For Joyce Ranum, moving from Syracuse, New York, to Great Falls, Montana, nearly forty years ago was the catalyst for a lifelong artistic journey. Though she first picked up a brush in high school, Joyce stepped away from the canvas for decades, until the 1990s. Today, she creates works that serve as a visual diary of her travels and the deep historical roots she shared with her late husband, John Andrew Ranum.
Joyce’s signature style involves a sophisticated layering process, often beginning with a pastel, moving into acrylic underpainting before finishing the piece in oils. This technique brings a luminous depth to her diverse subjects.
Much of Joyce’s most poignant work is inextricably linked to her husband’s military legacy. John was a distinguished Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a founding member of the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In 2021, Joyce painted the Chief Plenty Coups Honor Guard during the Tomb’s centennial anniversary. These historic pieces were later donated to Chief Plenty Coups State Park in Pryor, Montana.
Following John’s passing in 2023 and his subsequent inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery in 2024, Joyce has continued to find solace and joy in her Great Falls studio. Though she has exhibited at prestigious venues like the C.M. Russell Museum, she remains a humble storyteller. No matter where she sketches from, Joyce Ranum’s work proves that art is not just about the final image, but the memories captured in every stroke. Joyce currently resides at the Iris Senior Living Center.