Joy Beckner
United States
Joy Kroeger Beckner
Bio 2020
Joy Kroeger Beckner has had a love of art since childhood and is inspired by the sensuous shapes of skin, bone and muscle in human and animal forms. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, and trained at Washington University School of Fine Arts there, she first worked in fashion, then fund-raising, and returned to art in the late 80s. A 1990 sculpture class reawakened her love for modeling clay. She is thrilled to make something move in the round and to bring memorable experiences, from giggles to tears, to those who view her finished creations.
Meticulously involved with every step of the sculptural process from modeling clay or wax to chasing and finish work, Joy also hires the best in the United States to produce her vision into bronze. This attention to detail and commitment to creating strong representational work has resulted in many awards and invitations to membership in prestigious organizations.
Professional memberships include: National Sculpture Society Fellow, 2014; The Salmagundi Art Club, Non-Resident Artist Member, 2012; the Society of Animal Artists, Signature Member, 1999; and, numerous other prestigious organizations. The Margaret Harwell Art Museum, Poplar Bluff, MO, invited Joy for her first solo exhibition in 2012 and, the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog, St. Louis, MO, gave Joy a solo show in 2014. PBS Nine Network of Public Media first featured Joy on Arts America on November 5, 2016.
Best known for her series of dachshunds, Joy has earned international recognition and over 100 awards portraying these endearing animals. To date, she has exhibited in twelve National Sculpture Society shows earning four awards, including their Silver Medal. Other major awards include the Ellin P. Speyer Prize from the National Academy; six Best in Shows; ten Best Sculpture in Shows including two Audubon Artists Gold Medals and, from the Society of Animal Artists, two Awards of Excellence, the Leonard J. Meiselman Award and the Elliot Siskin Award.
Joy’s article “Clay to Collector” is printed in Danish in DGK Gravhunden. Her work is collected on six continents, and New Zealand, by museums and corporations including Brookgreen Gardens, SC; UMSC Hollings Cancer Center, Charleston, SC; American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog, New York, NY; Fountain Hills Cultural & Civic Assn., Fountain Hills, AZ; Art on the Avenues, Wenatchee, WA; The Library of Hattiesburg, Hattiesburg, MS; the Dunnegan Gallery of Art in Bolivar, MO, and the Professional Beauty Association, Scottsdale, AZ.
Works range from 1:6 scale miniatures to life-size. Learn more at www.joybeckner.com.
* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 15th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.
