Nestled in the rolling hills of North East Texas lies Golden Fleece Farm, home to Joyce and Barney Terrell. The farm is also home to a flock of multicolored Shetland sheep, guarded by an Australian shepherd, a Welsh corgi, and four llamas. Joyce, a retired art teacher, and Barney, a master woodworker, compliment each other by producing lovely spinning fiber and handcrafted tools.
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Joyce Terrell
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Having a master’s degree in fine arts and a love of color, Joyce is an accomplished watercolorist and fiber artist. “I always return to textiles and fiber arts”, she says. In the past, she designed needlepoint and continues to design and create with the fiber grown on the farm. Shetland sheep produce fleece in at least 14 different naturally occuring colors which Joyce markets and uses in her designs. For the past few years, Joyce has been Artist in Residence for Young Audiences of America, bringing a fiber arts program into both public and private schools throughout Texas. With Barney’s help and support, she takes her sheep to the students and spends a week with the class, helping them understand about the animals, their fiber and the relationship of fiber arts to history, mathematics and other disciplines. Joyce is also coordinator and curriculum director for an art camp for kids, presented annually by Mineola League of the Arts. “Everything I have done in my career has been targeted to fostering an appreciation for the arts with children. Everyone has a hunger for art.”
While the sheep graze contentedly in the pasture, Barney can usually be found in his workshop, designing a new small loom to help children learn to weave, or a new large loom for adults. He often finds antique tools, such as spinning wheels, and restores them. Many items are then forwarded to Joyce for hand painted embellishment.
Smiling, Barney says “Our life has been an odyssey and we have found our treasure here at Golden Fleece Farm.”
For questions or more information,
please send Email to Joyce at Golden Fleece FarmShawl pictured woven on a 30 in triangle loom. Garment and pattern in stock at The Pearly Queen Store.
