Friday, January 04, 2019

in the middle of my story


I am an artist.

I live on a large island in Lake Huron.
I have lived here for 26 years with my husband.
Before that, I lived in North Western Ontario for 40 years.
My cities were Winnipeg and Thunder Bay, half day car drives away. 

I dream all the time.

I have made art my whole life.  
While raising my family of four kids, I taught classical piano and continued my art.

I constantly study art.

I obtained two fine art honours BA degrees through distance education. 

 In December 2018 I received the Craft Ontario award for mid-career excellence.
The name of the award (mid-career ) is inspiring.

Does that mean that although I am in my mid-60’s and have pursued art my whole life that I am merely in the middle of my artistic career?   Yay.


Mid-Career - those words make me want to go closer to the edge. 

Those words make me want to go deeper into myself.
I want to go somewhere on my art path that I have not been before, and that I do not know.

I want to be brave in this journey.   I want to take more risks.

21 comments:

Mo Crow said...

(((Judy))) you are such a bright star!

kathy loomis said...

Congratulations!!

All these pieces are beautiful -- I would like to know more and more about them.

Can't wait to see what you do next.

Dana said...

Oh Judy, this is such an inspiring post! I, too, am in my mid-sixties, wondering where I am along my path. Mid-way is a heartening realization. I also want to be brave. Your examples illuminate the road.

Maria Shell said...

Love the words and the images. Thank you Judy for such an inspiring posts. I look forward to seeing what the second half of your art life looks like. Happy New Year and congratulations!

Tina said...

Congratulations Judy! You are always inspiring me to go deeper into my art, even when I don't want to, you inspire me to keep looking. I love Mid-Career-you are amazing, I can't wait to see what comes next

Bethany Garner said...

Now is the time to be BOLD. Have no fear - seek the messages from the depths of your creativity in ways you dream as the most powerful ways to share your thoughts - always speaking the dynamic language in stitch and design you are recognized for across the world of fine art. Watching, listening, waiting for the clues. Congrats!

Judy Martin said...

I have been a loyal member of Craft Ontario since the beginning of my career and truly appreciate all that the Council does to support makers in the province and also across Canada. Thank you to the Craft Ontario Volunteer Committee for the creation and funding of this award, and to the jurors who chose me to receive it. This is an honour that I hold and treasure in my heart.

Mayr said...

Bravo!!! Well done “mid career artist”! Continue to create and share with all of us.
So happy for you!

ingrid said...

Congratulations! Mid-career means there is a lot more to follow. I have followed your blog for a little over a year now and I am continuously inspired by your art. Perhaps you may consider going ex-Canada and looking to another culture. The 3rd, 4th and 5th cloth shown above already lean towards it (in my humble opinion). Either way, your work and your words are an inspiration. All the best for 2019 to you and your family.

Janice Mason Steeves said...

Congratulations Judy! Well done. Well-deserved for your creativity and elegance and constant hard work! Inspirational!

Kaija Savolainen said...

Congratulations! You are my idol. - Greetings from Finland.

Unknown said...

Mid Career: Freeeeing

jude said...

congratulations!

Kat said...

Dear Judy, this post makes me do happy. I'm in my 60s too.

Vivien Zepf said...

Congratulations! How wonderful.

Nancy said...

(((Judy))) Congrats! And if you go deeper...PLEASE take us with you!

Velma Bolyard said...

huge congratulations, judy!

Mary-Ann said...

I love your words as well as your art.

Mariss Stevens said...

Thank you for the inspiration

Sujata Shah said...

Dream away my friend! You interpret them so beautifully! Mid career IS exciting. Thank you for all the inspiration. Hugs

Tina said...

Amazing and as always you inspire all of us to go deeper into our art and ourselves. Thank you