On Wednesday evening February 16 we were ready in front of the tube to watch the nightly adventures of Raven van Dorst nocturnal animals in Zoetermeer. But unfortunately our city was not in it at all. While recordings were made in the studio of Joyce from Zoetermeer. We contacted her because we always have room at nearby.
Ad is loading…
In Night Animals, Raven van Dorst goes in search of the nighttime mysteries in a city. In January she drove her Mustang to Zoetermeer, looking for people who are still active at night. She also knocked on the door of Joyce Heymen’s studio in Rokkeveen. Joyce shared a touching story with Raven and introduced her to her special hobby.
Remove the faces with acetone
After her evening shift in care, Joyce cannot sleep right away. To be able to use her creativity, she dives into her studio where she pulls barbies apart and turns them into new works of art. “I take the dolls apart with some music on. They are Monster High American barbie dolls that I found second hand. I find them so ugly that I want to make them more beautiful. I cut the hair and remove the faces with acetone.”
Small works of art for sale
The bald dolls get a new color, a different haircut and new clothes. “I once made a mermaid. I cut away the legs and made a tail out of epoxy. Holes remain in the head where the hairs used to be. With synthetic hair I make a new head of hair. I draw smiling or sad faces with a pastel pencil on my head. They become small works of art that are in demand. That’s why I’m selling them. Actually, I don’t want to get rid of them, but I think it’s an honor if someone wants to buy my work.”
Read the story further under this post †
Ad is loading…
With access code to your mother
Joyce recently started working as a care worker in a psychogeriatric ward. In other words, she works with people with dementia. She got the idea after her mother at the age of 54 ended up in a care home with Korsakov’s syndrome. Korsakov resembles dementia, only it is caused by an alcohol problem in which there is a serious deficiency of vitamin B1. The result is memory loss. “My mother was locked up there as a much too young woman among the demented elderly. I was able to get to her with an access code. She didn’t belong there at all. Her boyfriend, my sister and I took care of her. She stopped eating and deteriorated further and further.”
Follow care training
Bleeding left her mother in a wheelchair and unable to recognize her loved ones. “I thought that was the worst thing you can experience as a child. The earth sank beneath my feet. She was eventually put to sleep with medication and died after a week.” Joyce worked in a motorcycle shop in Zoetermeer and after the death of her mother wondered why she did not follow her passion. “What I experienced and saw in the nursing home gave me the idea to follow a care training. Now I work with people with dementia, but eventually I want to work in a Korsakov clinic. Helping people like my mom and having a good time.”
Raven on my pink chair
Joyce told the same story to Raven from Nocturnal Animals. She is very sorry that it was not broadcast. “It turns out that more recordings are being made than are being used,” she explains. “But it was a crazy idea that Raven was in my studio. I follow her program every week. She sat on my pink plush chair in her leather jacket and black gloves. We chatted afterwards. Finally she drove off in her Mustang at half past three. My neighbors didn’t notice.”
2
