Joy and Fury Art

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What inspired you to start your business?

We started dreaming about being full-time artists over five years ago. We spent a lot of time talking about the kind of life we wanted to live and how we wanted to contribute to the world. We both love lifting others up and spreading joy, so creating our business seemed like the natural next step. So, we threw off the shackles of the office world and left our jobs—only to embrace the chaos of the art world and start Joy and Fury Art.

How would you describe your business?

Joy and Fury Art creates fine art prints, greeting cards, and stickers. Our name reflects the creative process—the pure joy of making art and the fury that sometimes accompanies it. We’re a husband-and-wife duo working from our home studio in Halifax, NS.

Greg is a digital artist with a diploma in Graphic Design from MacKenzie College. Maureen is a traditional artist with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Greg’s style is bold, imaginative, vibrant, and heavily inspired by comic books and film. Maureen’s style is brighter, lighter, and sweeter.

All of our products are created from our original designs. For example, Greg builds a piece in Photoshop by first creating an underpainting, then using his digital drawing tablet to refine it, stroke by stroke. Maureen, on the other hand, starts by selecting a medium (acrylic, watercolour, or marker), chooses her colour palette, and maps out her design before beginning.

While we haven’t collaborated on a piece yet, our work is united by colour and a shared love of nature and the ocean. As a new business, we’re just getting started—there are so many creative doors we’re excited to open as we grow.

What’s your bestselling product? Why do you think it’s so popular?

Our bestselling product is our ’Attack on the Halifax Ferry’ fine art print!

We think ‘Attack on the Halifax Ferry’ is our most popular product for a few key reasons. Firstly, it’s fun! The print features the iconic Halifax Ferry being attacked by a kraken. Who doesn’t love seeing a kraken take down a ship? It’s exciting, playful, a bit dark, and has a spicy local flair.

It speaks to the hearts of our local audience who watch and ride the Halifax Ferry every day. Plus, it’s available in multiple sizes and as a greeting card, making it accessible to a wide audience.

This print was designed by Greg, who is often inspired by the fantastical. He drew this piece using his digital drawing tablet in Photoshop. If you look closely, you’ll spot the ferry boat captain trying to hold the ship steady.

What’s your favourite product that you make?

Our current favourite product is our ‘Mystical Mushy’ vinyl sticker—the newest addition to our sticker collection. Inspired by mushrooms, their charm, their colour, and their whimsy, this magical little mushroom was hand-drawn in marker and coloured pencil before Maureen digitized it.

What’s your favourite local Halifax business?

Argyle Fine Art