Marblehead artist Joyce Bartlett’s work is featured in this year’s Outdoor Sculpture exhibit running through Oct. 1. at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport.
Having taken an interest in art since she was young, Bartlett said there was no specific event or influence that made her the painter she is today, other than herself.
“As a child, I drew all the time on anything I could find,” Bartlett said. “If I could get a hold of paints, I would use them too. But mostly I drew back then, whether it was an old used envelope or anything I could find.”
Bartlett had the original goal of pursuing her passion as a career. She spent time studying at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, as well as the Worcester Art Museum School, and the Museum of Fine Arts School. However, her career path pivoted into what would become a long and successful tenure working in marketing for several technology companies. Meanwhile, her artistic journey continued on the side.
“I applaud the artists I know who have devoted their lives to that and made a living doing it,” Bartlett said. “I chose to do art on the side and to go into a different career. But I have never stopped.”
After retiring in 2019, she was finally able to make her art her main focus.
Bartlett was introduced to Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay in 2020 by former Marblehead resident and friend Nancy Winkler.
“Nancy is a poet and much more of an artist than she realizes,” Bartlett said. “I’ve met a lot of people who don’t think they’re artists when they really are. And then when they get over the fear and they start expressing themselves, you get some of the most amazing art you’ve ever seen.”
Bartlett credits Winkler for the inspiration for “Rewilding,” the sculpture the two crafted for Maudslay. The sculpture is based on a haiku poem Winkler wrote.
“It’s about things being confined and then going back to nature,” Bartlett said.
“Rewilding” is composed of 13 pieces. The centerpiece is a birdcage made out of wood designed by Winkler. Bartlett created 12 paintings on wooden canvases. All of which are displayed on a tree along the Maudslay trail.
Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay is a dynamic three-week non-juried exhibition featuring local artists and community members interested in sharing their unique understanding of the world through site-specific sculptures. The annual show, now in its 24th year, is open to all artists with a connection to the North Shore and Merrimack Valley region and is organized by participating artists who volunteer their time and materials.This year’s group of artists chose “Fracture” as the theme. The exhibition debuted on Sept. 10 and is open until Oct. 1. Its opening reception and self-guided tour is Saturday, Sept. 16, from 2-5 p.m.