Who was Joe Monks?

I just acquired a framed, original Joe Monks painting, entitled "Painted by Joseph Weaver 1984".  It's a scene of Rawson Square, downtown Bay St., showing the parliamentary buildings and canons along each side of the Queen Victoria statue. Dimensions: 24in W x 23in H. It's done on wood with many different unknown mediums. House paint, pastels, oils, inks?  Whatever, it is a fantastic piece of  art and history.

So who was Joe Monks?

Speaking of psychiatrist Dr. Brian Humblestone:

"He brought the group therapy model to The Bahamas, using it in the new Alcoholic Unit at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre. There, patients engaged in art therapy and Humblestone continued his painting interpretation practice. He also made the acquaintance of Joe Monks– then a local legend and community rebel. Today Monks is better remembered as an intuitive artist, but in those days he was known for being in and out of Her Majesty’s Prison and Sandilands. Humblestone and Monks developed a friendship over the years, and Monks would occasionally find himself a guest at Humblestone’s home for lunch."  (source)


Joe Monks sounds like my kinda guy. : )