Judy, when did you first become interested in art?

I've always been doing art.  They say I was born with a paint brush in my mouth!  It's just something I've always loved.

Did any particular childhood experiences inspire you to become an artist?

There is nothing in particular that I can point to.  It just seemed to come very naturally to me.  It was my main talent.  I loved to draw and paint, and I wanted to be an artist ever since I was young. 

My parents were very supportive of my art work, and were very proud of any accomplishments I had in my career.  They were both artists.  Dad was a sculptor, and did wonderful drawings, watercolors and cartoons.  Mom was a painter.   They used to take me to the art museum, and I was enthralled with the great paintings that I saw there.  I always knew that an artist's life was for me.

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Did you have any formal training?

I always took art courses, ever since I was little, since my parents encouraged my art talent. I majored in Art in High School, but regret that my Art teacher never gave me a good traditional foundation. I was taught to paint like the Moderns, without learning how to do anatomy and perspective correctly in the beginning. This gave me bad habits that I had difficulty repairing. I took some courses in Art College. I then went off on my own, and have always considered my best teachers to be the "Great Masters of the Past and Present".
 
How did you get started? What was your evolutionary process?
 
As a child, I loved to draw everything, and everyone I saw. I always doodled in the margins of my copy books while in school.
 
My teenage and young adult work was a bit more morose and dark, influenced by the German Expressionists. When I got married, and enjoyed the happiness of married life, my art became lighter and brighter in my colors and style. I then became more influenced by the French Impressionist school. I still have somewhat of an Impressionistic background style, and I enjoy using Monet-type colors.
 

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What is your attraction to fantasy art?

I love the Fairy Tale quality of Fantasy Art. It uplifts me and brings out the childhood imagination that I enjoy. At this time in my life, I tend more toward the lighter positive side of Fantasy than the interior darker side of it. I do enjoy the macabre; it's just that I would rather not be immersed in it myself. It would tend to depress me. As I mentioned, in my young adulthood, I was more involved in the dark side of art.
 
I have enjoyed the Bosch and Dali type symbolism and Fantasy elements which has influenced me to this day. And Fantasy, along with other children's story book illustration has always played a big part in my Art.
 
As a painter, what medium/s do you use? Do you do any other forms of art?
 
My first mediums were, understandably crayons, which I loved to eat as well as draw with.
 
At a young age, I developed a very good technique with pencil drawing, which I feel has been an excellent foundation to my Art of Painting. I used to enjoy using pastels and charcoals a lot, but, found them a bit messy. I did enjoy blending them, and I have developed that blending technique in my painting methods today.
 
I enjoyed watercolors, but since I make so many mistakes, I found they were difficult to correct with that medium. I am happy to use acrylic paints, with which I can simulate the effect of either watercolors, or oils. I paint on a very fine grained portrait type canvas, after applying several coats of gesso on it.
 
I did try my hand at sculpting, pottery, creative embroidery, etc. But my greatest talent is in painting and prefer to spend my time doing this form of art since I love it the most.

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Who have been the most influential characters in your life as it relates to your growth as an artist?
 
My Soul Mate and Husband Michael, a true Renaissance Man, has been the most influential and greatest inspiration to me in my growth as an artist, and as a woman. He is a philosopher, composer, occult researcher, and author of poetry, novels, plays, etc.
 
I have always been inspired by great Artists throughout history, and regard them as my teachers. Some of my favorites are those of the Italian Renaissance, the Pre- Raphealites (I like John W. Waterhouse the most), and the Hudson River School of Landscape Painters. Maxfield Parrish is my favorite illustrator, and I feel that Sir Joseph Noel Paton is one of the greatest Fairy Artists. In my small way, I also enjoy continuing in the tradition of Beatrix Potter with her little animal people, and Cicely M. Barker with her lovely Flower Fairies. There are many artists of today who are my heroes.  There are too many to list here, but many are an inspiration to me.

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Do you have any parting words; or words of advice for all those aspiring artists out there?

One of the main suggestions I have is to always hold on to your Dream. I am a great believer in visualizing the ideal person you want to be, and to constantly strive to become that wonderful individual. Think of what type of artist you would like to become. Hold that high ideal forever in your mind, and never let that image disappear. Always have the highest goals.
 
I know it is very difficult to make a living with one's art. Usually an artist has to take on commission work in order to make ends meet. And that's very understandable. I've done a lot of being an "Artist for Hire" also. With luck, and perseverance, you can get jobs doing art work that you enjoy a lot. This is because usually, speaking from my own experience, you do the art best that you enjoy doing the most. But sometimes you may be asked to do art that you don't want to do. So I would advise you to always strive to get those jobs doing the art that will develop your talent in the direction you really want to go.
 
 Always strive to do your best. It will come. Never give up hope. Sometimes you can do it on your own. With some Artists, working with an Art Agent, Licensing Agency, Art Studio, etc. is helpful also. Explore and research all your options. Don't jump into anything without looking into all the possibilities that could be open to you.
 
Since my finest teachers have been the Great Masters of the Past, I continually study and learn from them to this day. I never feel that I know everything there is about painting. This attitude makes me always strive to be better, and it is also very exciting to know there are many new vistas to explore.
 
You have to love art in order to have patience to stick with it and never give up. I have had many set backs in my career, as have many other artists. But I don't let these bad experiences get me down. I just pick myself up and continue on. That is because I love doing it so much. The world of painting is a great joy to me, and if I gave it up, there would be a great void in my life.
 
Good luck to all of you wonderful budding Artists! May your art blossom beautifully!

Thank you Judy! Good luck to you as well!