On Board Painting

Judy Steffens is a Central Illinois artist working from her studio at home. Judy is a figurative realist oil painter. Each of Judy’s paintings depicts a visual encounter that she has experienced and which sparked her imagination. Her work demonstrates an intimacy with the subject and thoughtful story-telling. Judy was interested in art at an early age. Horses being her first love, Judy recalls drawing horses at her school desk as a young second grader. She would find inspiration from the illustrations in the books of C.W. Anderson, Wesley Dennis, and others, which lined her bookshelves. She would spend hours studying and copying those drawings. Inspired by the revolutionary fashion trends of the 1960’s, Judy found new inspiration for her drawings in high school. What started as designing outfits in the margins of her notebooks turned into a focus and interest in drawing people, which is a consistent theme throughout Judy’s decades of practice. Judy earned her Bachelors Degree in Fine Art from Bradley University. In 2010 and 2011 Judy and her husband lived in Florida. They were lucky enough to rent a studio condo on the beach. Daily proximity to the beach provided the the inspiration that led to her colorful and serene beach themed works. Judy has been active in her local art communities. She belongs to local art organizations and has served on the exhibition committees with two organizations. She participated as a judge on an important exhibition for high school art students. In recent years Judy has exhibited widely in local and regional exhibitions. Judy’s work has been accepted into juried exhibitions and been exhibited in group shows from Colorado to New York. In 2021 and 2022 Judy participated in her first outdoor Art Fairs, including the Coconut Grove Arts Festival in Miami, Florida and Bayou City Art Festival in Houston, Texas. Judy's work has been shown in several two-person and solo exhibitions. She exhibited an entirely new body of work in her solo exhibit in June and July 2023.