Judith T.Irwin
These paintings are the interplay between nature and the sun. Time has stopped moving in these paintings. They are a still projection of the organic image. I may return to the same projected shadow for a few times at the same time of day to draw the shadow’s detail and catch their moment in time.
How would you describe/define yourself?
I’m artist that is obsessed with the living world around me. I’m always looking at plant shadows and thinking about the plant and how it could become the perfect composition for a painting.
When and why did you decide to choose painting designing as a career?
Career/obsession started at 8 yrs of age. My Mother recognized my obsession with drawing and sent me to private classes with a local artist to learn how to paint.
What according to you is a favorite part of being a Paint Artist?
Mixing colors and the relationships between colors. For example, cadmium colors are generally transparent. So if you want your painting to be vibrant you will need to apply your transparent colors to the canvas 1st and build opaque
colors on top. But, let your transparent colors peek through because this will lend harmony to the entire canvas.
What inspires you as an Artist? How do you visualize your muses?
Nature and sun are my muses for this series of shadow painting. The way the sun projects a plant shadow either defining it to a crisp image or distorting it to a stretched out golden hour image.
What’s your signature painting element? And why?
It is plant shadows. I became deeply invested in plant shadow because I spend an ample amount of time outside in nature gardening professionally.
The painting you created are best without any doubt, but who and which things were your inspiration while creating such painting?
My inspiration for creating this style of colorful painting comes from studying under the late Phillip Morsberger at California College of the Arts in 1992. From Philip I learned to really see color in the world with an artistic eye.
What’s the best piece of artistic advice you’ve heard? And do you follow it?
Set an artmaking schedule and follow it!!! Why yes I do follow it, and have noticed when my most productive artmaking time of the day is, usually in the afternoon from 3 to 6pm.
As we all know job of a painter is very tough. So how do you keep your mental and physical health fit?
Philip Moseberger said to his class, If your an artist you will likely have a day job. For me, like many artists I still have a day job and my day job just happens to be physical. If I’m not painting I’m aesthetically pruning and nurturing plants working as a fine maintenance gardener. For recreation, I like to paddleboard on the San Francisco bay.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in their career and hoping to make it big as a Paint Artist?
My advice to someone just starting out is, daily determination and keeping a painting schedule.
To whom would you like to give credits of your journey till now?
There are a few people I would like to give credit to. The 1st is Philip Moreberger, a painting professor who introduced me to how to use color properly.(check out his Ted talk) The 2nd is my BFF Paquerette, as fellow artist and the very best critic I have when it comes to honest critique of a painting. The 3rd is my husband Frank who says to me, ‘just keep painting and the rest will fall into place’.
Anything you wish to share or quote in your interview?
Schedule, determination, and concept are key factors in being a self employed artist.
