Radical joy

Written By Jessica Turtle

Radical joy is a real, lasting kind of happiness that’s much more than just a quick burst of pleasure. It’s like an inner superpower that helps us get through tough times, trauma, civil unrest, or even environmental crises. By tapping into our strengths, relying on our communities, appreciating beauty, and practicing gratitude—even when things seem broken—radical joy shines through. We notice it in art, activism, or whatever spiritual practices speak to us. As a way of thinking, radical joy is about choosing hope, staying connected, finding meaning in hard times, and picking out the sparks of joy in everyday life.

If you need a boost, check out Ross Gay’s Inciting Joy and The Book of Delights—both are like a breath of fresh air when life feels heavy. Want to get creative with others? Join us for Open Studio every third Friday from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Making art together is our way of pushing back and finding renewal.

Jessica Turtle

Jessica Turtle is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and Master Naturalist who founded Treehaus Studio. Her work spans two- and three-dimensional forms, with a focus on community engagement. She explores water as life, symbiotic and queer relationships in nature, and the effects of the Anthropocene. Through art and teaching, she urges us to value curiosity, beauty, and complexity in nature, inviting a deeper understanding of our place within it.

Building on this interdisciplinary ethos, Jessica earned a BFA in Studio Arts from the University of Wisconsin. She further developed her focus on object-based learning with the N.W. Harris Learning Collection in Chicago and at the Bell Museum in Minnesota, and completed the Wisconsin Master Naturalist Program.

http://www.jessicaturtle.org
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