Designed For Joy

Handmade in our Raleigh studio

Providing immediate employment for women in crisis.

Contributors

Monday-Saturday 10 AM-2 PM designedforjoy.com

COURTNEY NAPIER / WRITER

Courtney Napier is a writer, publisher, curator and host from Raleigh. She is the founder of the Black Oak Society, a collective of Black artists and creatives in the Raleigh area, which produces BOS Magazine and the BOS NOW Podcast. She has also written for other local and regional publications such as Scalawag Magazine and The Carolinian. When the computer closes, Napier can be found spending time with her family and friends or listening to elders’ stories with a glass of sweet tea on their front porch. “Writing about Mrs. Williams and the Turner House was truly an honor. She is a warrior for the preservation and uplift of our history. She is a true inspiration.”

TREY THOMAS / PHOTOGRAPHER

A lifelong passion for architecture and interior design, coupled with a serious love of photography, led to Thomas switching careers in 2012 to focus exclusively on interiors and architectural photography. “I first met Marc at a mutual friend’s birthday party about five years ago. He was kind enough to cook a pig for the event and I knew then that he was on to something special. It’s been a pleasure passing by their location and watching it come to life, so it was especially enjoyable being able to photograph the end result. As an Eastern North Carolina native, take it from me: this is some legit BBQ.”

A.J.

A.J. Carr embarked on his 50year sportswriting career while playing football, basketball and baseball at Wallace-Rose Hill High School. He began writing as a teenager for The Wallace Enterprise, worked with the Greensboro Daily News in college, and spent four decades at The News & Observer. Carr has received several media awards, including three national awards for college baseball coverage, and twice was voted N.C. Sportswriter of The Year. “It was a great joy to visit with Jim Ritcher to hear about his stellar football career at NC State and in the NFL, and to learn about his strong Christian faith.”

DYLAN RAY / PHOTOGRAPHER

For almost two decades, photographer Dylan Ray has documented the unique culture, people and environments of coastal Carteret County and Eastern North Carolina. In that time, he has received dozens of awards from the North Carolina Press Association for excellence in photojournalism as well as fine arts awards and recognition. Ray resides in Beaufort with his wife and two daughters. “This was my fifteenth covering of the annual Beaufort Christmas Flotilla and the variables are always different. Fog, rain, sleet, wind and the occasional Nor’Easter never seem to keep the crowds at bay. It is a wonderful community event.”

“Wiley Cash is a wonderful North Carolina writer. To have these two artists collaborating for this piece [on Scott Avett] is pretty awesome.”

— Alison Winzeler

“We are totally obsessed with Sarah Shook and The Disarmers as well as the new sound on the album Mightmare. Both are truly immersive. Thanks for featuring her. She is one of a kind. But now it’ll be harder to get in to see her at Cat’s Cradle. Dangggg.”

— Stacy T.

“So true about aprons and family [in the November editor’s letter]. Here is granddaughter Josie with Mimi in our matching aprons I made for special biscuit making. I have some ‘fancies’ but I love the sentimental ones best!”

— Violet Rhinehart