THE MEANING OF OUR NAME
Joy and Fury Art is a tribute to the art-making process and the inner struggle we experience as we create: the delightful joy of creating something we love, and the fury - the emotional whirlwind - the process brings.
Maureen Fownes - Artist
Hi, I’m Maureen!
I paint, draw and sculpt from my home studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia alongside my husband and fellow artist, Greg. I wish I could say I knew what kind of art I make, but it’s always changing. I’m a trained artist who finds herself with the wheels off a lot, running amok and endlessly “discovering my style.” Whatever that is.
I grew up in a house made for making: Mum always knitting, Dad tinkering with technology, one brother writing, another making videos, my sister drawing, and me making too. Surrounded by art and beauty my whole life, my parents showed me that beauty lives in a rainy day, an interesting rock or a cup of tea. Appreciating the small things has always been a superpower for both my art-making and my soul. My making began with a lot of doodling, website building, and bookmark and card designing.
These days I work in acrylics, marker, coloured pencils and clay, chasing joy with play and exploration. I really enjoy sculpting miniatures with air-dry clay and integrating them with found objects and a narrative. I find myself constantly inspired by nature, whether its plants or animals, insects or the ocean, my art tends to spring from Mother Nature and all her offerings. Otherwise, my home province of Nova Scotia is my next biggest inspiration. The root of my need to create, and the purpose of my art, is often curiosity: a desire to make people slow down and look closer. I want my art to generate feelings of joy, contentment, curiosity and warmth with a spirit of play at its heart.
I graduated from NSCAD (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design) University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Interdisciplinary with a focus on painting and craft (and a minor in art history). I found myself several years later in an office job, desperate to reconnect with my art practice. My evenings and weekends were never enough time to scratch the painful itch of creativity.
That brings me to today, to the now, the present! Living my life dedicated to art, the thing that gives me peace and meaning. We recently renovated our home studio, which is where you will find us most days with our cat Wilberforce, and a cup of tea.
Greg Fownes – Artist
Hi, I’m Greg!
As a kid, I always loved creating my own worlds. Whether I was devising complex plots for my action figures and toy wrestlers, drawing my own superheroes, or writing stories, I was happiest when I was expressing my imagination.
I completed my Digital Media Design course at McKenzie College in Cape Breton in 2004, learning life drawing, web design, and graphic design skills that prepared me for my future in digital art.
In my visual pieces, I love to play with vibrant colours, movement, and action. I enjoy infusing my work with bold, eye-catching energy while adding a touch of mystery. I love nautical and fantastical subjects, often combining the two. I create digitally using a drawing pad and stylus, which gives me an abundance of freedom to try different styles and techniques. I love working in the digital realm because I can make dozens of mistakes and undo them in seconds. That freedom is essential for me - I love to be messy, with the ability to test multiple ideas quickly.
In addition to my visual art, I’m also working on a graphic novel in my spare time. I’ve been developing this project for years, and it will likely take several more. I’m creating the entire book myself – writing, illustrating, lettering, colouring – so there’s plenty of work there to keep me busy.
As for other art projects and ideas—woodworking, screen printing, fashion design, art toys—there’s no shortage. I’d like to create an entire wooden Christmas village, carve some ornate walking sticks, create toys with a 3D printer, screen-print on T-shirts and jackets, and many more. I just wish I didn’t have to sleep...
I’ve done a lot of freelancing as a graphic designer, creating logos and signage for companies. I wrote and recorded two albums and performed as a singer-songwriter for several years. I also co-wrote the script for a comedy series, and have written poetry and short stories.
Creating something I am proud of generates a feeling inside myself that is difficult to describe – it is a state of elation. Joy and Fury Art is the name of our company, but it’s more than a fun name. It describes something very real. A furious joy, an intense, nourishing, energizing experience.
When I connect with an idea or project that really speaks to my soul, it feels as if I’m captured by an enormous giant that grips me tightly and lifts me high into the air. Only when the work is complete does the giant let me go, releasing me into the wild, where I search for the next one to come along and scoop me up.