Portland native Joyce Grasso creates vibrant seascapes and still life paintings that express the emotional essence of place. Raised near Back Cove, she spent her early years immersed in the rhythms of Maine’s coast—tides, foghorns, and the changing light of Cape Elizabeth and Old Orchard Beach. Her father owned Kay Brook Shoe Store on Congress Street for 53 years, anchoring her in the cultural heart of Portland’s downtown. Inspired by her coastal surroundings, Joyce’s paintings are guided by light and mood. “I’m not even aware of what I’m doing when I’m in that zone,” she says of her shifting color palettes. “But depending on the season or mood, the light changes everything.” Her layered, abstract seascapes capture memory and atmosphere rather than literal landscapes. Her still life compositions evoke the joy of gathering, with vibrant vessels, fruit, and floral arrangements rendered in bold colors and playful patterns. “They make me feel like we are expecting company,” she says. “Those paintings help people feel connected and lifted.” A lifelong educator, Joyce spent over 35 years teaching art in the public schools of Stamford and Greenwich, Connecticut, including 29 years at Westover Art Magnet School. She holds a B.A. in Art Education, an M.A. in Reading, and a Sixth Year Certificate in Correlating Art with Children’s Literature. Her artistic philosophy is shaped by her students’ spontaneity and by her studies at Silvermine School of Art and the International Center for Photography. “Picasso once said, ‘It took me years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child," says Joyce. "That’s exactly how I feel.” Joyce has found inspiration in Deibenkorn's structural exploration and Matisse's patterning. She also credits Josef Albers and hard-edge painting with influencing her composition and color theory. Joyce’s work is in collections from Maine to California, including Stamford Hospital and Yale New Haven Health. She has been featured in Maine Home + Design's “Ones To Watch," Serendipity, Off the Wall Magazine, the Maine Art Annual Guide, and Architectural Digest (May 2023), and was selected for Art Miami 2024. She is a juried member of the Loft Artists Association, where she works from her studio above a brewery in Stamford’s Harbor Point neighborhood. Joyce lives in Connecticut with her husband John and enjoys visiting her grandchildren in Santa Barbara and Vermont. Hear how art, optimism, and creative ritual have helped Joyce navigate life’s challenges and connect with others on Radio Maine.