CAMBRIDGE – Main Street Gallery is excited to be exhibiting the artwork of Joy Staniforth as its guest artist for the May/June show. Staniforth, a resident of Cambridge, has titled her show “Joy Through Art,” and she will be showing alongside the nine member artists of the gallery.

A maker of many types of art, she will display unique jewelry made of wire, textiles and tumbled rocks, as well as bold textile wall hangings and examples of her most recent artistic passion, a paper art called quilling.

Many in the Cambridge area know her as the businesswoman who took a risk and opened Joie de Vivre, a contemporary art gallery on Race Street. “There was not much going on in downtown Cambridge in those days” she says, “but the gallery was successful, selling to mainly second homeowners.”

Staniforth was personally successful as well. After having spent years raising a family and pursuing a career as an executive at the YMCA in New Jersey and then in Cambridge, she was finally able to start making and selling her own art through her gallery. “I was working in textiles,” she said, “dyeing silk and making jewelry.”

Staniforth has been interested in art from her childhood days in Wales, U.K. She grew up loving art in school and was especially drawn to making crafts. Her parents played musical instruments at home so as a young girl she learned to play the piano and the violin as well.

When she went away to college, though, she decided to study visual arts. “My dorm walls were always covered in fabrics,” she says.  

She retired from Joie de Vivre in 2015, but she’s hardly slowed down. Since then, she has been busy experimenting with wire, textiles, tumbling rocks and learning the paper art of quilling.

She hasn’t forgotten her musical roots either, having been a member of the Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra for many years and currently playing the ukulele in a small group at the Dorchester Center for the Arts. Staniforth is also a past member of the Main Street Gallery.

Director Linda Starling says she and the other members are very excited about her show. “We are so happy to welcome Joy back as a guest artist,” she says, “and we look forward to having her work hanging on our walls again!”

“Joy Through Art” will open May 2 and run through June 30. There will be two artist receptions at the gallery on Second Saturdays, May 11 and June 8 from 5-8 p.m.

The receptions are free and open to the public and all are welcome. Light refreshments will be served.

Staniforth will give a workshop on quilling on June 8 from 1-3 p.m. at the gallery. This event will be free and open to all. She will also give a brief talk at the June 8 reception.

Main Street Gallery is located at 518 Poplar St. in Cambridge and is part of the Arts and Entertainment District. Gallery hours are Thursdays through Mondays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The gallery requests that children under 18 be accompanied by an adult.

The gallery is currently reviewing work from prospective members and guest artists. Contact Main Street Gallery through its website at mainstgallery.net or by phoning 410-330-4659 if interested.