Tye Johnson
Artist
Joy be Your Compass... (2019)
mixed media on canvas (acrylic, paper, charcoal, felt, soft pastels)
Artist Statement
We hear a lot about finding your joy, about allowing joy to lead you, and about the importance of being joyful. What is less discussed is the journey it takes to uncover and unmask those things that bring us true joy. And even less discussed is how we find our way out of the muck and webs and darkness that comes with life. How do we find joy in the midst of depression, heartache, and suffering? How do we find joy when eating bland food or reading a boring book? We remember… that even if pain lasts forever, we can still feel. We remember… that hearts break and ache because we are blessed enough to have them. We remember… that eating bland food is better than eating no food. We remember… that the sun rises everyday…
And then we fight, little by little, piece by piece, searching for simple moments that make us smile… your favorite dress, your favorite color, your favorite person, your favorite song, your favorite piece of art… And then when we invite those things into our lives, we follow them, and we choose them over and over and over and over and over again...
This series marks the beginning of my own journey to dive into the pain and find light despite the fear, to listen to what really makes my heart beat, and to embrace what keeps a smile on my face. And for this journey, I’m committing to allow joy… sweet, sweet joy... to be my compass.