Joseph Lorusso was born of Italian descent in Chicago, Illinois in 1966 and received his formal training at the American Academy of Art and the Kansas City Art Institute. Childhood trips to Italy introduced him to the works of the Italian Masters, and these influences are still evident in his work today. Later, the works of Manet, Vuillard, Sargent, Sorolla and Whistler would infuse the mood and emotion that are typical of Lorusso's mysterious, lonely, and yet romantic paintings.

Lorusso has served as instructor of painting and drawing at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Scottsdale Artists School, and his work has been shown internationally, receiving numerous awards and honors. He has been featured in American Artist Magazine, Southwest Art, U.S. Art, and Art News.