Joy Collier, an artist based in Springville, is also the publisher of Coffee News, which is distributed through many local businesses. Although she is a talented graphic designer, creating all the ads for her paper, her greatest passion is post-impressionistic painting.
Several of her Giant Sequoia paintings can be seen at the Clay Cafe in Visalia, and her work will be on display at the Comfort Inn & Suites in Three Rivers on the next two “First Saturday in Three Rivers” events, from 10am to 5pm on January 4 and February 5.
Collier, who has been painting since childhood, has been most influenced by the works of Cezanne and Monet. As a student of Taro Yashima in Los Angeles, she learned that art was the search of truth, something she has taken seriously ever since. She is still seeking her truth.
Originally having a passion for desert scape, Collier has most recently found her subject matter in painting the Giant Sequoia trees, one of the many influences that stimulate her creative mood.
“I have been watching a lot of HGTV home remodeling show where colorful and loose moods are right up my alley,” she said. “I have always wanted my paintings to look like they just happened by accident and fell into place without sacrificing underlying form, as if you were transported to just that spot where it was painted from, you could look up and realize you were standing in that exact location.”
Collier loves using natural colors in nature, yet paints them more saturated, giving them a much brighter feel.
“I am experiencing a convergence of technology, knowledge and creativity,” she admits. “Now with the evolution of giclee prints (essentially canvas and ink that lasts 100 years), I can share my love of the Sequoias and California’s unique landscape at an affordable price.”
Collier’s original paintings can cost up to $3,000, while her prints – made in four-foot and six-foot heights – range between $200 and $400, depending on the print.
Her work can be seen at numerous local events and venues, recently at Visalia’s “Taste of the Arts” and at “First Saturdays” in Three Rivers. On First Fridays in Visalia, art enthusiasts can meet her in front of the Clay Café at 225 E. Main St.
For more information, visit www.joycollier.com.