Judith Judy | Artist Spotlight

Out of all the paintings at the current exhibition ‘Of Vivid Dreams’ at the Anne Neilson Fine Gallery, the paintings by artists Judith Judy were the ones that I was inspired by the most. The ethereal nature of the paintings with their calming colors and dreamy landscapes really made you feel like you could just sit all afternoon in the gallery and just gaze at them. (If you’re so inclined there are two comfy chairs to sit in!)

In this post, Judith shares about her artist process, favorite pieces she’s created, and a glimpse into her world as an artist.

I love the ethereal nature of your paintings and they truly make you feel like you are capturing a glimpse of another world. Is there a particular piece that you’ve painted that was your favorite to create?

I painted a piece several years ago titled “Red Rushes” It is a painting that came together with ease and the composition pleased me very much as soon as the little wind-blown tree appeared.

Red Rushes

Since your paintings aren’t modeled after particular places, what inspires you to create a piece (i.e. a particular color palette, texture, or mood?)

To quote artist Chuck Close…

Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work… All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself.

That said, lots of things plant seeds for a painting. Mostly observations of nature, sometimes a photograph of a place visited or a memory. My daughter is a photographer. Her photographs have inspired the start of some paintings. I say the start because that is the only connection to the finished work. The finished work has little if any relationship to the original idea. The rest of the painting comes out of the process.

When did you first become interested in being an artist?

From childhood through college I focused on art. When the financial realities of adult life showed up I went back to school and became a CPA. It was after that 20-year career that I was ready to make painting my second career.

Do you have a particular brand of paint that you prefer to work with and is there a color(s) that you use often?

I like Holbein for the texture and Gamblin for availability and color selection. I use a lot of transparent colors and Gamblin makes some of my favorites. Transparent earth orange and Transparent earth yellow I probably use most often. Also, I cannot paint without Sap green and Ultramarine blue. I paint mostly in the cool version of colors.

Winding River II

What is a typical day in your studio like?

Uninspired I walk into my studio around 9 am and get to work. I usually have 5 or 6 pieces in process at a time. I like the paint to dry between layers so this allows me to keep going. Sometimes I know exactly what I want to do with a particular painting (sometimes it comes to me in the middle of the night) but most often I don’t. That’s when you just get to work, put something on the board, try something until the ideas start to flow. You rely on the process. Everything comes out of the process.

Your work has been exhibited both here in the States and in museums and art fairs abroad. How did being a part of these events provide you further inspiration as an artist?

Participation in shows and events does not inspire the work but it does inspire me to keep working. They say success as an artist (or anything really) is 10% talent and 90% hard work. My success has a lot to do with my work ethic.

I love the titles of your paintings. Do you come up with the title for the painting before, after, or during the painting process?

Titles are interesting. I usually come up with a working title early in the process. It does not always make the final cut. A title will either pop into my head (“As I Remember”) or it is a literal description of the painting (“Two Blue Trees”) or reminds me of a previous painting (“Winding River II”).

Two Blue Trees

Your latest works are currently featured in the exhibition Of Vivid Dreams at the Anne Neilson Gallery. Do you have a favorite piece from the show?

It is hard to pick a favorite from the show (love all my babies). I guess I would say “Fog on the Lake” with “As I Remember” a close second if I had to choose.

What do you enjoy most about working with the team at Anne Neilson?

I absolutely love working with everyone at ANFA. Everyone is kind, generous, and professional. Anne has put together a great team. A special thank you to Sandi Scott and Anna Elliott who I have worked with most closely.