Spreading “Joy” Joye DeGoede adds flair to Scottsdale

By Sara Edwards

JoyEful Gallery is growing with the expansion of its latest gallery space in El Pedregal at the Boulders Resort in Scottsdale.

Owner Joye DeGoede says the bigger room will allow her to sponsor and host more artists she’s passionate about.

“This gallery space was the Sonoran Arts League gallery for six years, and I was the resident artist,” she says.

“I knew in December that it was going to close down. I talked to the Boulders when Sonoran moved out and took over from there.”

DeGoede has been a full-time artist since she left her job as an art teacher. She told her students they could make a living off of becoming an artist. After her husband died, she decided to take a page out of her own book.

“So, I took that giant plunge in 2012 and was just painting in my home studio,” she says.

DeGoede started doing commission work for the likes of the U.S. State Department’s Art in Embassies program in Montenegro and painted Gov. Jan Brewer’s official oil portrait in the governor’s office.

While doing this, she painted the “JoyEful Party Animals,” animals depicted with alcohol. As the collection took off, the Sonoran Arts League was offered space at the Boulders Resort and was looking for an artist in residence. DeGoede stepped up to bat.

“Over the last six years, I learned not only as an artist but from the gallery to listen to people,” she says. “I’m thankful for the years I had with the Sonoran Arts League. I’m now taking all my knowledge from there and using it here.”

DeGoede’s new gallery opened in January and has seven rooms, six for gallery space and one for DeGoede’s private studio. She says four artists will bring their work to the gallery — Jack Shilder’s graphite pencil works, Joanie Wolter’s clay sculptures, Pat Isaacson’s glass-blown works and Gedion Nyanhongo’s stone sculptures.

“We’re really in a great location, so we’re hoping to have some events and guest artists come out and do some life paintings or demonstrations when it’s safe to gather again,” DeGoede says.

DeGoede says foot traffic to her gallery space has started to pick up. When it’s officially safe to gather, she’ll announce gallery events.

“My opportunity and my goal are to bring music, the arts, all of it back to our area here,” DeGoede says. “I don’t own the entire Pedregal, but I have the space, and hopefully we’ll have some fun times ahead.”  

JoyEful Gallery

El Pedregal at the Boulders Resort

34505 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale

joyefulgallery.com

Hours: Noon to 4 p.m.

Wednesday to Sunday