small moments.

big joy.

celebrating the little joys of being human.

Creativity Belongs in Everyday Life.

Not just in galleries. Not just in sketchbooks. But in the way we connect, communicate, lead, celebrate, and experience the world around us.

The Little Joys of Art is a growing creative space dedicated to making art, storytelling, and imagination a more meaningful part of everyday life.

Hi, I’m joy.

A woman with red hair and a beaming smile, wearing a white t-shirt with large red text, stands in an art or craft room with coloring charts and art supplies on the wall behind her.

ARTIST

WRITER

STORYTELLER

I make art. I tell stories. And I pay attention.

I’ve always loved listening to people talk — learning how they see the world, what shaped them, what they carry, what makes them laugh, and what they’re still trying to figure out.

I notice things, too. People. Places. Small details. Strange moments. The way a room feels. The way someone tells a story. The things we say and the things we don’t.

The Little Joys of Art started as a place to make and share artwork. Over time, it became something bigger: a place to explore creativity, identity, relationships, bodies, work, change, resilience, ridiculousness, and the everyday experiences that shape who we become.

Some of the stories here are mine.

Some are inspired by what I notice.

And increasingly, I hope some of them will be yours.

just a little taste of the most current little joy letter…

The Little Joy Letters
The Stories We Keep
The Stories We Keep

It's funny how life sometimes places seemingly unrelated experiences right next to each other, and suddenly you find yourself connecting dots you didn't even know were there.

This week, between remembering a colleague we lost a year ago and gathering with family to say goodbye to someone we love, I heard a sentence that stopped me in my tracks: "Grief feels a lot like fear."

And I haven't stopped thinking about it. About grief, fear, the stories we tell, and how the smallest moments in our lives often become the biggest memories we leave behind.

Read more →
Hello Imagination, nice to see you again.
Hello Imagination, nice to see you again.

And I've written another letter.

Perhaps that's enough for this week.

Because what I'm realizing is that these letters aren't just a way to tell you about my creative journey.

They've become part of how I'm finding my way back to it.

And the most delightful part?

Someone noticed when one was missing.

So here's to the big ideas, the unfinished projects, the imaginary empires, and the very inspired slugs among us.

Here's to choosing courage when fear is holding us back, and giving ourselves permission to rest when life is simply asking too much.

And here's to discovering that sometimes, the little thing you start doing to find your way back to yourself ends up opening a door you didn't even know you were looking for.

A little question before you go...

Have you ever started doing something for one reason, only to discover it was giving you something entirely different?

I'd love to hear about it. Truly. Because one of the unexpected joys of writing these letters has been realizing how much I enjoy the conversations they start.

Read more →
what happens to the things we love?
what happens to the things we love?

The things we love are often the least demanding things in our lives.

My sketchbook isn't going to send me a follow-up email.

The painting I haven't started isn't going to be disappointed in me.

The book I want to write won't put a meeting on my calendar.

The Little Joys of Art isn't going to knock on my bedroom door and announce that it needs dinner.

It just waits.

And because it waits, it can be incredibly easy to keep saying:

Tomorrow.

This weekend.

After this busy season.

After this event.

After the holidays.

After things calm down.

When I have more energy.

When I'm less tired.

When life isn't quite so...life.

And I think that's the question underneath the question.

What happens to the things we love while they're waiting for us?

This week, The Little Joys of Art didn't get very much of me.

I made one social media post.

I placed an order for two custom Halloween cards I had created for clients.

And I'm writing this letter.

Read more →

the art.

  • custome house portrait for client
  • creative collaboration with artist, Kate Caffrey
  • handpainted holiday gnome pillow
  • custom holiday card: happy halloween
  • watercolor painting of a man on a beach
  • Watercolor painting of a dog lying on a striped cushion, with its eyes closed and one paw resting on its face. The dog has black, white, and brown fur.
  • acrylic painted dog laying on a couch
  • Pair of colorful sneakers with geometric patterns, one with a rainbow gradient and the other with orange and white designs, placed on top of each other.
see the art.