Do you ever have days when you feel like not seeing anyone or going anywhere? Woke up today and felt that way. I did have to take Fred and Wesley to the vet this am so I had to leave the house and see people. I do love the staff and vet at their doctor's. Fred was crazy this trip. He hates getting his nails trimmed, I can not do them. So we go to the vet where he is muzzled and held tightly. Today he cried and yelled like a baby. We talked about a relaxer for the next visit so he will not be as anxious. Wesley got switched to sensitive skin food as he is licking spots down to the skin. He growled like a mountain lion and hid in a cupboard ever chance he got. Let's face it.... both of them were angry as hell this morning.

This week I signed up for classes in Street Photography,Insect Micro Photography, Bird Photography, Astro Landscape and Landscape Adventure Photography. I am looking for a new media, just want to expand my personal experience and knowledge base. I have taken a Street Photography course before and it was very eye opening- it was uncomfortable in the beginning asking people if they minded if I took their photo. As the day went on it became a lot more easy to approach strangers.

In the studio this week I will be cleaning up the art class supplies as Homeschool Art will be starting again in September. I am hoping the class numbers will increase. Teaching art with kids is so much fun.

I have numerous stained glass repairs on the workbench waiting to be done. Mailing a commission piece to new home also. Two lampshades that need to be picked up by their owner that have been done since mid July.

The job I really need to do but am not looking forward to is taking new photos of my Etsy items and Artfire items. My photos right now are not crisp and are not the feel I want to convey. When I look through other Etsy or Artfire stores I am amazed at the quality of photography.

I am working on class/workshops for American Craft Week October 4-13. I really want to have numerous new classes I want to introduce and think that week would be great timing. If you were to come to class during Craft Week what would you like to take/learn?

What are you up to? Have you created some yummy pieces this summer? Did you try anything new?

Remember to keep art in your heART,
​Kim

This morning I played hookie from work! I went on the final Eyes on Main Street Walking Tour. It was a good size crowd and the newest Resident Photographer, Vicky Roy was with us and he shared the insight of his photography. It was great to hear how Jerome managed to get some of the photographs.  I learned about the Library of Congress Photograph Archives. Truly amazing how much I have learned about photography since moving to Wilson

Tonight is the Welcome Potluck for Vicky at the Eyes on Australia Gallery. It will be fun to see all the supporters of Eyes on Main Street there

Hope you are having a great summer and enjoying yourselves. Remember to leave time for some art in your schedule!

Keep art in your heART
​Kim 

Well today was a productive day in the studio. I updated the website with classes for August, did 5 days of Tailwind (scheduled Instagram), started background work on a repair job and  designed 2 Pet Memorial stained glass pieces. I had wanted to do them for awhile but kept putting them off. I got 4 cut out, ground and wrapped. I will solder them tomorrow but thought you might want to see them where they are now.
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​The bigger ones have red hearts for the 3 toe pad. They are for Nanook and Gordon, my sweet studio dogs that crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Nanook's is black and Gordy's is black and white. A little sad working on them but cherish the wonderful memories I  have.

​I will post photos tomorrow when they are done.

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!!!!