JUDI RUSSELL - Member of Santa Fe ArtWorld

My goal as an artist is to entertain the viewer’s eyes with movement, color and patterns while sharing my personal view of life. Many of my paintings are inspired from personal journal drawings, which begin “with my eyes closed”. With closed eyes, I let the pencil move over the journal page, usually after completing my written entries. I then open my eyes and look for the image and insight. My life goal is to encourage others to excavate and uncover their creativity. I’ve shared my process of journal art over the Internet, at art workshops, Artist Way Workshops and with children’s classes.

BACKGROUND

I founded The Russell Agency, an advertising agency servicing Fortune 500 clients, in 1979. It wasn’t an accident that I gravitated to the advertising industry, with its emphasis on visual communication and its population of creative people! Even though I spent my time on sales and management, the allure for me was always the art.

In order to focus full-time on recreating myself as an artist, I gradually withdrew from my business and sold it several years ago. Since picking up the paintbrush again in 1998, I have experimented, worked with outstanding instructors with national reputations, developed a style of my own . . . and, I'm enjoying every minute of my new life!

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1. Award winner in the Hanes Companies Corporate Competition/2008 with “AWAKENING”, a 5’ x 5’ painting.
2. A featured artist in the Palette Magazine, distributed nationally with "PEAR PERFECTION" and "UNDER THE RED BRIDGE"
3. "WINE FESTIVAL" featured in the NC Wine Magazine.
4. “MOVING UP THE VIBRATIONAL SCALE” was featured in the October 2007 issue of Art Business News, a national publication, in the category of “New Editions”.
5. “CAFE SHOPPING IN MARBELLA SPAIN” was featured in the December 2007 issue of Art Business News, a national publication, in the category of “New Editions”.
6. “AWAKENING” was featured in the March 2008 issue of Art Business News, a national publication, in the category of “New Editions”.
7. "DAY DREAMS" and "THE JOURNEY" were used as cover art for the Art of Well Being Magazine.
8. "PEAR PERFECTION" was featured in The Centralizer (Central Insurance), a national publication.
9. "JOURNAL OF THE HEART" was the visual selected by the regional American Heart Association for the Gala (Invitations, Banner and Greeting Cards given as a Gift)
10. One of 13 featured artists on watercolorpainting.com. (Several are nationally known Instructors.)
11. Featured art lesson on the front page of watercolorpainting.com "CREATING JOURNAL ART".
12. Featured artist with Mary Mayo framed prints. (Marketed to the furniture market thru the High Point Furniture Market and the Dallas Market.)
13. Featured artist for Sundance Hotel and Spa. (Art is featured in 17 rooms)
14. Guest Instructor at Artist Way Workshops (Journal Art Process).
15. Solo Show ~ DADA Center/March 2008.
16. Juried into Santa Fe Art World http://www.santafeartworld.com/artist_gallery_directory_3.html
17. Commissions for individuals and corporations.