Athey

An overview of my “Story”
by M. Joyce Athey

At this stage of life I'm an artist and writer. The emotion of many years overflow into poetry and painting. A feast for the senses surrounds me as I reside at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, Cocoa Beach, FL.

I seriously began writing and painting in 1995, choosing watercolor and poetry as the main forms. With no formal training in either it has been fun to experiment and grow. A unique abstract style in the use of transparent watercolor emerged. My writing has it's own emerging style also.

There are wonderful surprises as I freely move line, water and color on paper. My inner thoughts and feelings emerge in exciting ways in the process or formation of my art. I often combine painting and poetry to give further form and expression to my thought and emotion.

My first solo watercolor show was September, 1996 at Cocoa Beach Library. Many other solo shows have followed. Paintings have been accepted into very competitive shows such as Florida Watercolor Society and the Visual Arts Center of North West Florida. Art Vue Gallery and Sand and Sea Gallery of Cocoa Village represent my work, as does Ta Da Gallery of New Smyrna Beach, FL.

My watercolor achievements have been nurtured through many local societies such as Brevard Watercolor Society, Strawbridge Art League, Central Brevard Art Association, Titusville Art League, as well as Florida, National, and American Watercolor Societies.

In 2003-2004 through a local church and its facility, I had the opportunity to develop and lead a Board of Fine Arts which then offered a unique and vibrant fine arts ministry (performance and visual arts) for and by the community. In that year also my personal presentation and exhibit of paintings and poetry, “Journey of the Soul: The Spirit in Art” was born.

Moving out from that experience and with strong commitment to the concept, the Athey Traveling Art Exhibit was formed., transporting the “know how” and example across the country.

Each year brings new and varied challenge with The Arts!

In my “before Florida” days I was an Elementary Teacher, Director of Christian Education, missionary in Ethiopia, writer of Christian Education materials, a national designer of cross-stitch, and a liturgical artist. As a mother of four, grandmother of two, and a Lutheran minister's widow, the experience is plentiful from which my “voice” can flow!