Meet Joy Lazarus | Artist & Researcher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joy Lazarus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joy, what’s the end goal, career-wise?
I would like to have my own show and exhibit my artwork in a gallery of some sort. As a child I was always trying to make whatever I was creating to look “professional” – if it was drawing or painting, I was working on, or even something I was sewing, I wanted the artwork to have a sense of purpose and good quality in its own right. So as an adult, having my artwork displayed professionally would be the icing on the cake!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have a one tract mind that can be helpful in creative pursuits, but also tedious and draining. My art really is a manifestation of myself, in the sense that I can see and feel my personality within it. As if my artwork is emanating the essence of who I am. Not in a literal sense, but in a figurative sense. I am most proud of my ability to replicate what I see in my mind on canvas, wood or paper. I’ve painted since I was a teenager, and more seriously since enrolling in college, so I have about 10 years of trial and error, plus whatever I learn each day.

I do not think it is an easy task to be a painter, but it does becomes easier the more you do it. I am very committed to my art practice which can take time away from other things I enjoy, such as spending time with friends and family.

The lessons I learned along the way are that practice, and tenacity pays off. And if you love it, you should do it. Painting makes me happy. It is a creative release and a creative exhaust – I feel both energized and exhausted after painting sessions. It also doesn’t matter what level or skill set you have at the beginning, if you want to grow and become better at something and are willing to put the time in to achieve that goal, anything is possible.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Things to do in Houston! Wow, there are so many! We would go to Paulie’s, as I love their pasta and cookies and cucumber water. Superb ice cream places are Cloud 9, Milk + Sugar, and Flower and Cream. India’s on Westheimer has the best Indian food, and Churassco’s Brazilian Steakhouse has the best plantain chips and fish. We would go to see the butterflies in the Cockrell Butterfly Center and the precious gemstones at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. A tour of the Nancy & Rich Kinder Building at the MFAH campus is a must too. And for exercise, a lap of Memorial Park Conservancy is a must, depending on the weather of course.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shout out to all my art teachers and professors over the years. They introduced me to new techniques and ways of thinking, as well as the beauty of color and self-expression. I would also like to dedicate my shout out to my family and friends who have been supportive of my artistic pursuits and are truly my biggest fans. I create partly because it is fun for them too, and I enjoy having them involved in the process as well.

Website: joylazarus.com

Instagram: joylazarusart