ARTIST STATEMENT
I paint the now. There are no yesterdays or tomorrows, only this moment, this emotion.
From my earliest memories I have been an artist. There are no words that can describe the journey artists take as they create. When people view my work and I am asked “what does that mean?” I realize there are no concrete answers. When I say "because" what I mean is the image I create is the product of many subconscious decisions. The result is that my work is very abstract. I am excited by the process of communicating these abstract ideas through light, color, movement, balance, impression, expression.
After many experiments with various mediums, my process has evolved into using projected light through layers of encaustic monoprints. Projected light vs reflected light changes the texture, color and adds transparency to my pieces. Inside each of my paintings I search to find a nugget of the truth I am seeking, answers to questions I really cannot formulate. When people view my work, I hope they find little nuggets of truth also.
ARTIST BIO
Judy’s path to fine art began in Franklin Township NJ, proceeded to art school in Newark NJ, then on to New York City, where she was art director for all branch stores of Franklin Simon, then to Boston where she was assistant art director at Filenes Department Sore, in charge of special projects. She then began her own design studio, Uppercase Design. Clients included the Harvard Smithsonian , Osram Sylvania, North Shore Children’s Hospital, Jordan Marsh, and small and medium scientific and industrial corporations in the Boston Area.
In 2012 she was introduced to encaustics at a museum exhibit and thus began her voyage as a fine artist. Her encaustic journey has led from abstract images painted on board through much experimentation to illuminated images.
Her artwork has been shown in juried exhibits in the International Encaustic Museum in Santa Fe, the Massachusetts State House, and galleries through out the U.S. Her artwork and unique handling of encaustic medium were featured in Encaustic Arts Magazine.
She is a member of International Encaustic Artists, Rockport Art Association and Museum, Marblehead Arts Association, North Shore Art association, Gloucester Ma.,New England Sculpture society, Monotype Guild of New England. She is on the Board of Montserrat College of Art where she exhibited and juried various exhibits.
2024 Best of Show, National Juried Show, Marblehead, MA
2023 Juried into New England Regional Show, Northshore Art association, Glocester MA
2018 Solo Exhibit, Rockport Art Association & Museum, MA
2018 Juried into national show at Marblehead art Association
2018 Experimental Award, Rockport Art Association & Museum, MA
2018 Exhibited at Massachusetts State House
2017 Featured artist in Winter 2017 Encaustic Arts Magazine
2107 Juried into national show at Museum of Encaustic Art, Santa Fe, N M
2017 Honorable Mention Experimental Group Exhibition at the RAAM
Watch my How-To Video
Fayum Mummy Portrait
History of Encaustics
The word "encaustic" comes from the Greek, to “burn in”, which refers to the process of fusing the paint.
Encaustic painting was developed by the ancient Greek shipbuilders, who used hot wax to fill cracks in their ships. Soon pigment (color) was added and this led to painting on the surface of the waxed hull: an art form was born. This technique was used in the Fayum mummy portraits from Egypt around 100-300 AD.
Diego Rivera
Over the intervening centuries encaustic was overtaken by many other types of paint—including tempera, oil, and acrylic paints—each of which was cheaper, faster, and easier to work with. Artists experimented with encaustic in the 18th and 19th centuries, but it wasn't until the 20th century that is's use really revived. With the availability of portable electric heating devices for the melting of the wax, use of encaustic has become more popular and many contemporary painters consider it an attractive painting medium. Modern painters who have used encaustic include Robert DeLaunay, Diego Rivera, and Jasper Johns.
About Encaustic Medium
Encaustic medium is composed of beeswax, damar resin, and pure pigments. Encaustic paint is applied molten to an absorbent surface, and fused, (or re-melted), to create a variety of effects. Once the surface has cooled, the paint has reached a permanent finish. The painting can be reworked with heat at any time, minutes or years later.