An Interview with Judy

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1. What do you enjoy the most about doing art? Why?

I enjoy the thinking process. Trying to decide on what color palette to use and how to apply the paint to achieve the effect that I want is like doing a puzzle. I get the same enjoyment of the challenge, and the same satisfaction when I figure it all out.

2. What inspired you to begin painting?

When I was a young girl I spent a lot of time with my very creative grandmother. In those days we didn’t have TV or the technology we have today. Gram used to tell me to amuse myself when she wanted to do her gardening or her work. I learned to do just that. I would draw, read, or just sit and watch her work in her garden and marvel at the color change on the flowers as the light changed.

3. Who is your favorite artist? What do you like about this artist's work?

Andrew Wyeth is my favorite artist. He used economy of color and composition. He painted with such ease that he made his painting seem effortless. His paintings depict scenes you might see every day and made me realize that beauty is everywhere.

4. What types of subjects do you enjoy to paint the most?

I enjoy painting portraits and landscape. When people think of portraits they often just think of people. Animals are also included in that category. The faces that I like to paint are faces that show the person is involved and engaged with life. Not all faces show me this. I have seen the look of involvement and engagement in the old and the young alike. If I paint an animal I like to paint them involved and interacting with the world around them.

The landscapes I enjoy most are those that remind me of a Haiku poem – they describe an inspiring moment.

5. How long does it take you to complete a piece?

That depends on the piece. I often sketch a piece and do a layout before I pick up a brush. Depending on the complexity, the medium, and the initial preparation, it takes from 12 hours to two weeks to finish a piece.

6. What types of artwork do you like to do the most?

I enjoy painting pieces that make me smile. I enjoyed painting friends sitting in lawn chairs in a canoe, a horse that took a second look at me before he walked away, a golden retriever hiding in the weeds so I wouldn’t find him.

7. What's your favorite piece that you have done?

So far, I don’t have just one, but have a few I really enjoyed painting and felt the finished product showed what I wanted it to show.

8. How has your art improved over the years?

I grow and change every year. Each year I take classes and workshops from artists I admire. I also take workshops on techniques I want to improve upon or incorporate into my work.

I have become a big fan of the critique process. When my fellow artists give me feedback on how I can improve my piece, I learn and grow.

The biggest improvement has been in my attention to the elements of art. I am concentrating on the use of value changes and composition.

9. How do you decide what to paint?

I think the topics pick me. I paint those things that seem to talk to me. I was driving along a road in Montana when I saw a horse that was the same color as the grasses he was standing in. When driving into town I saw a pond that was so stunning I needed to capture it.

There are times however, that I set out to put a specific scene together. I wanted to paint my grandmother’s vases so I set up a still life. I needed flower arrangements for a series I am working on, so I used still life settings a florist had put together. Though these pictures are nice to work on, they don’t give me the same thrill as spontaneous moments.

10. What inspires you?

The world around me is inspiring. I live in a beautiful area and see inspiring moments daily.

11. When did you first start?

I have been an artist at heart all of my life, but took a career detour and spent many years as a teacher. Painting and drawing have always been “sand box” times. When I paint or draw, I lose a sense of time and feel so refreshed and at peace. In the late 1990’s I began to pursue formal training and mentoring in art. I began to study art with Fargo artist Sandy Miles. Through the encouragement of Sandy, I began to spend more time at my easel and in workshops.

12. Do you do anything while you paint? If so, what is it?

Yes, I listen to music and will talk to my dogs.

13. What mediums do you use?

I create in water color, oil, pastel, copper, and wood.

14. What was it like the first time you sold a painting?

It was a thrill that took me by surprise.

15. How is it different painting with oil versus water color?

I don’t get the same vibrant colors in water color that I do in oil. I am attracted to the vibrant look and feel. I like the way oil can be manipulated to create the desired effect. There are so many times I feel that water color manipulates me. When I see a topic to paint, I usually envision the final product in oil or paste. I don’t visualize in water color as often.

16. What is your favorite thing you've made in woodworking?

My favorite pieces have been sculpture pieces using driftwood, copper, and a glass globe.

17. How much time everyday or every week do you spend doing art?

Time at art is important to me. I try to spend some time each day in the process of art. I am much happier with my work if I spent at least a few minutes each day sketching or planning.

18. Do you have any funny stories about something that's happened while doing art?

I had set up a still life using a loaf of bread, and my dog Patrick ate the bread when I was out of the room.

19. What projects are you working on right now?

I am currently working on pieces that I call weather prints. I am also working on a piece that incorporates guilding with gold and copper leaf in an oil painting.