Tell me about yourself, where you live and your background/lifestyle.
(About myself... Since I am not the best at talking about myself I will
pull quotes out from my professionally written bio that I use.) Art has
always been important to me. My parents say I showed very early talent with
the utensils of art. Art classes were always my favorite through elementary,
junior high school, and high school. In high school I won several Hallmark
awards for my oil paintings. I attended the highly acclaimed Kansas City Art
Institute (Kansas City,MO), Center For Creative Studies-College Of Art And
Design (Detroit, MI), and Northern Michigan University (Marquette, MI). I
graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. (I continue going to college on
and off to get my teacher's certificate and someday perhaps a masters degree.)
After graduation of my BFA I went off to New York City where I received
positive influences during my early career. There I worked with a designer,
creating designs for wallpaper, fabrics, cards, and calendars, along with
freelance illustration work.
I have lived in Marquette, Michigan a very rural area since 1987. I guess the
city life was not what I thought it would be and found I needed nature and
tranquility in my life. I have a studio overlooking a harbor of Lake
Superior. The view alone is inspiration. I continue my painting on both
commercial illustration aspects and fine art. I have had several invitational
one woman shows these past few years in Michigan. I have an art service
business called, Aurora Artworks. I have been very busy these past few months
working on commerical illustrations for numerous clients. All in my "style"
that I love to work in. I also do graphic design, exhibit design and
installations, art workshops, consulting, and interior decorating, plus my
fine art paintings. I prefer to work in acrylic paint and color pencils. I
work on both paper and wood.
Who first influenced you artistically?
Like most of us, I am always being influenced by all I see and
experience. While in Jr. High I was first influence by Piet Mondrian. Then
later by Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall, both who are my main influence still
today. I also love children's books and am often combing through the local
library children's book section! One of my favorite illustrators of today is
Karen Barbour.
What first attracted you to the Internet?
The internet has opened many new doors for me. As an artist in a very
remote rural area I am limited in my resources. The internet has opened the
doors to new friendships, unlimited resources, and a new form of marketing my
own work that I lacked before. I can chat with an artist who just saw a show
in New York, compare notes to another illustrator, or just talk art (which I
can do almost 24 hours a day)! I love this and knew years ago that I would.
Does the Internet allow you to show your work as you would like: How
could it be improved to suit you?
As I have only been on the internet for 3 months, my art work hasn't been
on much yet. I have learned a great deal in this short amount of time and
plan to have my own web site up soon.
What kind of artwork do you expect to be doing in the next 12 months
or so?
I hope to continue my commercial
illustration work, possible a book down the road. I have some possibilities
being talked about now. I might consider some limited edition high quaility
prints being produced of my paintings. I would like to continue to work with
children and do more creative art workshops. I would also like to do a series
of women's cards this next year.
Have you found other artists on the Internet like yourself?
I have found lots of artists through the internet. I am a regular on the
america on-line artist cafe chat room. I love to visit with other artists and
talk art. They tease me there because all I want to talk about is art. :)
Is there anything about the way you produce your work that you
believe to be unique or unusual?
My work is positive energy images. I create my work to help good positive
energies run through the viewer. It is easy in this life to get down and
depressed... this is my way of uplifting the emotions. I know not everyone
creates art with this thought but it the only way I want mine to be.
A quote about my work: "Joy's whimsical paintings of angels, hearts, flying
people, and houses show extraordinary sense of perspective (and sometimes a
play on perspective) combined with exuberant colors and unique design. Her
lifetime of art background shows in her adept handling of her paints, showing
also her sensitivity to feelings and emotions which her work exemplify. Ever
sensitive in her art to the lives of women she retains a sense of family and
the importance of the individual be that female or male, young or younger.
Her paintings and illustrations highlight this unique empathy."