Space for Joy

Juni Van Dyke

March 25—April 25, 2026
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 28, 4–6 p.m. 

"Color in a picture is like enthusiasm in life." Vincent Van Gogh

On Being a Colorist, Juni Van Dyke

It has been said that one can live in the dreariest corners of the world all the while performing color miracles on the dreariest of days. German artists Nolde and Kandinsky did just that during the dark impending doom of war, suggesting color to be more a matter of preference for expression rather than allegiance to source.  Perhaps color for these courageous artists was embedded in a sense of optimism and hope despite all odds.

From my earliest years, I have always loved color:  patent-leather shoes–shiny, black like a candy you wanted to taste; a pink dress that belonged to someone else; bright yellow soap; an orange crayon. These held my attention not so much for what they were, but for the magic of their color.  Now, into my eighty-fourth year, color still motivates my need to share the joy.

Using abstract forms, I invite the viewer to experience my work without the interruption of titles.  Energized by the interaction, I find viewer interpretation fascinating and exciting– valid without exception.

Music is often with me as I paint.

I treasure this quote by Miles Davis:  

"Music is painting you can hear 
And painting is music you can see." 

Untitled 2023 acrylic on canvas 20 x 16

Co-Curators' Statement by Ahday Botone and Maddie Haan 

The world can be a dark place. It’s often bleak, riddled with tragedy. Our job is to still find beauty. That's how we manage to continue on. We look at the troubles surrounding us and choose to create. We make music, we put on plays, we sculpt and paint. Art isn’t just a leisure activity. Art can stand in a world that isn’t always good and remind us of joy and hope. 

Artist Juni Van Dyke creates a space for remembering the hope in dark times. She describes herself as a colorist, and it isn’t hard to see why. Her work is vibrant, using saturated colors and simple but activated shapes to create paintings filled with energy.

The brightness of her work is the most striking. She uses lots of colors; she doesn't limit her selection to a specific palette, instead using whatever she thinks is beautiful. Every shade is vibrant. The colors she uses would only be seen on the most beautiful, sunshine-filled day. They almost brighten up the room on their own, calling forth a sense of lightness and joy that illuminates our lives.

Juni also cites music as an inspiration for her. Jazz music is improvisational. It starts with little more than a key, and the musicians can build something beautiful as they go. Juni does this with her art. Her compositions are built like music, starting with a color and moving forward with a distinct rhythm. The compositions of repeated shapes evolve naturally for her, without a plan. As a result, her works are playful and personal, guided by her own intuition and joy. The shapes have an organic feel; the lines move in and out and around, almost like a melody. You can almost feel a tempo while looking at the paintings. 

Juni’s work isn’t just colorful. This gallery is meant to create a space where joy is tangible, something that can be shared. Her art is an intentional decision to see beauty, even in hardship, and to give that beauty to other people. Art, much like joy, is meant to be shared. She focuses on the good, the musical, the playful, the things we forget when everything seems hopeless. She embodies joy and hope in her work, calling forth the brightness we feel and imploring us to remember it even in times of despair.

Untitled 2020 acrylic on canvas 24 x 22

About the Artist

Juni Van Dyke is a graduate of The School of The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and holds a BFA and MAT from Tufts University. Van Dyke is a recipient of The St. Botolph Foundation Award, Boston. Van Dyke's work is held in the permanent collection of The Cape Ann Museum; The Carney Center of Art at The College of The Holy Cross; and in numerous private collections. 

Past exhibitions include The Fuller Art Museum; The Boston Center for the Arts; The Barrington Center for the Arts/ Gordon College; Bromfield Gallery/Boston; KingstonGallery/Boston; The South Shore Arts Center; The Jane Deering Gallery/ Santa Barbara, California; and Gloucester; The Ava Gallery/Lebanon, NH and Paul Manship Residency/Gloucester. Van Dyke's work is represented throughout the country by the home furnishing company Room&Board.