Rotary: Speakers corner - Joye McPherson

Rumbling up to the pub on a Harley Sportster might not get heads turning.

Last Wednesday, with her trademark smile, Joye McPherson stowed her helmet, eased through the saloon doors, picked up her badge, paid for breakfast and unhooked her leather 'riding chaps'.

The Speaker had arrived!

During breakfast Joye quietly admitted to a slight bit of nervousness…but she needn't have. Once she launched into her story heads turned...all in her direction.

Since she was a child and youngest of four girls, Joye dreamed of being an artist.

Joye often felt as if she were on the outside looking in as she struggled for inclusion. For example, when the others water skied Joye had to be satisfied with being the spotter. Watching rather than participating.

Her mother who had wanted to go to Concordia Art School in Chicago but became a teacher instead, was sensitive to her young daughter's needs and made a habit of teaching Joye crafts, such as 'macrame', to keep her occupied. Joye loved to collect rocks and acquired a rock tumbler.

Joye's dad was an engineer and got her into tools. She even helped him with the construction of a cabin at Whistler where she was introduced to skiing.

Arts, including metal arts, was an interest in high school. But when she graduated Joye ended up working at a TD bank in the Vancouver Westside where she was inspired to consider dentistry when she saw the size of some of the dentist client's cheques coming through. But that didn't go anywhere. She did some work at a Red Cross Blood Donor clinic for a while.

After a trip to Europe with her husband, Joye worked in a liquor store and managed the bulk foods department of Save-On Foods. Joye
and her firefighter husband had a daughter, Alaysia and then came Shane. Luckily she received an early retirement package from Jimmy Pattison which helped them retreat to Hornby Island.

On Hornby she became really interested in quartz crystals, made stained glass and then, earrings.

Following a fateful trip to the Baja where she met an artist from Georgia, Joye
was soon learning wire wrapping. Her new focus started with 'jewelry parties, setting up booths at Trade Fairs and, eventually, opening up a home business.

Her appearance at the BC Gift Show went great and without slowing down this entrepreneur bought a white bus and started visiting showcase venues including the Alberta Trade Fair among others. Tucson, Arizona Rod & Gun Show was a good gig and, eventually Joye
would spend four months in Mexico where she loaded her bus with opals.

Now things got serious. With unwavering support from her husband, Joye had a studio built in her home and a couple of subsequent homes and then…one day she opened up her own retail outlet where she conceives and creates all her own pieces and matches them with her clientele's wardrobes.

From Bank to Blood Bank to Bulk Food to Bloodstone

Dreams come true!

Joye Design & Art Studio (Joye Designs Stone Art)

49 Queens Street, Port Moody