Judith Lowry (artist) facts for kids

Judith Lowry is a talented Native American artist born in 1948 in Washington, D.C.. She lives and works in Northern California. Judith is part of the Maidu and Achomawi tribes and is officially a member of the Pit River Tribe. She is well-known for her paintings, mostly using acrylics on canvas.

About Judith Lowry

Early Life and Family

Judith Lowry's father, Leonard Lowry, was a member of the Pit River Tribe. He was from the Maidu and Achomawi tribes. Judith has shared that her family also has connections to the Paiute, Washo, and Modoc tribes.

Her mother, June Shirley Harrison, was from Australia. Judith's parents met during World War II when her father was serving in her mother's hometown of Sydney, Australia. Her father was a very brave soldier and one of the most honored Native Americans in the war.

Education and Career Path

When she was younger, Judith did not go straight to college. Instead, she got married, started a family, and worked as a hairdresser. She also enjoyed taking photos at weddings and other community events. She made her home in Susanville, California, which was her father's hometown.

Later, when she was in her thirties, Judith decided to go back to school. She studied at Humboldt State University to pursue her passion for art.

Judith Lowry's Art

How Her Art Started

Judith Lowry showed her artistic talent from a very young age. She won her first art competition when she was just six years old! Her winning drawing showed a unique world filled with strange and colorful creatures, much like the famous artist Hieronymus Bosch's paintings.

Art Education and Influences

Judith earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Humboldt State University. She then went on to get a Master of Fine Arts in painting and drawing from Chico State University.

Her artwork is inspired by many different artists and traditions. She looks up to Native American artists like Frank Day and Harry Fonseca. She also finds inspiration in early European painters such as Fra Angelico, Giotto, and Sandro Botticelli.

Themes in Her Work

Judith Lowry's paintings often explore important ideas and topics. She looks at things like consumerism (how we buy and use things), fashion, and relationships. She also explores the idea of death and how Native American people are shown in today's world.

Her art combines the style of early Renaissance painting with the traditional storytelling of Native California cultures. She often creates large, powerful images using oil and acrylic paints. Her paintings often tell a story or represent a deeper meaning.

Judith Lowry has her art studio in Nevada City, California.

Where to See Her Art

Exhibitions and Shows

Judith Lowry's amazing paintings have been shown in many important art museums. Some of these include the Crocker Art Museum, the Wheelwright Museum, the Carl M. Gorman Museum, the Heard Museum, and the George Gustav Heye Center. In 2012, her work was also displayed at the Pence Gallery.

Her art was also featured in a major exhibition called Stretching the Canvas: Eight Decades of Native Painting. This show ran from 2019 to 2021 at the National Museum of the American Indian George Gustav Heye Center in New York City.

Permanent Collections

You can find Judith Lowry's paintings in the permanent collections of two major museums. These are the National Museum of the American Indian and the Peabody Essex Museum. This means her artwork is kept there for people to see and study for a long time.