RESUME
Shira Joys

Teaching

Student Advisor. College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME. 2019. Mentored college student for an independent study, “Embroidery: Art and Exploration.”

Teaching Artist. Northeast Harbor Library, Northeast Harbor, ME. 2019. Taught a natural dye workshop focused on local plants, “Dyeing from Nature’s Palette.”

Teaching Artist. ArtWaves, Bar Harbor, Maine, 2018. Taught a bookmaking workshop utilizing paste papers students created in class.

Teacher Volunteer. Heka Leka Foundation, Ambon, Indonesia, 2018. Taught classes focused on practices of art education and art therapy for early childhood educators as part of an educational outreach program.

Teacher Volunteer. Sidab Women Group, Muscat, Oman, 2017. Taught English lessons for community children at women’s sewing collective center.

Teaching Artist. Fiber College of Maine, Searsport, ME, 2015. Taught workshops on methods of dyeing, block printing and stenciling on silk.

Teaching Artist. Summer Festival of the Arts, Bar Harbor, ME. 1996-2015. Visual arts teacher for three-week summer arts program for students aged 6-15. Focus: fiber arts, book arts.

Guest Artist. Teach annually in area schools as part of visiting artist programs. Classes offered: fabric design, silk painting, book arts, felting, marbling. 1998-present.

Teacher Volunteer. Parikrma  Humanity Foundation, Bangalore, India. 2013- 2014. Worked with K-8 students, providing academic tutoring, art classes, art therapy services.

 Art Teacher. Taught multi-age classes in two public elementary schools on islands off the coast of Maine. 1998-2013.

Teaching Artist. Schoodic Arts for All, Winter Harbor, ME. 2003-2007. Taught silk painting, marbling workshops for adults.  

Art teacher. Montessori preschools in Massachusetts and Maine, 1991-2007. Utilizing Montessori concepts, facilitated art programs for children aged 3-6.

Art Therapy

Art Therapist. Bar Harbor, ME. 1999-present. Private practice art therapist working with children, adolescents and adults.

Workshop facilitator. “Considering Female Body Image,” College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME. 1997- 2013. Co-leader of workshops for college students, which address issues of female body image through art expression and dialog.

Art Therapist. Hospitals and counseling centers in Alaska, Virginia and Maryland. 1981-1986. Provided individual and group art therapy services for adults and children in psychiatric hospitals and outpatient clinics.

Art Exhibitions

“Sacred Threads,” juried quilt exhibition, Herndon, VA. July, 2019.

Acadia Senior College Art Show, Northeast Harbor, ME. Group show, May, 2017-2019.

“Block Prints and Painted Cloths. Surface Designed Textiles,” group show, Northeast Harbor Library, Northeast Harbor, ME. April, 2019.

“Art of the Needle,” group show, Northeast Harbor Library, Northeast Harbor, ME. February, 2017

“Resist Dyed Textiles, Old and New,” group show, Northeast Harbor Library, Northeast Harbor, ME 2015

Member Shows, Surface Design Association, Kansas City, MO. 2005, 2007, 2009 and San Antonio, TX. 2011

“Altering Matters,” work by Maine members of the Surface Design Association, University of Southern Maine, 2010

“Sum of the Parts,” juried show traveling across USA, sponsored by the Surface Design Association. 2007-2010

Solo show, Bar Harbor Savings and Loan, Bar Harbor ME. 2008

“Speaking of Cloth,” College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME. 2007

Solo show, Jesup Memorial Library, Bar Harbor, ME. 2006

Solo show, Hammond Hall, Winter Harbor, ME. 2004

“ Waterworks,” International Marbler’s Gathering, Arrowmont School of Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN and Folk Art Center, Asheville, NC. 2002-2003

Galleries

Eclectia, Southwest Harbor, ME. 2015-2019

The Schooner Gallery, Milbridge, ME.  Annual Fiber Arts Show 2012, 2014

 Island Artisans, Bar Harbor and Northeast Harbor, ME. 1995-2009

 Contemporarycloth.com   2004-2006

Handworks Gallery, Blue Hill, ME. 1998-2005

Admiral’s Buttons, Camden, ME. 1998-2000

Victoria’s Stables, Damariscotta, ME. 1996-1999

Awards

Maine Arts Teacher Fellowship Award 2009