Judith Lodge facts for kids

Judith Lodge (born in 1941) is an American and Canadian artist. She is known for her paintings and photographs. Judith often explores how these two art forms work together.

Her art is mostly abstract. This means it doesn't show real-life things exactly as they are. Instead, her art shows feelings, memories, and ideas. She gets ideas from dreams, her personal journals, and nature. Judith Lodge has lived and worked in many places. These include Vancouver, Toronto, Minnesota, and New York.

Early Life and Education

Judith Lodge was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She was one of four daughters. Her father was a chemist who loved making pottery. He even built a small studio in their home.

From a young age, Judith loved to draw. She would tell her classmates, "You make a mark, I’ll make a drawing from it." She studied at Macalester College and earned a science degree in 1963. Later, she got her Master of Fine Arts degree in 1965. She was the only woman in her class at Cranbrook Academy of Fine Art. After graduating, she visited New York City. There, she saw art shows by famous artists like Alberto Giacometti. These shows greatly influenced her art style.

Artistic Journey

In 1972, Judith Lodge moved to Vancouver, Canada. She lived there for ten years. During this time, her art became less focused on real-life figures. She started making more abstract pieces. Her first solo show with only abstract art was in 1977.

Nature has always been a big inspiration for her. She spent time on an island near Vancouver. This experience helped her explore ideas about landscapes and water in her art. Even after moving back to the United States in 1980, she still tries to capture the feeling of nature from British Columbia.

Judith also finds inspiration in dreams and her unconscious mind. She began painting mandalas (circle designs) before she found out she had cancer. After her treatment, she felt a connection to trees that had been hit by fire but were still alive. She photographed these damaged trees for her series called Trees Hit by Lightening and Other Fires.

Art Style

Judith Lodge creates large abstract artworks. Some can be as big as 10 by 16 feet! Her style is similar to abstract expressionism from the 1950s. She uses a painterly style. This means she applies thick layers of acrylic paint. The paint builds up to create a textured surface. It can look like veins or muscles on skin.

She often uses metallic gold in her paintings. This color can be seen in her "Life Jackets" and "Walls of Eden" exhibitions. Gold often represents things that are pure or sacred. Her art often uses a strong grid pattern. This can be seen in her huge "Walls of Eden" works.

Themes in Her Art

Judith Lodge's paintings show how our conscious and unconscious minds can connect. Besides nature and memories, she explores other ideas. These include how things change and overlap. She also looks at what is eternal or hard to grasp. Her art documents life's energies and what we see, feel, and remember. She believes that beauty is not fixed. She also shows how beauty can sometimes have a hint of fear or decay.

Teaching and Professional Work

Judith Lodge has shared her knowledge with many students. She has taught painting and drawing at several colleges and art schools. These include Skidmore College, Banff School of Fine Arts, and the University of British Columbia. She also served as an Associate Chair at Parsons School of Design in New York for many years.

Exhibitions

Judith Lodge has shown her art in many galleries. Some of her early exhibitions include:

• 1971 - Hathorn Gallery, Skidmore College, New York
• 1973-1975 - Bau-Xi Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
• 1977 - Surrey Art Gallery, British Columbia
• 1977 - "Walls of Eden" - Pender Street Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
• 1977 - "From This Point of View" (Group Show), Vancouver Art Gallery, British Columbia
• 1978 - "Targets" - Victoria Art Gallery, British Columbia
• 1986 - "Life Jackets" - University of British Columbia Fine Arts Gallery, British Columbia

Awards and Collections

Judith Lodge has received a grant from the Canada Council. Her artworks are part of many important collections. These include:

• Canada Council Art Bank
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
• National Gallery of Canada
• Vancouver City Collection
• Citibank Collection
• Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery