Enchanted Worlds - the Art of Joyce Patti

Like "Alice Through the Looking Glass", Joyce sees magic in the world around her and captures that enchantment in her work. Fantastical creatures and whimsical scenes fill her art with intricate detail and humor. Each time you look at one of her drawings you find something new; they are like jigsaw puzzles with a myriad of pieces cleverly linking together to make one incredible image.

Joyce is a self-taught artist who's love of drawing as a child continues to be a consuming passion. She continually experiments with new techniques and materials, incorporating them into her work. Her skills with sewing lead her to create what she calls "wearable art". Using fabric paints she creates unique clothing covered with clever drawings and brilliantly colored designs.

Can you find the local shops depicted on this "wearable art"?

Her art has appeared on several t-shirts for the Cedar Key Festivals, and in 2003 she won the Eagles Club State poster competition. Clammity & Klem, cartoon character clams she created after moving to Cedar Key five years ago, have graced the pages of newspapers, greeting cards and t-shirts.

Part of the year she lives in Reno, Nevada, and the work she creates there reflects those desert surroundings. The colors she uses while working there are more subtle, rich and earthy. When she is here in Cedar Key, the lush foliage, ever changing sea, and comical creatures that inhabit the island all become a part of her work.

Desert inspired image

When Joyce sits down each day at her work space, she never knows what her mind will convince her fingers to draw. Inspiration comes from the world around her, and once she starts a piece even she doesn't know how it will end.