artist statement

   As an 8yr old kid I would sit in front of the TV, watch cartoons and copy Renaissance drawings. My inspirations were Gumby and Michelangelo.  I have always been fascinated with the reality and emotions that cartoons evoke. They seem more real than people and can convey a message with such simplicity and ease. At the same time I admire the quality and aesthetics of the old masters. The light and dark values, the lost and found edges, the mystery and stories that allow the viewer to get involved in the painting.  For a while I painted traditional still life and created cartoon like illustrations as separate entities. It took some time but it finally clicked, why not incorporate the two ideas. The result is a juxtaposition of the traditional style and objects along side of toys and whimsical titles. With this combination, I am excited to paint in the traditional style that I admire and at the same time incorporate retro toys. I am able to create a painting that tells a story, evokes a spirit of nostalgia and elevates the soul.

biography

   Judy was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. She studied Advertising and Graphic Design at Humber College and took various part-time courses at the Ontario College of Art and Design.  After a career as a graphic designer / illustrator and travelling through Europe, Britain and the Middle East, it was Italy that captured her interest. She went back to Florence, Italy and studied Academic Painting and Drawing with John Angel Studios.

Her work is shown in galleries and exhibitions in which she has won awards and honourable mentions. Judy paints in a classical style using contemporary subjects with a humorous twist. The objects, and their settings, are intended to demonstrate a sense of comic word play and to invoke a spirit of fond nostalgia. Her pieces hang in private collections throughout Canada, USA, Ireland and Scotland.