Joey Lawrence

Joey Lawrence discovered his passion for sculpture during a summer apprenticeship at a foundry in Richmond, Virginia. What began as a curiosity about metalwork evolved into a lifelong dedication to transforming raw materials into forms that challenge perception and invite touch.

His work primarily explores the tension between organic and industrial forms. Using reclaimed steel, bronze, and occasionally salvaged wood, Joey creates pieces that reference the natural world while acknowledging the manufactured environments we inhabit. A recurring theme in his work is the concept of growth emerging from decay—new forms rising from discarded materials.

Joey earned his MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and has exhibited throughout the Southeast, including solo shows at the Greensboro Cultural Center, the Durham Arts Council, and the Turchin Center in Boone. His public installations can be found in downtown Winston-Salem and at the Weatherspoon Art Museum sculpture garden.

When not in his studio, Joey teaches beginner welding workshops at the Forge, a community maker space in downtown Greensboro. He believes strongly in demystifying the creative process and making sculptural techniques accessible to anyone willing to learn. He lives in the Lindley Park neighborhood with his partner and two exceptionally lazy cats.