Artist spotlight: Joyce Pierson

Every year since becoming eligible, Joyce Pierson has entered PMMA’s Art is Ageless® juried art competition and every year she has been a winner.

This past year, a scarf she created titled “Scattered Leaves” won in the local fiber arts professional category. The piece was created using a complicated technique Joyce calls “dying with botanicals.”

“I take a silk scarf, wash it, soak it in vinegar and then lay it out with leaves. From there, I put a dye blanket on top that has been dipped in iron water (iron and vinegar). Then, I roll it all up as tight as I can on a PVC pipe and tie it up before putting it in the cooker for three hours. After it’s done, I like to let it sit until the next day before unwrapping it. Sometimes the dye blanket looks as neat as the scarf. I’ve done shirts like that and face masks and scarves,” said Joyce.

Joyce began working in fiber by taking a weaving class in college. In the years that followed, Joyce dabbled in other mediums—primarily pottery—before coming back to fiber 25 years ago.

“I like to do a lot of different things, but I think now that I’ve gotten older, I think I need to stay focused. Time is running out and I can’t do everything, so I try to stay just on fiber or fiber-related projects,” said Joyce.

Joyce sells her work at a local farmer’s market and teaches classes in felting out of her home, which is why she enters the competition as a professional. However, it’s a label she’s not completely comfortable with.

“I don’t feel like I’m that professional. In some of the things, I’m just learning and not as good at as others,” said Joyce.

Now gearing up for her fifth year entering the competition, Joyce remains a big fan of the entire Art is Ageless program.

“I just really think that what Presbyterian Manor does is fantastic, especially for these rural communities where there’s not a whole lot going on in the arts,” said Joyce.

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