Currently President of the Trenton Museum Society, governing body of the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, Joan Perkes has a career in the art world spanning over 50 years -  beginning in 1969 with the opening of the Joan Perkes Fine Art Galleries in Philadelphia and New Hope, PA.

One could say she is the doyenne of the art world of Bucks County, the community she has call her home since the late 60's. The Bucks County Modernists along with sculptress Selma Burke were friends and dinner guests. She collected Joseph Meierhans and Louis Stone before their own community acknowledged their significance. She was painted by well known artist, Sterling Spadea and was a good friend to forgotten artists, Crossley Atherton and Gaston Lonchamp.

Her first invitation to curate an outside exhibition was for the Fred Clark Museum in Carversville, PA in 1976.

In the early 70's she moved her gallery to the Lace Factory in Lambertville, NJ.  At that time it was the only gallery in the Lambertville area. She worked with Bruce Katsiff, former director of the Michener Museum, whom she represented in her gallery, as one of the founders of the Bucks County Arts Alliance.  With Joanne Katsiff and Rosemarie Torres she was a founder of the New Hope Community School, which continues today. During this period she worked on fundraising projects for the New Hope-Solebury Elementary School

In the mid-80's, her career expanded and she began working with national and later international artists - representing them in art fairs and galleries throughout the country. As her reputation and travels expanded she began working with personal clients - developing collections and arranging visits to international art fairs.

In 2005 she joined the Bucks Gallery of Fine Art in Newtown, PA, the leading gallery for contemporary art in Bucks County, where she was the head curator.

In 2010 she was selected by Herman Silverman to guide the creation of his legacy, the Silverman Gallery, in Buckingham, PA.

In 2012 she returned briefly to the gallery world opening  Joan Perkes Fine Art in Lambertville. The gallery featured large scale abstract painting and sculpture.

In 2013 she curated, along with client and museum trustee, Joseph Longino, her first exhibition at the Trenton City Museum. She joined the board of the museum in 2014 and has been its president since February of 2017.

Today she remains available for assisting private clients, artist advisory, curatorial

projects, corporate projects and tours.

​

​

​