We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joyce Rooks. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joyce below.

Joyce , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I knew from a young age that I wanted to pursue a creative life but the reality of being able to do so professionally came much later. I was exposed to a lot of music growing up and my mom made sure that
my sisters and I had plenty of art supplies available to us. I grew up hearing a lot of jazz thanks to my
mother but also rock, pop, r&b, classical, country, anything that was popular on the radio. No one in my
immediate family are artists or musicians but we had a few family friends that were. I showed an aptitude
for art and music in elementary school and my parents were made aware of this but were only able to
provide so much. Still, they gave me as much as they could and worked very hard to provide it. When I
got to middle school, there was an orchestra and I really wanted to learn violin. As the teacher went down
the list of names handing out instruments, by the time he got to me they were out of violins. He looked at
me and said “you have good cello hands!” and handed me an instrument. I took to cello pretty well to the
point where the teacher suggested private lessons. I studied privately through middle school and high
school and played in youth orchestras. I always thought that I would go to college and major in music but
sadly it wasn’t in the cards, my parents were more concerned that I should be able to make a living. In
those early days after high school, I worked for an insurance company and went to community college,
eventually moving from Los Angeles where I grew up to San Diego where I had lived as a small child as
my parents were both in the Navy.
I was introduced to the UCSD Crafts Center by a friend of my future husband. I learned ceramics there
and after a few quarters of classes and constant practice I was asked to teach ceramics which I did for
several years. This led to a job at Torrey Pines High School in the ceramics department and at the same
time it was when I joined my first band playing rhythm guitar in a female punk rock band. The Dinettes
became pretty popular in San Diego, playing on bills with all the cool bands at the time, some who went
on to become quite well known. Being a gigging musician was more fun than profitable so I eventually got
a job at Tower Records and worked there for several years, still making pottery and teaching classes at
the Crafts Center. Eventually I realized that I needed to break out of the record store (make more money)
so I started looking into the possibilities of working at a record label. I knew that the record store was a
spring board for several of my co-workers into the music industry so I gave it a go. It took exactly one year
from the time I made the decision to when I was finally offered a position at Capitol-EMI Records
distribution company (CEMA). My office would be on the 11 th floor of the Capitol building in Hollywood
This required me to move back to L.A.
It was hard to leave San Diego and the Crafts Center but my teacher and mentor encouraged me to
always try to make art whenever possible, no matter how much or little. During this time, I hooked up with
other musicians and began playing gigs and recording while holding a full-time job. I also went to my first
bead show where I saw a demonstration of glass bead making and it knocked my socks off. I had no idea
that such a thing existed, I knew of glass blowing but this was totally different. I began buying beads and
making jewelry which I would sell to my music biz co-workers.
After a few years I realized that the music business was not for me, l learned a lot but I still yearned to be
a maker and not just a business person. I returned to San Diego and back to the Crafts Center which had
expanded over the years from ceramics studio to a complete arts center with jewelry arts, glass blowing
and more. It was there that I learned glass bead making and with a lot of practice I started teaching and
then selling my beads at specialty bead and jewelry shows around the country. I also continued to learn,
eventually going to Murano, Italy to take glass classes with a maestro. In spite of never getting a degree, I
continue to be serious about education and I try to take classes and get training in areas that interest me whenever I can.

Joyce , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been creating art since I was a small child. My parents kept art supplies around for me and my sister but I really resonated with any kind of creative project and tried to make things when ever I could. No one in my family are artists or musicians but my mom exposed us to music and art regularly. She was a huge jazz fan and she bought me classical records while the radio played every kind of music from pop, country and soul. I wanted and instrument to play but that didn’t come until later. In the meantime I had piano lessons even though we had no piano and I sang in elementary school choir. Growing up in Los Angeles I was exposed to the glamour of Hollywood. My mom had friends that were involved in music, dance and acting along with industries that support the business. I dreamed of being a part of it one day although I wasn’t sure of which part. As a little black girl it didn’t seem like there would be any place in that world for me.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I’ve had what I think is an unconventional journey in the arts. My family was working class and wasn’t always able to provide the things that many people take for granted like money, education and the support to make the journey smoother. They did recognize my interests in music and art but also stressed that I would have to work like most people while I would have preferred to go to school like many of my friends. I feel like I’ve had to build a lot myself which is not without its pitfalls, mistakes and disappointments. I had a few wonderful teachers / mentors along the way but a lot of times it could be frustrating and I would frequently consider giving up and just. getting a job working like “normal” people. I had many jobs but fortunately they have always been related to the things I love most, music and art. I feel like I learned a lot about the nuts and bolts of how the art and music world operate and which parts I prefer to be a part of.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I am a strong proponent of education, starting at a young age. I think that STEM programs are super important but I also believe we need to add Arts to make STEAM. Although I’m not a college graduate, I worked at UCSD off and on for over 30 years and had the pleasure of knowing and working with folks with advanced degrees in fields I could only dream of. I think that people discount the importance of the arts and how it helps shape a society. The U.S. has been a major contributor of so much of modern culture worldwide and those influences persist. I am heartened by recent awareness of how important the arts are to the development of young minds and how it helps to create well rounded people whether they pursue careers in the arts or not. Many people that I know in the sciences have a strong background in the arts. While I have these opinions I also think that not everyone has to go to college in order to be successful in life. Trade schools are an important component we will need as new technologies will require people that can maintain and build equipment of the future.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://joycerooks.com
• Instagram: @torchsong
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoyceRooks
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/joyce-rooks-78830044
• Twitter: @joycerooks4
• Youtube: @torchtube
• Yelp: Joyce R.

Image Credits
Joyce Rooks by Kyle Cassidy Additional photos by Joyce Rooks