Joyce was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and began her art studies at the Hartford Art School, followed by attendance at the Rhode Island School of Design where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting. Later, she continued her study of oil painting at the New School in New York City.

She subsequently became interested in printmaking and studied at the Centre De Gravure in Geneva, Switzerland; and also took printmaking in the United States under the noted printmaker Stephan Martin. Photography is another medium she has explored, and her shows frequently combine paintings, prints and photographs.

Her early work focused on studies of the Spanish Mediterranean island of Menorca, which she frequently visited. The dramatic rock formations and the seashore cliffs of this volcanic island formed an "image of expression" in her work. Subsequent world-wide travels have broadened her subject matter, and the influence of numerous trips to Mexico, Central and South America, and Japan continues to be evident in her treatment of subjects regardless of geographic origin.

Joyce has had several one-person shows, and her work is included in many private collections in the United States and Europe. She has won prizes and recognition in competitions in the Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland areas. Her work was featured in the publication AWARD-WINNING ART and a TV documentary on Bucks County, Pennsylvania artists called ART BEAT. Her professional art background includes teaching at both public and private schools, including the International School and the Lycee Des Nations, both located in Geneva, Switzerland.