Biography Artist Judy I. Roberts
Judy I. Roberts grew up in the Philadelphia
suburb of Willingboro, NJ. Since childhood she has had a passion
for animals (particularly horses) and God. Growing up in a suburb
in the sixties horses were not easily accessible and so Judy spent
much of her time reading about horses, drawing horses and dreaming
about owning one. This sparked an interest in the illustrations
in the books she was reading and the realization that one could
draw horses for a living.
Setting off for college Judy started out with
a major in equestrian studies at a small two-year college in Virginia.
After getting married She realized that she should finish getting
her bachelor degree and enrolled in the School of the Arts at
Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. After
graduating Judy participated in workshops with the American Academy
of Equine Artists in which she was able to study under one of
her favorite illustrators, Sam Savitt.
Since graduating Judy has worked as a freelance
artist. She has illustrated books and magazines. She has also
painted quite a few portraits of animals and their people. Judy
has had artwork in galleries in Virginia, Kentucky, Saratoga,
NY and at large horse shows such as the Devon Horse Show in Devon,
PA, the Washington International Horse Show in Washington, DC
and The Rolex Three Day Event in Lexington, KY.
Judy is fairly interested in almost any artistic
project but at present she is mostly doing portraits, murals,
stenciling and worship art. (In worship art Judy goes to a church
with an empty canvas and paints the feeling of the service during
the service.)
Presently Judy Roberts and her husband Richard
Hill live in Schoharie, NY where Richard works as a minister at
the Schoharie Presbyterian Church.
Artist’s Statement
Throughout my life animals, especially horses
have intrigued me. Their structure, their movement, the way light
plays on their coats are brought together to create their beauty;
this has always been of artistic interest to me. I am led to study
the drawing and painting of animals in an effort to capture the
spirit, emotion and form of the animal in a given moment of time.
I explore these moments with different techniques. In color pencil
the blending of color on color giving depth and definition to
the subject. When painting I use the flow of the paint from the
brush to give life to the movement within the piece and with pen
and ink I seek the structure and play of light and dark.
Sometimes the exploration is through the exact rendering of the
subject, sometimes through a play of abstract form on form. Most
recently I have explored the spirit and beauty of the animals
by trying to create the flow of the air around the body as the
animal moves, showing this movement with the stroke of the brush.
Henry James said, “It is art that makes life, makes interest,
makes importance and I know of no substitute for the force and
beauty of its process.” The process of the art is seen within
the completed piece itself and it is there that you will find
this artist’s heart.
