Joy Makon: "In Bloom"
May 28 - June 28, 2026
OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, May 30, 5 - 7 PM ● ARTIST TALK: Sunday, June 14, 4:40 PM
440 Gallery is pleased to present In Bloom, an exhibition of landscape and still-life paintings by watercolorist Joy Makon. Joy is a painter of observed life, creating works based on locations and views that she sees through daily activities. This collection of richly detailed paintings contains floral subjects that come from the streets of nearby Brooklyn neighborhoods, as well as from Makon’s garden. Joy’s buoyant feelings about the season are apparent through the convergence of light, textures and colors that she chooses to share with us.
“These paintings have an emotional element to them,” says Joy. “After such a harsh winter, the arrival of warmer weather and more sun just revives me. I wanted to convey that through this selection of paintings. I love how heavy spring blossoms throw interesting shadows against building facades—the shapes made with the light are as energetic to me as the actual trees are. I am also showing a selection of floral still life paintings that touch upon the passage of time and the beauty that intensifies through age. Most importantly, I want these paintings to bring a bit of respite from the bombardment of negative events we all try to endure.”
Joy Makon has a BFA in graphic design and photography from Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia. Her work is in private collections and has been shown in juried and gallery shows, including the American Watercolor Society, Salmagundi Club, Pennsylvania Watercolor Society, The American Artists Professional League, and the Adirondacks National Exhibit of American Watercolors. Joy is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society and a Resident Artist at the Salmagundi Club in NYC. She has been recognized by the Art Directors Club, the Society of Publication Designers, and the Society of Illustrators for her work as a magazine art director. A native of Philadelphia, Joy has lived in NYC since 1976. Her studio is in an old Brooklyn home that she shares with her husband Solomon, and the two gardens she tends.