Accessories – Raleigh

Kim Steinmuller Joy was raised in upstate New York and now lives and works in Wilson, NC. She has been a stained glass artist and teacher since 1982. Her works are in private and public collections worldwide. As a jewelry artist, Kim has been working since 2001. I come from a line of artists, master masons, poets and carpenters. It would only seem fitting that I follow in one of their footsteps. In 1982 I began my stained glass adventure taking classes and then an apprenticeship. I added jewelry making in 2001. When I am at my workbench I imagine my cousin repairing church windows, my Father at work in his woodshop, my Grandfather laying bricks and writing poems late at night and my Great Grandfather painting a watercolor. I feel closer to my family and dream of the talented hands that came before me. I love the play on colors that glass gives a project. I will continue the tradition by teaching others the arts that I have come to love. Before I start a piece of work I try to imagine the person who will own it and from there I chose a pattern and then the glass. Sometimes the glass choice changes the pattern as it talks to me, telling me it wants to be something different. With my bead work, a bead or color family will be the inspiration for the project. I am always dreaming new designs and trying to get them beaded together. My favorite glass tool is the glass cutter. I love the sound as the glass is scored. It is music to my ears. The jewelry tool I like the best is the round nosed pliers, with this simple tool you can bend wire, be it silver, gold or copper to wrap around gemstones or to make loops. My favorite glass is hand rolled cathedral. The color blends sometimes are just too beautiful to cut, making them a piece of art unto themselves. Seed beads are my favorite because the tiniest bead can turn into the most beautiful detailed work. The best part of my work is creating a piece of art out of materials I work with. Several sheets of glass, copper foil and solder turn into a beautiful colorful panel to hang in a window to catch light and come alive or a one of a kind piece of jewelry that can be handed down for generations. A fist full of seed beads, stringing material and a clasp can be turned into a stunning necklace. For one of my pieces to turn out well it must be balanced, be finished well and speak to the person looking at it. The patterns that emerge in my work are usually earthy in nature and color. Along those lines the colors I work with most are greens, blues, oranges, browns, and yellows. My favorite color is blue. For me blue is very calming, it reminds me of the ocean and sky, both places giving me a feeling of security and belonging. I belong to Wilson Active Artists Association, National Capital Art Glass Guild and PMC Guild. My work can be found at Art Happens on Tarboro in Wilson, NC and at local craft shows.