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Joy Stickney-Markgraf Autobiography

Growing up on a self-sufficient farm in the beautiful country southwest of Hillsboro, Oregon I began a lifelong love affair with nature and books. This combined with encouragement from family members to be creative got me off to an early start as an artist/writer and has evolved to this day. After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the Museum Art School in Portland, Oregon in 1980, my interest in art took many different trails until 1991 when I started my own business called Canyon Creation, specializing in children's books about historical subjects. My first two books were coloring books describing what life was like for children along the Oregon Trail.

Surrounded by the beauty of the Columbia River Gorge, nature continues to inspire me. My motto is "create something everyday", whether it is a poem, a beautiful photo or drawing; a page for a book or a mask, each one expresses a part of you and can bring others joy.

My Interests Are:

Art — creating masks, baskets, and bags etc. from natural materials; archaeological illustration; historical illustrations for children; drawing the human figure and wildlife
Writing — children's books, journaling, poems
Archaeology —studying early man in North America
Photography —focusing on wildlife and landscape
Natural history — studying Oregon White Oak mixed forest and related flora and fauna
Wood and stonework — building stone walls and practical woodworking
Gardening — for wildlife and the table