Judy Leasure - Signature Member

What made you choose pastels as a medium?

I did a lot of different arts and crafts as a child, but in college and the years following, I didn’t do as much. When I was in a position to go back to art, I took watercolor classes and was quite sure I would never want to do anything else. Clearly, things changed. After working in watercolor, acrylic, and oils, I found colored pencil and discovered that I really like dry media. After a half-day workshop in pastels, I discovered that I liked them and wanted to learn more. I spent one January doing a painting a day in pastels and by the end of the month, I was in love and have never looked back. Today, I work almost exclusively in pastels.

How long have you been using pastels?

I think it has been about 15 years.

What are your favorite subjects to paint?

My favorite subjects to paint are still life, animals, and florals. This year, I have done a lot of goldfish paintings using photos of our goldfish tank.

How has your practice changed over time?

I am doing more work from life rather than photos and I am experimenting with new techniques. I am making an effort to look at things in a different way, a different point of view.

What is the best art-related advice you’ve been given?

Don’t be afraid to experiment.

What do you wish you’d have known from the beginning, but took years to learn?

How to find my artistic voice. I think I have learned that your artistic voice evolves and changes over time. Certainly, my paintings today are very different than they were even 5 years ago.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration all around me: my dogs, the goldfish, objects in the kitchen, the farmers market. Living in Williamsburg, Virginia, a brief trip into the Historic Area can provide lots of inspiration. I feel very fortunate to live in an area that provides a lot of opportunity for artists.

When is your favorite time of day to create?

My favorite time to paint is either in the morning from 10-12 or in the afternoon. Even though I work under good full-spectrum lights in my studio, I don’t enjoy painting at night.

How do you develop your art skills?

Over the years I have taken workshops with artists whose work I admire in order to learn techniques and build skills. I have become very selective about what workshops I take now. On a continuing basis, I am working with Laura Pollak in her mentoring program and with Adrian Giuliani through her PSA class. While both of these ladies’ style is very different from mine, they both challenge me to grow and develop. More than anything, though, you develop your skills by putting in time at the easel.

How do you define success as an artist?

For me, I think success means having your work recognized. That can be having it accepted in significant juried shows, having someone purchase your work or requesting a commission, being sought out as a teacher, achieving personal goals and objectives.