Artist Bio

Born and raised in Northern Michigan, Joey has always had a love for creativity. She has been drawing and painting since a young age. After choosing a career in nursing,  Joey decided to compliment her life with art on the side. She received an associate’s degree in art at the community college and taught art in the community, privately, and as part of an artist in resident for the special education program.

Raising her own family, She has promoted creativity in all of her 6 children, and three grandchildren. In her home there is always easy access to art supplies, lessons and learning a new craft. Joey’s husband is very supportive of this and is always improving her studio space. Inspiring the creative soul in everyone she meets is a natural progression of every relationship she builds.

Fiber arts, primarily painting on silk with fabric dye, are Joey’s greatest passion. She loves the easy flow of the dye on silk. She is mesmerized by the silk’s ease and ability to allow the color to paint itself with little help from the painter and the brush. Painting is a very meditative experience. She also enjoys sewing, quilting and knitting. Recently, Joey has been exploring oil painting using an abstract technique.

Joey received her doctorate in nursing practice in 2013 and focused her research in the healing effects of creativity. She is now certified by the American Nurses Credential Center and contracted as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner in a private practice. She has developed and coordinated a healing arts program for the McLaren Health System in Northern Michigan.

Inspiration

Joey finds her muse for painting silk in everyday design, color and visual items she comes in contact. She especially enjoys fashion magazines and design magazines. A small color palette she views also gives birth to many silk scarf designs. She has recently framed silk to be shown in galleries and healing arts programs. She enjoys big, vibrant, splashy loose color. She loves the spectacular effects of salt on silk fabric dye and has endless ideas for future paintings.