Eugene artist and KLCC friend David Joyce died December 3, 2003, at age 57. Joyce taught art at Lane Community College for 25 years. He retired in 2000 after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Joyce was the creative force behind the mural of flying people at the Eugene Airport. He was known to KLCC listeners as a co-host of Visible City, an arts review program on the Northwest Passage, with Lotte Streisinger.

A memorial service for David Joyce was held at Lane Community College on December 19, 2003.

The audio world of radio might seem an unlikely place to champion the visual arts. This environment consisting only of sound lends itself more suitably to performing arts, such as music or theater.

Yet as many art appreciators have discovered, the visual arts emerge in vivid color twice each month on KLCC. The voices of two of the area's most knowledgeable artists, Lotte Streisinger and David Joyce, bring the art galleries to the airwaves on Visible City, airing every other Thursday during the Northwest Passage.

In thse convesaitonal style of programs like Marian MacPartland's Piano Jazz or Siskel and Ebert, Lotte and David discuss current exhibits and developments in the visual arts. They consider themselves "informed reporters" rather than "critics." Instead of rating an exhibit, they provide listeners wtih information about what they will find and reasons they might be interested in it. Their intent is to call attention to the best art shows in the community -- shows that might otherwise be missed or overlooked.

Although most segments of Visible City focus on local art exhibits, occasionally the topic shifts to other elements of art. Recent shows have covered the Artist in Residence program at local middle schools, taking art classes for pleasure, and "why art is not a frill." Both Lotte and David feel that art is a way of thinking and knowing about the world, and it is unfortunately becoming a smaller part of students' lives. The result may be that these students sadly will not grow up to be supportive individuals of the arts in the future.

David Joyce's art is among the most visible in town, greeting anyone arriving or departing from the Eugene Airport. His flying "photographic sculptures" could be the most unique and whimsical pieces of art to grace any airport wall. In much of his work, life-size photo cut-outs are arranged in the three dimensional world with real objects. The arrangements are curious and provocative, and never lacking in audience. His exhibits are displayed in several urban areas across the country.

David obtained graduate degrees from the U of O in both Broadcasting and Fine Arts. This combination has served him well. In between art projects, he teaches courses at Lane Community College in film production, introduction to visual arts, survival skills for visual artists, and photography and lighting.

Lotte and David's commitment to visual art is profound. Through Visible City they hope the visual arts can become a more prominent part of local cultural discourse. Lotte's careful preparation and research combines with David's on-air spontaneity to create an arts review program like no other.

The visual arts could not ask for finer PR!

By Gayle G. Chisholm
June, 1994

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