Joseph Mendonca Eller was born in Danbury, Connecticut. His family first lived in an apartment building in downtown Danbury which caught on fire on the early morning of Thanksgiving Day in 1995. Shortly after, his family moved into another apartment with a backyard that led into a deep forest where several types of wild animals, large and small, were often spotted. He did not have a father present, but he had a loving mother and two younger siblings. Having a single mother as the sole provider, Joseph and his siblings did not grow up with many extras, such as toys or a television. To entertain themselves, they would use their imaginations and creativity to make toys from common household items. Motivated by curiosity, they would go exploring the woods while their mother worked. During these explorations, Joseph began to take an interest in drawing the wild animals he would sometimes see. He would study their shapes and unique colors, and detail them on paper. One day while sitting outside drawing a bird, a raccoon pranced by. Neither animal was bothered by his presence and he, though a child, was not scared. Instead he continued to watch and draw both animals until dusk came. Perplexed by the level of detail and colors of these animals, he would check-out books from the Danbury Library and while in church service, sketch those illustrations. Joseph continued to develop his drawing skills and while he was attending Sunday school he would draw the detailed scenery outside his window. As a result, he would continue his art education at Western Connecticut State University. As a college student he would learn about art history and technical skills, broadening his educational skills and experiences.