Mexican sculptor and printmaker Joyce de Guatemala Bush Vourvoulias studied fine arts at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She was born in Mexico City to Cassius Albert Bush and Martha Bush of Guatemalan heritage. In 1993 she participated in the visiting artist program, and served as a Board member of Brandywine Workshop and Archives.
Following her sudden passing in 2000 leaving a legacy of artistic works and service that reflected her interests in the environment and people. She was particularly interested in the plight of those who were geographically or economically isolated and have few opportunities to advance their art careers.
Her husband, Jason, who died shortly after Joyce, shared this interest and a passion for the arts. Acting upon the dream of Joyce to bring more Latina women visiting artists to Brandywine for exposure, training, and career advancement, the family established the Joyce de Guatemala and Jason Vourvoulias Scholarship funds in 2011 to support the goal. In recent years, the residences were expanded to include all BIPOC women. In order to fully realize Joyce’s dream, sponsored artists would demonstrate a commitment to furthering their career through the residency opportunity and explore public service through their art.
Objectives:
To provide wider access to resources and opportunities for disadvantaged artists due to economic and geographic barriers. To provide opportunities to work in a collaborative studio setting to produce limited edition prints or multiples. To advance the artists’ exposure by producing new work and then spotlighting that art work in local and traveling exhibitions and having it acquired by collecting institutions nationally and internationally. To foster community among artists of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds through collaborative practice and collective professional development activitie
Residency Description:
Each artist is asked to think in terms of multiples of an image. In addition to original prints, limited editions of collages, mixed-media works on paper and dimensional works may be considered. The key is to have enough works so that they can be distributed (50/50 with BWA) which would leave images available for distribution to public collections, sale to help fund future residencies going forward and placement in the permanent Collection and Archives of Brandywine. In addition to one-half of all images produced, each artist will be provided a budget of $2,500 to be spent on master printer fees, shop assistants, art supplies and materials or services needed. Brandywine’s studio facilities will be provided for their use during a 3-6 month period of execution. Each artist will have access 7 days per week from 9:00 AM- 9:00 PM. Funds must not be used for room, board or travel expenses; the project is intended for artists staying locally.
