Art is a universal language that transcends boundaries by speaking to our shared emotions and expressions. Local artist Guy Joy is bringing this concept to life with a new exhibition in Mill Valley.
Joy’s Celebrating Human Connection: The Beauty Within Us exhibition will be open to the public from March 4 through 30 at the O’Hanlon Loft Gallery. The opening reception occurs from 5:30 to 7:30pm on March 4.
Born in San Francisco, Joy “rushed home to Marin,” as he puts it. After all, Marin is where he grew up and spent his formative years, including being part of the first class at Redwood High School. His love for the arts dates back as far as he can remember. Captivated by the natural beauty around him, he channeled this inspiration into his creative work.
“I was always interested in the arts and drawing and painting and used the beauty of nature and in Marin in the ’50s as inspiration,” said Joy. “I know I got my color sense just from closely observing flowers, birds, nature…all the time, I was looking at values and what I found beautiful and important, and eventually I realized that all design is related.”
“Going through the process of growing up in Marin, seeing it change, what I found more and more is the importance of communication,” he added. “And the arts, in any form, is communication…that can be used to reveal what is true to us.”
Joy continued nurturing his lifelong passion for art through personal exploration and formal education. He earned a baccalaureate of fine arts degree in design, drawing and painting with honors from California College of the Arts in Oakland. His academic journey didn’t stop there—he furthered his studies at the San Francisco Academy of Art, the San Francisco Art Institute, UC Berkeley, Humboldt State University and Evolution Academy for the Arts.
Additionally, he took his studies even further by learning under the guidance of masters like Vincent Perez, Ralph Borge and Wolfgang Lederer. Through a peerless dedication to his craft and constant exposure to great art and artists, he found his passion in portraiture and conveying emotion through expression.
“As a painter, my meaning and purpose is doing portraits and…has to do with valuing what we bring to the table as human beings,” said Joy. “The face is the most expressive part of the body since most of the sensory awareness is there. And as a portrait painter, I can portray shared experiences…through patterns of perception. I only really know about my feelings, when I paint other people—imaginary or people I’ve seen—it captures a feeling I know well in myself.”
“One of the best ways for visual artists to work is to create pieces that give people a chance to see how much we have and to see that someone of a different color or culture has the same emotional experiences we do,” he added. “Laughter, for example, is the same in all languages and doesn’t require an interpretation.”
By painting portraits of people of different ages, genders and cultures, Joy hopes to spread the message of humanity’s shared emotional spectrum. His preferred medium is acrylic paints, which offer an immediate, fresh color to complement his works. However, for studies of larger works, he tends toward watercolors instead.
“[My artwork] gives people the opportunity to be exposed to different people and to develop a genuine curiosity instead of fear and a real feeling of mutual respect,” he explained. “Communicating with one another generates genuine curiosity and mutual respect, and that’s what we as people really value about each other.”
Joy views art museums and galleries as his “church” and feels privileged to experience others’ truths through their works—whether that truth is painted, written or even shared on social media. In fact, he views social media as another avenue for connection, one he uses to engage with artists from all over the world.
One such connection was with an artist from Ukraine who taught him a unique painting technique. Instead of starting with a blank white canvas, this method begins with a canvas pre-toned in earth colors, creating a rich foundation for the work. The global community of artists, more interconnected than ever, continues exchanging lessons that enrich their creative journeys and communities.
“I feel the meaning and purpose of my painting from now on is to celebrate the connection between human beings as something that’s incredibly valuable,” said Joy. “My intention is to have people notice and recognize emotions and expressions in my work and to, in turn, notice what they notice within themselves in others.”
By tuning into emotional works, one can foster not only a deeper understanding of others but of themselves as well. And, in an age where technology is advancing rapidly, taking a moment to reflect on the human condition, internal and external, is increasingly important.
“I come from a generation that was schooled in such a way that ‘learning’ was about getting the right answer—accuracy, speed, efficiency—but that’s all gone because tech can handle that just fine,” said Joy. “So, what do human beings bring to the table? Consideration, kindness, patience and knowing the value of the soul and holding space for that mutual respect.”
While the modern world’s technology is rapidly advancing, Joy’s perspective on the intersection of tech and art leaves room for…well, humanity.
“Art is really about observation…it’s a way of thinking and feeling into something,” he said. “I think that’s going to be what’s missing in tech because tech can’t feel into something; it can only logically deduct. If tech can find another way about it, then that’s fine, but it’s not going to be human.”
“There’s something erratic about human nature that’s extremely rich,” added Joy. “And I don’t think we need to have a machine be a human being—we’ve already got plenty of human beings.”
So, if coming out to look at some art and be a beautifully erratic human being along with the rest of humanity sounds appealing, then this local exhibition is just the place to gather together to do just that.
“I hope that this serves to give people an invitation [to my exhibition],” concluded Joy. “Everybody is welcome to come and see what they think and feel. This is not decoration; it is not something that is just for appearance—it’s to convey something that feels a certain way, and that’s going to vary and start conversations with people, and that’s what I love.”
The O’Hanlon Gallery is located at 616 Throckmorton Ave. in Mill Valley. Visit the O’Hanlon Gallery website at ohanloncenter.org. To learn more about Joy and his artwork, visit coloringenergy.com.
