A native of North Carolina and one of ten girls, Joyce always loved to draw especially from the human figure. Her education began at the New York Art Students League, studying under Robert Brackman and William Draper.
Intrigued with the impressionist approach to color, Joyce was directed by Charles Sovek to the Cape Cod School of Art in Provincetown, which was founded by Charles Hawthorne. There, her eyes were opened to how light affects color and how to see and interpret that light, thereby creating her radiant palette. While spending time at the Cape, Joyce was personally mentored by the American impressionist Sam Barber, who was the protégé of Henry Henche.
Joyce works in oils, using palette knives as well as brushes. Her favorite subjects include: figures, boats and floral still life. Joyce Norwood offers a different approach to landscape. Her palette knife technique, use of vibrant color, and keen eye give her work freshness, texture and a comforting nostalgia. Joyce has won many regional awards for her work and is recognized for her outstanding use of color and subject matter.
“As long as I can remember, I have had the desire to draw and capture the form of objects I admire, particularly the human form with all its myriad shapes. Drawing combined with painting in oils allows me to produce harmonious color combinations that appeal to the senses, thereby drawing the viewer into the picture. The human eye instinctively perceives and responds to truth. I sometimes use heavy texture to give the surface interest and a more contemporary feel to my paintings. In my art as well as in my life, I am very conscious of lighting and how it affects everything it touches because it can change an object’s color as well as its form.”