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ABOUT THE ARTIST
Judy Richie is a native
of Austin, Texas and has been active in art since an early age. While
still in high school she was chosen to attend a summer art camp at the
University of Texas with the intent to major in art. A minor detour
of marriage, six children and moving to Colorado and later to Alaska to
marry her present husband, Bob, interrupted that goal.
Judy lived near the
small town of Lake City, Colorado where she painted and ran her own gallery
and later owned and ran a bed and breakfast inn for eight years.
She painted murals on some of the walls that two subsequent owners have
chosen to leave intact. While in Colorado Judy attended several oil
painting workshops. She also developed an abiding interest in the
art and crafts of the Native American, especially those of the Southwest.
While living in the small town of Valdez, Alaska, Judy became interested
in gourd art and with the help of the Internet in obtaining supplies, books
and articles from varied sources, taught herself the basics of working with
gourds. She learned some of her basketry coiling techniques from Aleut
and Eskimo women in Alaska.
Judy and her husband
retired to Kerrville, Texas in the summer of 2002, where she has a studio
and pursues her art a minimum of 30 hours a week. Since moving Kerrville
she has expanded her repertoire of presentations and basketry. Judy's
coiled basketry is unique in it's presentation and includes pine needles,
raffia, various grasses, plant fibers, philodendron sheaths and feathers.
Most of her baskets are sewn with either waxed linen or artificial sinew,
but you'll find a few sewn with grasses.
Since moving to Kerrville Judy
has attended workshops on various gourd working techniques in North
Carolina, California and Arizona. She has won numerous awards for
her work including "Best of Show" at the 2004 Texas Gourd Society in Austin,
Texas and Judge's Choice Award" and "People's Choice Award" at the Arizona
Gourd Society's 2005 Competition that was held at the Wuertz Gourd Festival
in Casa Grande, Arizona. She also has had work selected in Juried
shows. Pleased owners in Alaska, Colorado, Texas, Nevada, New Mexico,
Missouri, Florida, Illinois and New York City admire her work.
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