Joy C. Fine
About Me
Joy C. Fine is a native of Philadelphia. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (BFA) with a major in illustration, from the Philadelphia College of Art (presently the University of the Arts). She also took graduate courses at Moore College of Art and Design and is an active member in ACX (Artists’ Cultural Exchange).
Her professional career includes 10 years as a television artist and as a freelance designer and illustrator in advertising. She served as a docent at the Philadelphia Museum of Art from 1986 to 2017. She led tours in the European, Medieval and Asian galleries; her special collection tours included French Impressionism, Portraits, and Women in Art. Additionally, Joy conducted tours in large-scale exhibitions such as Cezanne, Delacroix, Fabrics and Fashion: Ten Years of Acquisitions, the Walter F. Annenberg Collection, Michelangelo/Rodin, Black and White: The Julien Levy Collection, Van Gogh: Face to Face, Dali, The Art of Lee Miller, Henri Matisse and Modern Art on the French Riviera, Paris Through the Window: Marc Chagall and his Circle.
Artist's Statement
Inspiration comes from old photographs, magazines and places I’ve visited (and loved). What I choose to paint are personal statements, as the subjects evoke emotion in me. I believe a painting is a collaborative effort between the painter and the medium. The vagaries of watercolor spark my imagination, allowing me to “go with the flow,” capturing the subject’s flavor by combining naturalistic and abstract imagery. I work several paintings at the same time, returning to each one, seeing things anew. Acrylics, gouache, and mixed media provide a chance for new discoveries.
