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Joy Kroeger Beckner
NSS, SAA, AWA, AFC
Sculptor - Classical Realism, from Hounds to Humans |
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Born December 17, 1944, and raised in St. Louis, MO, Joy attended Washington University School of Fine Arts in St. Louis. She pursued professions in fashion at Famous-Barr and later ran her fund-raising business, Joy of Youth. In the late 1980's opportunity and spirit were right for Joy to return to art. A 1990 sculpture class reawakened her love for modeling clay into the human form. With encouragement from her husband, Brian, Joy began the process of becoming a fine artist through formal education, job experience and interpersonal relationships.
Joy is a modeler. She models clay or wax into the desired form rather than carving, for example, a block of marble. When the clay is finished, she has a mold made and the piece is cast into bronze using the lost-wax method. Please read her brief overview, "Clay to Bronze," for a better understanding of the process.
Joy created fourteen bas-relief portraits in bronze for the National Cosmetology Association Hall of Fame from 1993 through 1998.
From fall 1995 through 1998 she evolved into a full-time sculptor. The Society of Animal Artists elected her to membership in spring 1999 and she accepted invitations to become a full member of AWA, the American Women Artists, based in Santa Fe, NM; Allied Artists of America and the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, both based in New York City.
Joy's series of life-sized dachshunds, inspired by her own "kids," has earned her national recognition and over 50 awards including the National Sculpture Society Silver Medal, the Ellin P. Speyer Prize from the National Academy, four awards from the Society of Animal Artists, and four Best-in-Shows! Her goal is to create at least one major piece per year. A Certificate of Authenticity is provided with each life-sized bronze and with the 1:6 scale series, Dream Chasers. These works are editions of 20. Most individual 1:6 scale bronzes became editions of 99 & 9 Artist's Proofs in November 1999. Joy taught her first canine sculpture class, sculpted her first canine commission and her first Golden Retriever in 2001. Joy's work is in collections around the world, including the permanent collections of the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog, in St. Louis, MO; The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal & Forrest County, Hattiesburg, MS; and two pieces grace the Ella Carothers Dunnegan Gallery of Art, in Bolivar, MO. Her collectors range from those who love Chihuahuas to Great Danes. She is grateful for the friendship of her dachshund anatomy mentor, Judge Weldon Long, without whose coaching she could not have created her winning works with accuracy so close to the AKC standard.
EDUCATION
Loveland Academy, Loveland, CO ~ Tuck Langland, Eugene Daub.
Fontbonne College, St. Louis, MO ~ Rudi Torrini, Hank Knickmeyer.
John Burrough's School, St. Louis, MO ~ Robert Lee Walker.
Meramec College, St. Louis, MO ~ Jaye Gregory.
Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis, MO ~ Toni Wirts.
Portraiture, Oil, St. Louis, MO ~ Tito Gay.
Washington University School of Fine Arts, St. Louis, MO ~ Barry Schactman, Richard Duhme, Tonasco Milovich, Charles Quest.
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Support for Conservation:
x
Special Achievements:
- 2005 - C. Percival Dietsch Prize, National Sculpture Society, 72nd Annual Exhibition.
- 2003 - Best Animal Sculpture ~ Viselaya Gardens, MA, Figurative Sculpture Competition.
- 2003 - Award of Excellence ~ Society of Animal Artists, 43th Annual Members Exhibition & National Museum Tour.
- 2003 - Polich Art Foundry Award, given in memory of Benson Selzer ~ National Sculpture Society, 70th Annual Exhibition.
- 2002 - First Place, Sculpture ~ Dog Fanciers Club, Inc., 15th Contemporary American Dog Art Competition.
- 2002 - Amercan Artists Fund Award, American Artists' Professional League, 74th Grand National Exhibition.
- 2001 - Purchase Award ~ The Dunnegan Gallery of Art, Bolivar, MO.
The piece was on tour with the Art of the Animal Kingdom V Exhibition when the owner of the Dunnegan purchased it for the permanent collection.
- 2001 - Elliot Siskin Award for Representational Sculpture ~ Society of Animal Artists, 41st Annual Members Exhibition & National Museum Tour.
- 2001 - The Lindsey Morris Memorial Award ~ Allied Artists of America, 88th Annual Exhibition.
- 2000 - Audubon Silver Medal of Honor ~ Audubon Artists Inc., 58th Annual Exhibition.
- 2000 - Purchase Award ~ The City of Hattiesburg, National Small Sculpture Exhibition 2000.
The City of Hattiesburg and the Hattiesburg Cultural Partnership purchased a piece for the Galleries of the Library of Hattiesburg, MS.
- 2000 - Leonard J. Meiselman Memorial Award for Realistic Sculpture ~ Society of Animal Artists, 40th Annual Members Exhibition.
My work was also included in the 2000-2001 national museum tour.
- 1999 - National Sculpture Society Silver Medal & John Cavanaugh Prize, 66th Annual Exhibition.
- 1999 - Best in Show ~ American Women Artists, Second National Competition.
- 1999 - Award of Excellence ~ Society of Animal Artists, 39th Annual Exhibition.
- 1998 - Ellin P. Speyer Prize ~ National Academy, 173rd Annual Open Exhibition.
- 1998 - Margaret Sussman Memorial Award ~ Pen & Brush, Inc., 51st Annual Sculpture Exhibition
This award is the Pen & Brush Best in Show.
- 1998 - Anna Hyatt Huntington Cash Award ~ Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, 102nd Annual Open Exhibition.
- 1997 - Best in Show ~ Art Show at the Dog Show, 11th Annual Exhibition.
Show sponsors purchased the winning piece for the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog, in St. Louis, MO, where it greets visitors at the door!
- 1997 - Best in Show ~ Dog Fanciers Club, Inc., 10th Contemporary American Dog Art Competition.
Collections:
- 2001 - The Ella Carouthers Dunnegan Gallery of Art
A piece was on tour with the Art of the Animal Kingdom V Exhibition that was hosted by the Dunnegan, when the owner purchased it for the permanent collection. She purchased another piece in 2004.
- 2000 - The Galleries of the Library of Hattiesburg
The City of Hattiesburg and The Hattiesburg Cultural Partnership purchased a piece from their National Small Sculpture Exhibition 2000 for the galleries. My piece was one of the first three permanent pieces for the collection.
- 1997 - The American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog
Sponsors of The Art Show at the Dog Show purchased my Best of Show winning piece for the AKC Museum where it greets visitors at the door.
- 1993 - The National Cosmetology Association, Hall of Fame Museum
Between 1993 and 1997, I created fourteen bas-relief plaques for the NCA. To see them, please visit my home site, http://www.joybeckner.com and click on Humans.
Publications:
- Dachshunds of Bronze (2004)
All about my work - Everyday Section - Cover article with three color photos, and over 1/4 page inside with a black & white photo.
Author: Cynthia Billhartz of the Post-Dispatch
Published by: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Organization Membership:
- Various
MEMBERSHIPS
Allied Artists of America, NY ~ Invited Member, 2001.
Society of Animal Artists, Inc., NY ~ Elected Member, 1999.
American Women Artists ~ Master Signature Member, 2000.
Artists for Conservation, Canada ~ Signature Member, 2005.
Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society of Washington, D.C. ~
Invited Member, 2005.
National Sculpture Society, NY ~ Colleague Member.
Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, NY - Elected Member.
St. Louis Artists' Guild, Clayton, MO ~ Art Section Member.
American Medallic Sculpture Association, NY ~ Associate.
Audubon Artists of America, Inc., NY ~ Associate.
Miniature Art Society of Florida, FL ~ Associate.
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