Joy Ray
You live in Hawaii but we asked you to be part of The Program anyway. How'd you find ShockBoxx and what do you make of that?
The power of Shockboxx drew me all the way from a rock in the middle of the ocean. I saw a photo online of some art that I really connected with. I looked up the artist and it was some guy named Mike Collins. I emailed him and he invited me to check out his studio the next time I was in LA. That’s when I first heard about Shockboxx, and from that first encounter I was on board. DIY is where everything great comes from.
Since we've known you, your work has stayed cohesive and in a similar theme. Have you always created work in this style, or has it (d)evolved into what you are doing now?
When I first started, I was doing more-or-less traditional embroidery, in a cheeky pop-art sort of vein. I would design images and sew them, using standard embroidery stitches. I started feeling like this process was too cerebral and controlled. I wanted a way to incorporate raw emotion, expression and spontaneity into my work. That’s led me down a path of continual experimentation with materials and processes. I’ve become obsessed with texture. I use all kinds of fiber materials, sand, spray paint, spackle, toilet paper, metal, even burnt toast. My work has more in common with painting now, although there is always a hand-sewn element.
Speaking of that theme, your work has a witchy, voodoo vibe to it. Are you a witch?
I definitely am drawn towards all things dark and mysterious: dreams, the afterlife, intuition, spirits, tarot, rituals, energetic forces. Part of my artistic process is to leave room for chaos and chance, to see what comes through. I’m inspired by the cut-up method of Burroughs and Gysin, and the embroidering medium Jeanne Tripier.
Talk about your studio, and how being in Hawaii while you've been having so much recent success in Los Angeles has been for you. Is it an advantage to be able to get away and hide back in the studio?
I used to feel total FOMO about living so far away from “the art world”. But I realize that being able to isolate myself in my Hawaii studio is kind of a superpower. The Big Island is a magical place. When I’m there, it’s like the volume is turned down on civilization. There’s just lava rocks and the ocean, and this intense energy that comes from living on an island made of active volcanos. Since last year, I also have a studio in downtown LA and try to spend time there as often as I can.
You hustle and it's obvious that quality of your work, plus that hustle, has been paying off for you. How'd you make that happen and do you have any tips for people coming up the ranks?
For me, it’s all about the people. I’ve met the coolest people in the art world, whether artists, collectors, curators or gallerists. So many people have been generous and kind to me (including Mike, Preston and Laura from Shockboxx), and I try to return the favor. CAFÉ is a great way to find exhibition opportunities, and I’m a big fan of Kipaipai professional development workshops.
