fine art by joyce hankins
Hello! I’m Joyce, The World Builder, & I’m so glad you found one of my doorways. I’ve built many.
How’d you find the one that led you here, to my corner of the Online Realm? Pinterest? TikTok? Not sure? No worries, I hear that a lot. Which world are you from? One without magic except for in stories and social media algorithms? I see. Oh, don’t apologize. It’s actually perfect! It means you aren’t already bound to a System of Magic, so you’ll be able to use the Wild Magic of the world of The University of Curiosity.
The University of Curiosity is very newly old. I created it in May of 2022 but started welcoming students several hundreds years prior from the many other worlds I’ve built. How? The magic of backdating! Time works differently there. You can learn all about it in classes like Theories of Time, which is taught by The Queen of the Immortal Kingdom — interesting lady.
I built The University of Curiosity to hold all the stories I’ve collected and created over the years. They needed a place to live besides my head, because it was getting too crowded and noisy in there! I’m working on building each story a world of its own, but until then, you’ll find them at The University!
The first three books of my fantasy series, The Bondsmyth Saga, were self-published summer of 2023. The Mage Bonds of Embermoore is one story told in 6 parts (and split into 3 books). All 3 books are available as ebooks on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited. Sign up for my email newsletter to hear the latest news!
Visit The World Builder’s Hallway to find more magical doors!
Get to know The World Builder:
I graduated in 2014 with my BFA from Washington University in St. Louis.
A lot of inspiration for The University of Curiosity came from my college years at Wash U! The campus is full of gothic architecture and Dark Academia vibes.
I’ve been pursing Eating Disorder Recovery for over 6 years now! I’ve learned so much about emotions, self-esteem, acceptance, body image, healthy vs. unhealthy coping mechanisms, and more! It means a lot to me to use my art and stories to help and encourage others on their mental health journeys.
Curiosity, whimsy, storytelling, wholeness, healing, & adventure are important themes in my work.
As of March 2025, I’m back to being a full-time creative!
