Artist's Bio

Joy Erickson experienced a lifetime love affair with the visual image, whether expressed in paint, pencils, clay, photography, digital art or words. Her professional life spanned over 50 years in art-related activities.

As a fine artist, her media of choice was acrylic paints applied to different types of canvas. Her most recent works were created in her computer and applied to archival watercolor and photographic papers. Commission portraits can be found in college, university and library collections as well as other corporate entities throughout the United States. Her art has been purchased for private collections both at home and abroad. She is also a published author and illustrator and inventor.

Though she considered herself to be mostly self taught, formal training includes drawing and painting classes at Northern Illinois University in an undergraduate setting and with William J. Kennedy of the University of Illinois in private study. Art and language were pursued at the Cuanahuac Institute in Cuernavaca, Mexico. She considered Jungian Analysis and her study of psychology at the C. G. Jung Institute in Kusnacht, Switzerland a major influence on her art.

Over her career, Joy exhibited widely in both single artist and juried shows in the U.S., being honored with many awards. Over her lifetime, she held juried memberships in the National Society of Casein and Acrylic Painters, NY, NY; The National Association of Women Artists (New York and Florida Chapters) as well as other local art Associations in Florida, New York and Illinois. She is listed in Who’s Who in American Art and Who’s Who in the World. Current memberships are held in the Dimage digital photography club and the Genealogical Society of Sarasota, Florida. She was a founding member and board member emeritus of the C. G. Jung Society of Sarasota and a member of the Arts Council of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota.

Joy and her husband, George Gannett, jointly operated a graphic design and desktop publishing studio in Sarasota along with their genealogical pursuits, travels and volunteer work. They share 8 children and 14 grandchildren.  Sadly, Joy passed away in September, 2008.  She left behind a wonderful body of work and innumerable lives touched by her great kindness and generosity.