Using a wide spectrum of components, his work often includes organic materials, such as flowers, food and sand, in addition to deconstructed computer parts, auto-parts and a multitude of found and collected objects.

He cites influences from many sources in what he calls, “...organic symmetry where the feeling of the design is of a living being outstretched on the pavement...images may intertwine like a Celtic knot or represent nature like a sea anemone, DNA strands or some biomorphic form, sometimes very psychedelic.”[3] He also describes "... an urban free-style and combined with bright 'Pop Art' colors, fractal variations and circuitry.

His first installations in Laguna Beach stemmed from a desire to draw attention to the impending San Joaquin Hills Toll Road(California State Route 73) in 1994.

It consisted of five biomorphic forms on the ground with a wall painting in binary code of the story of the Lorax by Dr. Seuss, contained in an enlarged image of Mangrum’s thumbprint.

A second L.A. Times article[10] in 1995 caught the eye of art gallerist, Daniel Arvizu, who invited Mangrum to install a solo show at his gallery in Santa Ana, California.

Mangrum continued his use of Molasses in combination with wheat grass and piano parts in a group show entitled “The Embarrassment of Riches,” at Huntington Beach Art Center curated by Marilu Knode.

A reporter from the San Francisco Chronicle hastily ran the license plate number of the car and wrote an article [13] incorrectly stating that a deal had been struck between the city and Mangrum to exchange his commission fee for absolution of multiple parking tickets.

[16] Mangrum continued to utilize organic elements such as wheatgrass, flowers and palm leaves with car parts, bullets, machine wheels, and sand in his large scale ephemeral installations.

Mangrum also continued to produce three-dimensional installations at local galleries [17] such as Urbis Artium,[18] (now Mark Wolfe Contemporary Art), pop up exhibits[19] and festivals.

Additionally, he founded an alternative warehouse space known as Facility 3 from 1997 to 2003, which functioned as a multi-use art studio and event space[20] that hosted many performers and theatrical groups like Shotgun Players and musicians such as Sean Hayes (musician), Jolie Holland, Extra Action Marching Band; various Burning Man and DJ events, including the late DJ Cheb i Sabbah and Lorin aka Bassnectar.

He produced a second solo show at Chi Contemporary in 2009, titled “Chrysalis Stage.”[22] Mangrum began his series of over 700 sand paintings in public spaces of New York City in 2009 and continues currently.

His sand-stained hands were included on the cover of Humans of New York (HONY), by photographer, Brandon Stanton,and later appeared in Episode 1 "Time" (19:20-21:20) of Humans of New York: The Series After a brief appearance in 2012, where a time lapse was created at Washington Square Park for the "Word on the Street", Joe was a guest on Sesame Street in 2013 featured in the "People in Your Neighborhood segment with Murray and Ovejita, creating a portrait of the pair of Muppets in sand with a distinctive background of The Mona Lisa.