The weather has been very hot here in Wilson and the humidity has been high to add to it. I know you  all have heard me complain about the cold and now the hot. You are probably saying "Kim can't you ever be happy?"  Yes I can and yes I am. The weather just seems a common conversation thread. I know we are lucky with our weather when you see the fires in California, the Tropical Storm off Louisiana and the draughts throughout the world.

This past Thursday I was a vendor at RAW Arise at The Ritz in Raleigh. The turnout was amazing. There were close to 70 vendors there, numerous music acts and a fashion show. The amount of people that came from Wilson to support us was truly amazing. Thank you Wilsonians!
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I am in the studio today making up the calendar for August..... some new classes popping up! I will load them on the calendar here on the website Sunday afternoon. Check it out and came and create along with me!

I am really blessed. A year and a half ago I moved here and fell in love with Wilson. I have some wonderful neighbors. I did join the  neighbor association- Daniel Hill Neighborhood Association. I have learned a lot about the history of our neighborhood, it has been through some rough times but the community always pulled together to help each other through good and bad. Love it.

I belong to an amazing Church family at St. Timothy's. From the very first day when I walked it and met Susan the Greeter of the day I have felt like I came home. Over the year and a half I have come to know and love many members. I was confirmed in June of this year. If you are looking for a Church that makes you feel at home and supported St. Timothy's is the place to go!

I joined the Wilson Active Artists Association the month after I landed here. It is a group of artists that has been around for over 50 years. In December I was elected President..... ok there was no one running against me! These artists are a very special group of people and I am glad to call them fellow artists.

Before I moved here I reached out to Andrea Horton Morton that owns Horton Morton Art Studio (formerly known as Art at 123) and when I got here I became one of 6 guest artists in her studio. Andrea has been such a wonderful friend and sister in art. Love you Andrea!

I became a transporter for the Wilson County Humane Society. Since Fred hates other dogs I can not foster but wanted to help. I have driven cats to Richmond and numerous dogs and cats to Wake County Animal Shelter. Our shelter here is town is small and only has a 72 hour hold and then the animals are euthanized so the Humane Society tries to find shelters, rescues and fosters to save as many as possible. It breaks my heart to think of all the innocent animals that are put down because of overbreeding, surrender and abuse. Please spay and neuter. 

Master Gardener? Not yet but started the training this month. We have only touched on soil and fertilization and I am already learning so much more than I thought I knew. Now I know why my tomatoes explode on the plant!  I am sorry Dad that I did not pay attention to you when you tried to share your gardening knowledge with me. The process will take a year and 40 volunteer hours of work. Will keep you posted.

Fred and Wesley are such good company. The two feral girl cats that hang out in our neighborhood love Fred. They coming running when they see him when we are walking. Wesley could spend all day in his Catio ( screen porch) watching birds at the feeder and hummingbirds visiting the feeder and flowers outside the Catio. Fred had his first Dog Sitter this past week and seemed to love it. Isabella came over before the sit day to meet him and he fell in love with her! Know I can take longer day trips knowing he is taken care of.

Well I have procrastinated long enough I need to get back to work. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend and doing things that you enjoy.

​Remember to keep art in your heart! 

BUY A TICKET

GET FREE STAINED

GLASS EARRINGS!








 Big push to sell tickets between now and July 4! Everyone that purchases a ticket from me will receive a pair of stained glass earrings as a thank you! I need to sell 20 tickets and have sold 4! Who wants to help support a stained glass artist in her journey? Here is the link to my page and where you can purchase tickets..... ​https://www.rawartists.org/kimsjoy
I appreciate your support!
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I posted all the Art Happens on Tarboro classes and events on the calendar tab on the website.  Some new classes and some oldie but goodie classes too!

As July gets closer what are your plans for the month? Any projects in the works? Unfinished projects that are calling your name to wrap them up? Taking any trips? Let me know what's going on with you.

Keep art in your heart!
​Kim

 Well with the help of friends David and Dani, Art Happens has merged with Kim S. Joy Stained Glass. So much better to have all under one website. One calendar, one events page and one blog! Let me know what you think!

You can visit Art Happens via my YouTube Channel if you have had a chance to visit the studio in person. I hope to get more videos up of work in process and tips/tricks.  Here is another video form the studio. What kind of videos would you like to see?

A big shoutout to Andrea Horton Morton for helping with the videos today.
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New pieces came in this past week- Dreamcatchers by Judy Aycock. She does custom dreamcatchers and of course flat dreamcatchers.

GPO (Girls Pint Out) are coming later this month to make the Copper Necklace. It is a fun stress relieving class. Nothing like ladies wielding hammers smacking copper wire on steel blocks!

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer! Hard to believe that July is just around the corner.

Remember to keep art in your heART

Good morning all! It is a beautiful day out. Fred and I went on 3 walks before I came Downtown, he loves his walks. We chased squirrels, young chickens, a feral man cat and a few birds. He also said good morning to the little feral girl cat Mittens, he loves her and she allows him to smell her and she rubs up against him. photo looks like she is trying to eat him but he is really trying to reach her and say hi!

Stopped by the Post Office to mil a package to California- so there are 3 different Priority Envelopes and they are different prices ranging from $7.35 to 9.30. Of course I had packed the $9.30 one! Learn new things everyday! Hope you like the shirt Meagan.

Then a quick stop at the Wilson Farmers & Artisans Market. Picked up some Lemon Cucumbers, my favorite! Sliced by themselves, sliced in a salad, however you use cucumbers, they are amazing. Trying a Lemon Cucumber Tofu Salad for dinner tonight.

Tried to stop at the bank to make a deposit but BBT was closed this am. Did you read about the merge with Suntrust? The new is going to be..... Truist! What? I do not know how they figured that name out. They just better be open Monday! For info go here: ​https://www.msn.com/en-us/finance/news/bb-26t-suntrust-announce-merger-to-become-truist/vi-AACN5Xt
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So now I need to get to work after all that lollygagging. Today's project is cutting out a chevron necklace and promoting the RAW Arise show I will be in July 11 at The Ritz in Raleigh. You can check out my artist page, tickets are available through my page. Please come and support Local Artists!

Off to work I go. Have a wonderful weekend and make lots of art!

Artfully yours,
​Kim

It has been beautiful out Friday and Saturday, a breeze and sun sometimes hiding behind clouds. Just beautiful days. In the studio I have gotten the new artwork hung, my photo station is set up, a commission piece designed, my artist notebook updated and new classes planned for next 6 months! 

Construction on Tarboro Street is moving along and construction on the store next door has started. Progress everywhere you look. It is exciting to see new businesses popping up all over. Won't you be my neighbor! Really though there are storefronts for sale and the timing is right! 
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Cindy with her first repair job! A winged cardinal that had broken wings. What a job!  But patience and perseverance paid off. Great job Cindy and doesn't she look happy!

So Art Happens on Tarboro website has merged with Kim S. Joy Stained Glass and Jewelry. It is nice to have it all under one roof. So when you type in Art Happens on Tarboro it actually brings you to the older website which is still live. Let me know what you think and any suggestions are always welcome.

How is you summer shaping up? Hope you are having a good one and have lots of fun planned.

Remember to keep art in your heart!
​Kim 

 

Yesterday was the Ribbon Cutting with the Wilson Chamber of Commerce and Grand Opening for Art Happens on Tarboro. I was so happy with the turnout with the heat, roadwork and construction next door. When we walked out for the actual ribbon cutting, we were met with the port-a-potty being vacuumed out...lovely! Tim Lamm catered the event, Donna Helms Flowers was the photographer. So many friends, community leaders, Chamber of Commerce members and other Downtown Business Owners came to share this special day with me. 

Now that I see the photos I realize I need to clean and paint the Cadillac Visor below the siding on the front of the building. And maybe fix or remove the light fixture that is hanging down. There is a street light to the left of the tree that luminates the sign at night so I do not think I need to have it repair or replaced.

​ What do you think? Should I put an up light on the sign? 

Just want to take a minute to say Happy Mother's Day to you all. I know there are some that have fur kids and that counts in my book! Wishing everyone across the board a wonderful day. I spent some time this morning looking at photos and slides of my Mom, I sure do miss her. Love you Mom! I am so glad my kids got to meet her, Patrick was 4 when she passed so I hope that he remembers her plus I have kept the stories alive in hopes that that helps them all remember their Marmie.

I had a little visit to doctor on Friday and came away with new insight. It is time to get rid of the stressors in your life. Carrying around all that stress will affect your health, take that from me. Some are going to be very hard and some are going to hurt the people that are the stressors but I can not afford to let the stressors weigh me down. Don't worry I am fine just making changes to prevent anything in the future! Takeaway: TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!!!!

Art Happens on Tarboro has three new artists displaying their work. Wilson has been alive with activity- Eyes on Main Street is open and new businesses are moving in and opening.

Chelle Edwards of ibG Creative Design. Chelle is a stained glass artist- her work shows stained glass as the beautiful, versatile medium it is, that belongs in every home or office.  More of Chelle's work can be seen at her Etsy Shop 
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Ray Schmitz of CanTejas Art . Ray is an amazing artist- his work includes, acrylic on canvas, pencil on art paper and pencil drawing. More of his work can also be seen on his website www.cantejas.com

Carole Stoiber also has joined the artists at Art Happens on Tarboro. Carole's work includes watercolor, acrylic, oil and silk painting. More of Carole's work can be seen on her website www.carolestoiberart.com.

​Last week was the opening of Eyes on Main Street Photo Festival. It was an amazing weekend filled with wonderful photographers, amazing lectures, fun parties and great music.  Thank you Jerome De Perlinghi for this amazing gift you have given to Wilson and the world of photography.

I have been busy in the studio doing repairs and working on commissions. The studio is a buzz with activity and I love it. I did bring Fred to work one day. He did pretty well until Jon Snow, the shop dog from next door, came to the front door. Fred can open a heavy glass store door! And he does not seem to like small children in strollers. So his days at work are limited.

Wishing everyone a wonderful spring. Stop by and visit me at Art Happens on Tarboro sometime.

Well it has been raining here in Wilson all spring. The ground is full of water and taking walks with Fred we come home covered in mud! Glad he is enjoying himself.

For the past four First Fridays it has been raining and a couple of people in town are talking about Second Saturday might be a better choice. Need to track the weather for the last months to see if it was better. 

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I just finished two repairs and a commission piece. And then walked in two more repairs. I love the challenge of repairs, trying to make the repair without taking the piece that means so much to the owner and changing it up a bunch. I wish these pieces could tell their story.
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The awning has been removed. The studio is much brighter and looks bigger from the inside. It was like trimming your Russian Grandfather's eyebrows Now I just need to clean and paint the Cadillac Shade so it is not a unibrow! You can see all of the window space now! Love it! Thank goodness the window cleaner comes every two weeks.

I think the dangling light fixture that is the up light needs to be removed or fixed. There is street light to the left of the building and it lights up the sign quite a bit. 

I would love to change the color or the blue siding to teal or purple to match logo but it is not the end of the world.

What would you do to jazz it up a bit? I really do not want to paint the bricks, being historical and all.