Build and Design by Joy Mullen (Joy on Drums)
This concept for this project was to make a variety of ceramic drum sticks. I have been intrigued with the idea of using a fragile material to play drums with. Conventional wooden drum sticks are made to be durable and can withstand a lot of force. Using a delicate, breakable material to play drums would encourage a different approach to drumming for me.
COPY FIRST: I based this process off the COPY FIRST approach. I wanted to try copying different types of drum sticks made from ceramic. The sticks varied in width, length, tip shape (round, tear drop), mallets, bamboo multi rods and tubes.
Process: I worked with a ceramic artist name Meg Hubert who taught me the different types of clay and techniques to make the sticks. I did a combo of stick with tip attached and stick with tip shaped. Some of the sticks were rolled clay, and some were pressed through an extruder. The mallets were sticks with larger clay balls attached and the multi rods were thin
The collection of sticks were varied in success after the kiln process was completed.The drum sticks turned out well, with the extruder sets coming out more even and smooth. The multi rods were made from very thin ceramic rods which were then wrapped in yarn. I used an extruder to make the thin rods, but most of them ended up curling in the kiln process, so it was challenging to wrap these as they were delicate and easy to break. I finished the mallets by wrapping the ceramic ball tips with yarn. I tried various wrapping techniques to wrap the mallets.
The ceramic sticks were interesting to play with They did not respond the same as a wooden stick, and I used the analogy of trying to bounce a basketball made of cement. The sticks produced a harsher tone on the cymbals than wooden sticks and provided no rebound. I was drawn to using a technique similar to bowing on the cymbals, and the different types of clay, roughness or width, gave different results.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Joy Machuga, aka, Joy On Drums is a genre fluid drummer who works professionally as an artist; touring, performing, organizing, teaching and building community. Her work includes recording over 25 albums, performing internationally and working with a broad range of artists including: Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Tia Wood, Cris Derksen, Rae Spoon, E.S.L, and many more. She runs the gamut of styles from playing folk festivals, to working with theatre and dance companies, to performing at the 2025 Juno Awards, playing stadiums, to playing correctional facilities, to experimental, improvised interdisciplinary performances to punk, thrash dive bars,. She has also worked on film scores for movies, TV shows and documentaries.
She is active in building the local music and art community, teaching full time, organizing and programming music events, and running venues. Her contribution encompasses work as a booking agent, artistic director, founding member of a non-profit and facilitator. She also enjoys developing curriculum and workshops in her teaching practice.
Her work has expanded to visual fibre art and painting. All of her work, whether it be music, teaching, facilitating, coordinating, art or performance, revolves around the drums.
Website: www.joyondrums.com
Instagram: @joyondrums
