propelled body painting into mainstream culture and global media.

After time in the tattoo world and several personal projects, Joe spent a decade touring with Ozzfest, painting fans and performers at one of the largest rock festivals of its time, featuring Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, and many of the genre’s biggest acts.

In 2026, a chance encounter with the game of Wahoo at a Super Bowl party in Panama City, Panama sparked a new artistic chapter. After winning what became the first International Wahoo Tournament, Joe learned that the boards were handmade from exotic hardwoods—and decided to craft one of his own. That experiment evolved into a passion: designing custom, airbrushed Wahoo boards that blend craftsmanship, storytelling, and the permanence his earlier work never allowed.

Today, after a career built on creating temporary art—paint that washed off after a night of celebration—Joe’s work has shifted to heirloom pieces meant to be held, played, and passed down. Each handcrafted Island Wahoo gameboard is a functional artwork, merging island spirit, tradition, and the unmistakable touch of an artist who has spent a lifetime bringing joy to people through color.