Joseph Powell PNWS was the first president of the New Society of Painters in Water Colours, founded in 1831. He exhibited at the Royal Academy (until 1829) and with the Associated Artists in Water Colours (1808–12).

Born in London, Powell is thought to possibly have been the son of Joseph Powell and Mary March who married at St Marylebone in September 1776. The young Joseph Powell exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1797 his address was printed as 'At Mr. Pouncey's, Pratt Street, Lambeth', suggesting he was a pupil of draughtsman and engraver Benjamin Thomas Pouncy (d.1799). Powell became a printmaker as well as a watercolourist, making etchings after some of the Old Masters.

Powell lived in London all his life but toured extensively producing sketches and watercolours of landscape subjects around the south coast of England, Shropshire, the Lake District and Wales. He was also a successful drawing-master, making etchings for the use of his pupils, who included the brothers Samuel Redgrave (1802–1876) and Richard Redgrave (1804–1888).