I qualified at Croydon College of Art and the University of London during the 2nd World War. I was influenced by the cartoonists counteracting war fears with ridicule (David Low, Fougasse) and the new shocks at that time in the art world (Picasso, Modigliani, Klee) I was offered employment by newspaper magnate J.W.Thompson but war time conscription only permitted war work or teaching so I trained as a teacher.
The next 40 years were occupied with teaching, being happily married and bringing up three daughters. I have taught art in a whole range of situations including in a mental hospital, abroad and at Ford Open Prison. I eventually moved to teaching literacy, using my abilities as an artist, at Brixton College of Further Education. I retired in 1980 as my husband had had a heart attack.
In my final years at work I took up etching evening classes. On retiring I threw myself into full time etching and purchased a press - this is sited in a shed in the garden and has become a great escape from life’s anxieties. My husband, John, then had a severe stroke in 1988 and was very dependent. In spite of these later challenges, we had and continued to have a wonderfully loving, supportive and mutual partnership up until his death in 2004 at the age of 81, and in his later years he became one of my greatest fans.
I held solo exhibitions in Broadstairs, Margate, Deal and Canterbury – at the Gulbenkian Theatre Gallery and the John Neville Gallery.
I also exhibited in group exhibitions, as a member of the Printmakers Council, in the Festival Hall and the Barbican - London, at the Gardner Centre – Brighton, in Paris and Germany and at the British Council in Malta.
I have been a contributor over eight years to the House of Humour and Satire, Gabrovo, Bulgaria where I won the Ministry of Education and Culture Prize.
My work is currently exhibited in Kent based exhibitions, hospitals and festivals.
2 years ago, surprised by the attractiveness as a Gallery of IOTA, Ramsgate I approached them about putting on another solo exhibition of 150-200 works. This exhibition was sponsored by the Arts Council (South East).
In that exhibition I wanted to share my own experience of breaking with the solid draughtsmanship of the 1940’s and embracing the spontaneity of Contemporary Art with the economy of line and wit of cartoons. Above all I wanted an exhibition revelling in the quirky lives of human beings. This website is a furthering of that! Thank you for engaging in my revels with me.
JOYCE MARRIOTT
N.D.D. A.T.D. University of London