Joy Gonzalez paints landscapes of Coastal California, where she lives, as well as scenes from her travels throughout California and the Southwest. She is a third generation California native, and has enjoyed beach trips, back-packing and camping since she was a child. In this increasingly chaotic world, she feels that getting back to nature seems to restore sanity and serenity and that is what she tries to bring to her artwork.

Oil paint is currently her primary medium, since she loves the richness and intensity, but she also uses soft pastel, another rich and intense medium. She begins a painting by selecting a subject that excites her. Her goal is to paint expressively, yet maintain a sense of realism, and to convey her deep appreciation of the beauty of nature. Her goal in painting outdoors is to capture the ever-changing light and deepening shadows, and her studio work builds on the knowledge of nature's colors learned from observing and painting outside.

Joy Gonzalez lives in San Pedro, California, and has a studio in the historic Loft building, located at 401
S. Mesa, San Pedro 90732. Recently re-named, Los Angeles Harbor Arts is open on First Thursdays every month, from 6 to 9 pm, as well as for monthly gallery receptions. Joy is an active member of Palos Verdes Art Center, president of Pacific Arts Group (a group affiliated with PVAC), board member of Pastel Society of Southern California and signature member of Women Artists of the West, a national juried art association. She has participated in many group shows and had two solo exhibitions (“California Scapes” in 2019 and
“Western Light” in 2022) at the Maturango Museum in Ridgecrest, California.