Born in 1952, Jude’s artistic journey began at an early age in Northern Illinois.  Both of her parents were very creative; her father having a Masters Degree in Fine Art, and her mother an accomplished Folk Art painter.  They always encouraged their children not to be afraid to try new ideas, or experiment with the art materials of all kinds that were readily available in their home.    

In the late 60’s Jude was introduced to metalsmithing and jewelry design, which was her primary pursuit for the next dozen years. The designing, casting, and fabricating of gold and silver resulted in works of art where form and function worked in harmony.  After moving to Alaska in 1979, gold nuggets found while mining in the  wilderness area near the rural community of Chicken, Alaska were a unique addition to her creations.

During the long Alaskan winter of 1981, Jude began working in a stained glass studio in Fairbanks and was immediately intrigued by this new medium.  The challenge to create unique designs workable in glass was irresistible, and the results breathtaking.  Within a few years Jude had her own glass art studio, and was teaching stained glass for the University of Alaska.  Her works evolved with the incorporation of sandblasting, fusing, slumping, casting, and glass painting techniques.

Over the years Jude’s wandering soul and pursuit of artistic expression has kept her on the move from Alaska to New Mexico and many locations in between.  Her move back to Illinois in 2006 resumed her formal art education, which resulted in a renewed passion for painting that has produced an abundant outpouring of work.  In 2022 Jude moved back to the Village of Chama in Northern New Mexico and is continuing her artistic journey.  Jude is always searching for new and exciting ways to express herself, and only time will tell where it leads her next.....

Artist Statement

“There is an unspoken, universal language with which all humans communicate.  We react emotionally to certain images with fear, joy, humor, even revulsion. That image does not necessarily need to be a recognizable object in order to speak this language.  Even concepts conveyed abstractly can send a strong message and evoke powerful reactions. 

 That is what I am trying to do with my artwork; present my individual perceptions of the world around me along with my emotional reactions to that world. The ultimate desire then, is that it will then strike a cord in someone else and we experience that unspoken connection and communication.

 Although a large part of who I am is rooted in my connection with, and love of nature, my work reflects the environment in which I am immersed at the time of it’s creation, while still being influenced by the beliefs, memories, and experiences of my life thus far.”