Podcast Summary: ALL OF IT with Alison Stewart
Episode: "Reverence: Joyce McDonald's Sculptures Receive First Museum Exhibition"
Date: September 4, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart (A)
Guest: Reverend Joyce McDonald (B)
Episode Overview
This moving episode spotlights the remarkable journey of Reverend Joyce McDonald, a Brooklyn-born sculptor whose deeply autobiographical work is receiving its first museum exhibition, "Ministry," at the Bronx Museum. Through trial, healing, and spiritual transformation, McDonald has spent four decades creating art that serves as testimony and inspiration. Host Alison Stewart explores the pivotal moments in McDonald’s life, her creative process, and the profound role of faith and resilience in her art—offering listeners a rare window into the heart and spirit behind McDonald’s sculptures.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
How the Exhibition Came to Be
[01:15–02:03]
- McDonald describes the long road to the exhibition, originating with a vision shared by advocate Kyle from Visual AIDS, an agency for HIV-positive artists.
- The realization of the show was overwhelming but meaningful, arriving after four years of planning and reflection.
Quote:
"Art is so up close and personal. That was like, too big for me to even think about, you know, and here it is."
— Joyce McDonald [01:50]
From Upbringing and Loss to Spiritual Awakening
[02:03–04:52]
- Raised in a family of born-again Christians but strayed in her teens due to hardships (addiction, trauma).
- A near-miraculous moment prompted her to return to church after decades, leading to a transformational experience.
- Credits her spiritual rebirth as the start of a new life trajectory.
Quote:
"That day when I asked God the Lord to come in my heart, it really, really changed me."
— Joyce McDonald [04:35]
Art as Testimony: The Genesis of Creativity
[04:52–05:44]
- Artistic expression began during detox, catalyzed by her sister gifting her an art pad.
- Her earliest sketches revealed “the deepest, darkest secrets” she hadn’t shared with anyone—unlocking a new language of healing.
Quote:
"When I looked at it, they were…the deepest, darkest secrets of my life in sketch form. And that's what began to unlock."
— Joyce McDonald [05:13]
Embracing Sculpture Amid Adversity (HIV Diagnosis & New Mediums)
[05:44–08:03]
- Began sculpting in 1995 at an AIDS day program following her HIV diagnosis (post 10 years of infection).
- Credits her pastor for urging her to get tested and supporting her at every step.
- Sculpture quickly became her primary mode of unplanned, therapeutic expression.
Quote:
"It's like when I started with clay, it's like something came alive in me. I never had classes. I never knew what I was gonna make. It just would come."
— Joyce McDonald [07:32]
Highlight: "A Taste of Sweetness After Near Death"
[08:03–10:21]
- Discussion of one of the earliest pieces in the exhibition, created post-surgery after a near-death experience.
- Describes the physical and spiritual trauma of the event, retaining staples in the clay sculpture as a visceral memory of survival and divine encounter.
Quote:
"There was this taste of goodness, this taste of free. … I would have never met God like I did."
— Joyce McDonald [09:29]
Purpose and Power of the Exhibition
[10:21–11:19]
- Hopes viewers see the works as messages of hope and shared healing, recognizing that survival and faith can transform suffering.
- Many works honor her mother’s prayers and the collective endurance of her family.
Quote:
"It's like shared healing. It's like hope. There's just nothing too hard for God to do, no matter what depth."
— Joyce McDonald [10:44]
Personal Icon: The First Sculpture
[11:19–12:34]
- McDonald brings in her very first sculpture, a recurring motif representing a woman in anguish and comfort.
- The piece embodies the cyclical nature of her struggles and endurance across decades.
Host Reaction:
"Oh, she's gorgeous. It's a woman. She's bent on…"
— Alison Stewart [12:06]
Creative Process as Spiritual Communion
[12:34–15:08]
- Advocates for art as accessible healing: “Everyone has creativity in them.”
- Her process is intuitive, unplanned; she describes entering an immersive state akin to prayer.
- Continues creating through profound illness and hardship, drawing parallels between her journey, biblical stories, and her ongoing process of being "reworked."
Quote:
"I don't plan to make anything…most of my work is unplanned. I don't know what it's going to come to until it's finished. Some of it, I don't know what it means until after."
— Joyce McDonald [12:44]
Quote:
"My work represents reworking, you know, And I'm being reworked daily."
— Joyce McDonald [14:31]
Living Testimony: Faith, Illness, Resilience
[15:08–15:29]
- Despite experiencing a stroke, cancer, shingles, and enduring loss, McDonald perseveres as both artist and survivor.
- Gratefulness, purpose, and hope suffuse her closing words.
Quote:
"I'm so glad to be alive to be there."
— Joyce McDonald [15:29]
Notable Quotes by Timestamp
- "Art is so up close and personal. That was like, too big for me to even think about, you know, and here it is." — Joyce McDonald [01:50]
- "That day when I asked God the Lord to come in my heart, it really, really changed me." — Joyce McDonald [04:35]
- "When I looked at it, they were…the deepest, darkest secrets of my life in sketch form. And that's what began to unlock." — Joyce McDonald [05:13]
- "It's like when I started with clay, it's like something came alive in me. I never had classes. I never knew what I was gonna make. It just would come." — Joyce McDonald [07:32]
- "There was this taste of goodness, this taste of free. … I would have never met God like I did." — Joyce McDonald [09:29]
- "It's like shared healing. It's like hope. There's just nothing too hard for God to do, no matter what depth." — Joyce McDonald [10:44]
- "I don't plan to make anything…most of my work is unplanned. I don't know what it's going to come to until it's finished. Some of it, I don't know what it means until after." — Joyce McDonald [12:44]
- "My work represents reworking, you know, And I'm being reworked daily." — Joyce McDonald [14:31]
- "I'm so glad to be alive to be there." — Joyce McDonald [15:29]
Memorable Moments
- The symbolic act of McDonald bringing her very first (and emotionally meaningful) sculpture in-studio [12:06].
- Her comparison of the artistic process to biblical stories about the potter and the clay [13:33–14:31].
- Descriptions of creating through severe illness, demonstrating art as essential—not optional—in her journey [15:08–15:29].
Important Timestamps
- 01:15 – Discussion of how the Bronx Museum exhibit originated
- 02:05 – Exploration of religion’s role in McDonald’s life and creative work
- 04:57 – The start of her artistic journey and the healing power of sketching
- 05:46 – How she discovered sculpture, following her HIV diagnosis
- 08:03 – The story and inspiration behind "A Taste of Sweetness after Near Death"
- 10:27 – McDonald articulates her hopes for the audience
- 11:39 – Presentation and discussion of her first sculpture
- 12:44 – Artistic advice for others seeking healing through creativity
- 13:33–14:31 – Her creative mindset and scriptural inspiration
- 15:08–15:29 – Creating through adversity and gratitude for life
Conclusion
This episode of ALL OF IT captures the indomitable spirit and artistry of Reverend Joyce McDonald—someone whose creations are inseparable from the pain, faith, and healing of her lived experience. For McDonald, art isn’t just self-expression; it is testament, ministry, and a conduit for shared hope. The Bronx Museum’s "Ministry" exhibition is both a celebration of her work and an invitation for viewers to confront, and find solace in, the depths and redemptions of the human journey.