Judy Greenan Interview February 07 2020, 0 Comments

1) What projects are you working on currently?

I am working on two big commissions right now.  One piece is a large 4’ tall by 7’ wide abstract with hummingbirds in it. This is somewhat of a hybrid of my previous work. I am really trying to keep in mind the colors of the environment the painting will live in. 

The second commission I am working on is a wildlife piece.  I am painting a Jaguar for a company based out of South Korea.  This piece will be part of the marketing for a new product launch later this year. 

2) Do you create every single day? What does your schedule typically look like? 

I make my best effort to get in the studio five days a week. I usually work from 1-6 pm. Of course, life gets in the way from time to time, but I find that having a set schedule is important to my success. It helps me set boundaries in my life and allows me to have enough time to spend with friends and family. 

3) Did you go to art school? 

I went to undergrad for exercise physiology and took my electives in art because I was worried about making money.  I found a lot of success in the corporate world but it wasn’t feeding my heart. So when I was 35 I started at the Art Students League in Denver, where I studied for five years. I graduated from Quang Ho’s master class at the league. I went off on my own when I was 40 and started off on my journey as a professional artist. 

4) Were you born an artist, or did you become one?

Both of my parents were professional painters so I was exposed to the art world from a very early age.  They were both flashy and goofy artists and I did not want to be like that. I wanted to be smart and sophisticated. I received a lot of praise on my art projects but never really wanted it. I pushed it away into my late teens. It took me a while to really find comfort in my skills.  It wasn’t until I realized I could express a high level of empathy through my paintings that I felt truly inspired. I was born an artist, I just fought it for a while.

5) Do you have any hobbies outside of the art world?

I enjoy writing and immersing myself in nature. I work with Meals on Wheels here in Boulder and I really enjoy it. My mom just moved in with me so I spend a lot of time hanging out with her.

6) Is there anything you want to share with aspiring artists?

Practice discipline. Look at discipline as the path to freedom. Surrender to the work. Discipline is what brought me freedom. Instead of looking at the discipline in a negative light, I look at it as self-love. Not that I have to paint. I want to paint. Look at discipline with love and it makes it easier to show up every day. 

You can’t do it for money. You gotta be true to yourself. If you put pressure on yourself instead of letting it flow you will feel that tension in the painting.

“Everything I’ve always wanted is on the other side of fear.” 

You can catch Judy at her exhibition in our Vail gallery on March 20 - April 24.  

We will host an opening for Judy's exhibition on Friday, March 20th from 2 to 8 pm!

You can view Judys entire collection here