I have loved drawing and painting since childhood, but did not get the chance to pursue my interest in art until later in life. After many years working in the mining industry, retrenchment gave me the opportunity to study art seriously resulting in a BA Art (Hons).

Before retirement, the only outlet I had for my art was printmaking and as a member of the Printmakers Association of WA I took part in many of their exhibitions. However, printmaking is not my first love; painting and drawing are and that is where my focus now lies.

My works are often from an aerial perspective, and a recurrent theme through my work has been to add a feminine touch in the form of stitching into my painted canvases. The works were often of a geological nature in the form of geological maps, or cross sections in road cuttings.

In my current body of work I am continuing to add that same feminine touch, this time to works depicting the roof over my head again from an aerial perspective. The inspiration for this series came from the roof of the farmhouse that I first lived in, in Australia. I loved geometry at school and early on I wanted to be an architect, but was discouraged by the careers adviser at high school. Girls didn’t do that kind of thing then.

In these works I am also thinking about the blessing that the roof over our heads really is, particularly in these days when more and more people are finding it difficult to put a roof over their heads. It is one of the fundamentals of life – we all need shelter from the elements and a place to make our homes.

So, 10% of the sale of these works will be donated to the homeless.

I am also open to commissions to do your house in the same manner.

ArtSouthWA Inc

Joyce Syms

Joyce Syms

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