Joy Muller-McCoola has utilized wet felted wool as her primary medium since 2012, drawing inspiration from the elemental peace of water and stone. Her work frequently explores environmental themes such as rising tides, aridification, and soil degradation, using the movement of water and the stacks of stones surrounding her home as metaphors for larger ecological shifts. Currently, her practice incorporates wool from twelve distinct breeds of sheep whose migratory histories mirror those of human populations, examining the complex intersections where industrial processes meet the natural world.

With a degree in art education from NYU and an MA from SUNY Albany, Joy spent 37 years teaching public school art before dedicating herself fully to her creative practice. She is an active member of both the Northeast and International Feltmakers Guilds and has exhibited at prestigious venues including Hudson Valley MOCA, the Mohawk Hudson Regional at The Hyde Collection, and the Schweinfurth Art Center. Her work also tours as part of “Wool & Water,” a traveling exhibition curated by Paul Smith’s College that highlights critical water issues within the Adirondack region.