Meet Joyce Wathen ...

Joyce Wathen, a small town girl from southeast Iowa, found a unique passion for art early on in life – especially the art of shading, depth and perception with pencil. Throughout childhood and early adult years, she sought solace and inspiration in mimicking art through her mind’s eye, transforming what she saw to images on paper. She took art classes throughout high school and a correspondence course, Basic Fundamentals of Art from Art Instruction School, Minneapolis, MN.
As life continued after college for Joyce, she settled down, married, had two children, and then decided it was time to pursue a career that would bring a second income to support her home. She entered Real Estate school, graduating successfully and with continued education, became a broker. After raising her children, making her home, and 10 years of Real Estate, she never stopped day-dreaming of her true gifted dream and ambition: her passion for art.
Compelled to move on from her Real Estate license, skirts and high-heel shoes, she decided it was time to live her life pursuing her true passion for pencil art. She started her own business in 1997, appropriately naming it “Pencil Works.” For the love of black and white portraits and illustrations, Joyce stayed with the graphite pencil as her main medium, although she has added color to her drawings for enhancements.
Whether the subject is a soft portrait of a child or a hard line of a Iowa barn, she shows her style with details, textures, contrast and shading. Her favorite subjects are portraits of people, celebrities and children at play. Driving the countryside with her camera, she also searches out a scene for drawing possibilities.
Diving head first into her work, she completed many pieces of work, compiled them into note cards and separate prints, and took her art on the road, gracing fine art shows across the state of Iowa.
Not long after, Joyce became highly recognized in the art world. Her phone began ringing for commissioned works – those who were looking for family portraits, pet portraits, famous landmarks, or simply an artistic portrait displaying a home, et cetera. Once Joyce felt as though her feet were planted firmly in the business, she began to expand her horizons with art fairs, frequenting more throughout eastern Nebraska, Northern Missouri, and western Illinois. This year she branches even one step further into the state of Tennessee.
She accepts commission work, which has sent her drawing to several other states, plus over seas to Japan and Sweden representing Iowa art.
Joyce has also illustrated for posters, books, and newspapers
She currently lives in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and also has a home in Springfield, Missouri.
As life continued after college for Joyce, she settled down, married, had two children, and then decided it was time to pursue a career that would bring a second income to support her home. She entered Real Estate school, graduating successfully and with continued education, became a broker. After raising her children, making her home, and 10 years of Real Estate, she never stopped day-dreaming of her true gifted dream and ambition: her passion for art.
Compelled to move on from her Real Estate license, skirts and high-heel shoes, she decided it was time to live her life pursuing her true passion for pencil art. She started her own business in 1997, appropriately naming it “Pencil Works.” For the love of black and white portraits and illustrations, Joyce stayed with the graphite pencil as her main medium, although she has added color to her drawings for enhancements.
Whether the subject is a soft portrait of a child or a hard line of a Iowa barn, she shows her style with details, textures, contrast and shading. Her favorite subjects are portraits of people, celebrities and children at play. Driving the countryside with her camera, she also searches out a scene for drawing possibilities.
Diving head first into her work, she completed many pieces of work, compiled them into note cards and separate prints, and took her art on the road, gracing fine art shows across the state of Iowa.
Not long after, Joyce became highly recognized in the art world. Her phone began ringing for commissioned works – those who were looking for family portraits, pet portraits, famous landmarks, or simply an artistic portrait displaying a home, et cetera. Once Joyce felt as though her feet were planted firmly in the business, she began to expand her horizons with art fairs, frequenting more throughout eastern Nebraska, Northern Missouri, and western Illinois. This year she branches even one step further into the state of Tennessee.
She accepts commission work, which has sent her drawing to several other states, plus over seas to Japan and Sweden representing Iowa art.
Joyce has also illustrated for posters, books, and newspapers
She currently lives in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and also has a home in Springfield, Missouri.
About Joyce's Art

Originating from a photo usually taken by Joyce, she begins the planning of her art. After deciding the size of the drawing, she begins sketching the main outline of the subject. Once the proportions are correct, she begins to "fill in" the details of the subject.
Working from left to right on a thick Bristol drawing paper, and a thin paper under her right hand to prevent smudging, she studies the values of light and enhances the contrast of shadows.
Whether she is drawing a soft baby portrait or a hard line detailed building, she uses practiced skills of blending and shading with several grades of graphite pencils.
She admits to using “tools of the trade” such as rulers, erasers, blending stumps, slides, and projector to guarantee the highest quality of outcome.
As a realist, Joyce’s goal is to produce the most accurate drawing as possible showing sharpness, details and breath taking contrast. When a viewer can enjoy her art up close or from a few feet away, she is confident that she has done well.
Working from left to right on a thick Bristol drawing paper, and a thin paper under her right hand to prevent smudging, she studies the values of light and enhances the contrast of shadows.
Whether she is drawing a soft baby portrait or a hard line detailed building, she uses practiced skills of blending and shading with several grades of graphite pencils.
She admits to using “tools of the trade” such as rulers, erasers, blending stumps, slides, and projector to guarantee the highest quality of outcome.
As a realist, Joyce’s goal is to produce the most accurate drawing as possible showing sharpness, details and breath taking contrast. When a viewer can enjoy her art up close or from a few feet away, she is confident that she has done well.
Awards and Recognition

1999 -
Artist of the Year, Spring Fest., Mt. Pleasant, IA.
Design Award, Relay Challenge, Mt. Pleasant, IA.
Honorable Mention, Van Buren Co. Iowa Art Fest.
2000
1st place Artist Choice Award, Quincy, IL.
Best of Show, Fall Arts Festival, Bentonsport, IA.
Artist Choice Award, Quincy, IL.
2001
Peoples Choice Award, Independence, IA.
2002
Committee Choice Award, Snake Alley Art, Burlington IA.
2003
Honorable Mention. Scenic Drive Fest. Bentonsport, IA
3rd Place Artist Award, Galena, IL.
2004
1st Place Award, Fall Arts Fest, Bentonsport, IA.
3rd Place Award, Albia IA. Restoration Days
Honorable Mention, Iowa Artist Regional Show, Ft. Madison, IA.
2005
3rd Place Award, Fall Arts Festival, Bentonsport, IA.
2007
Best Booth Award, Albia, Iowa
Honorable Mention Award, Albia, IA.
2002 & 2004 Illustrated book covers for Colony Scrapbook Volume 1 & 2