Bio
Joy's fascination with glass began in 2000, when she discovered flameworking and quickly became captivated by the transformative nature of the medium.
For several years, Joy created handcrafted glass beads and one-of-a-kind jewelry. As her relationship with glass evolved, so did her vision. Wanting to move beyond the intimate scale of jewelry, she began exploring sculpture, combining glass with stainless steel wire to create dimensional, contemporary works. These sculptural pieces range from small orbs to striking pieces stretching seven feet in length. Her work explores the interplay of fragility and structure, transparency and form, while embracing the unexpected possibilities that emerge when glass is pushed beyond traditional boundaries.
Today, Joy works primarily with lampworking and pâte de verre (paste of glass). Her Canoe Series draws inspiration from memories of a visit to Venice, where she was captivated by the city's iconic boats and the vibrant flowers that adorn them. Transformed through glass, these memories become whimsical, dreamlike vessels—an interpretation of a place where water, color, architecture, and movement seem to exist in constant conversation.
Joy's work is currently available at Kore Gallery in Louisville, Kentucky.