Judi
Wild
- watercolorist with a difference -
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about Judi........
BIOGRAPHY
OF Judi Wild
After
spending her first 4 years in rural Alberta Judi moved to Southern
England with her mother & sister. It was here that she entered the English
school system
and studied both drawing and the fine art of watercolors for the next 10 years.
At age 14 Judi returned to Canada and upon
completion of High School
and one year of college, Judi began a career with the Provincial Government
of Alberta. She was first hired as a junior file clerk but quickly advanced her
career by taking numerous night courses. After 12 years of progressive
promotion
she earned the position of a senior drafting technologist. Judi & her husband
were also raising
2 small children at this time, so this left no extra time to pursue her talent
as an artist.
The yearning for a more
creative outlet triggered her acceptance of a
demanding position as a graphic designer with the city of
Edmonton (Ed Tel now run by Telus) She worked here for
another 11 years. By this time Judi was also pursuing her painting
career at night, often working into the early hours of the morning .
Her job as a designer demanded much of her attention with many
deadlines & many hours of overtime. Because a market for her art
began to develop quite rapidly, Judi had to make a decision
– whether to remain in her secure job as a graphic designer or
move to Vancouver Island & pursue a life-long dream of
earning a living solely from her watercolors.
On several occasions she has regretted
choosing the latter. The next
few years proved to be a bumpy journey for Judi, but she is a survivor.
With her positive attitude & determination and a caring husband by her side,
she rose above the years of struggle to a sustainable life as a respected &
renowned artist. Judi now enjoys giving back to the environment & the
community that supported her in the past – in the way of art donations.
Her later works reveal both
her fascination for the legends & beliefs
of the ancient Coastal tribes and her respect & concern for the environment.
Her watercolor style is quite unique. She uses a limited palette &
a labour-intensive dry-brush technique. Judi begins by applying several
layers of transparent color over a completed pencil drawing, followed by
hours & hours of intricate detailed work. Her images have remarkable
depth to them, so much so that it is hard to believe that the artist is
working on a flat surface. Because it takes hundreds of hours to
finish a painting, Judi is able to complete only one major piece per year.
Such determination to
succeed is paying off. Her art is increasingly
in demand and has been acquired by private & corporate collectors
world-wide. It can also be viewed in galleries across British Columbia
& Alberta. It is a great honor to be able to announce the acceptance
of Judi Wild's entire Ninstints collection into the
Canadian National Archives.
