Born in New Bedford, Massachusets, Joshua von Nonn first witnessed creative expression through his mother's work as a photographer. As a young adult, Joshua studied computer science and mechanical drafting in high school and attended Wentworth Institute of Technology for Civil Engineering. His engineering assignments led to visits to several art museums to sketch facades, but soon Joshua was admiring more of the art and less of the architecture.

In 2007, with the supportive motivation of his friend, James McLeod, Joshua began drawing and painting. However, it was not until Joshua moved to South Florida in 2009 that he understood his desire to pursue his painting as his true vocation.

I attempt a spontaneous connection to the canvas to try and capture the internal thought. A word that arbitrarily pops in my head, from a book, song, newspaper article or conversation will influence the direction I take. A color scheme which I find fitting may then develop. When form appears early on it tends to disrupt the stream of consciousness. In turn I paint over the form wholly or partially, reasserting the non-linear movement of thought. The layering technique is a representation of changes in thought. Towards the end of the piece a tonalistic color will calm the composition allowing the eye to engage the disparate elements.