Judy Lavoie

Through the wonders of technology, here’s a quick time-lapse of the creation of my new scratchboard “Locked In Time.” ‘Hard to believe that it took weeks, not seconds, to create this artwork! Learning to add a mini-video to my blog is one of my many quarantine-time activities. Perhaps I’ll get more adventurous (and better) in the future and maybe even add audio. Click on the photo to launch the slide show. On this 10″ x 8″ panel I aimed to … Read More

My scratchboard art has just been selected for an exhibit of the preeminent organization for scratchboard artists worldwide!! The International Society of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA) is holding their 9th Annual Exhibition in Tucson AZ later this year, and I have been accepted!  I achieved status as an active member of ISSA just last March, so this was my first opportunity to enter their annual exhibition.  My newest scratchboards “Locked In Time” and “Ruby-Throated Hummer” (which I’ll blog about individually at … Read More

I’m proud to share a new achievement in my work as a watercolor artist. My painting “Cow’s In The Corn” is being showcased in the highly regarded art publication The Best of Watercolor – SPLASH 21,  presented by Artists Magazine. Open to artists around the world, the annual watercolor competition for this premium coffee-table magazine began in 1997. “Over the years, we’ve been excited to feature artwork from artists all over the world, in every style and subject imaginable, from … Read More

I had a 4″ x 9″ black Scratchbord panel just waiting for the right inspiration, and my photo of a gorgeous young Persian kitty named Roger got me started. I liked his colorful eyes, tuffs of fur, and pink nose. His upward gaze had me pondering what to add that would appear to be attracting his attention – while simultaneously creating a work of art more interesting than merely a cat portrait. Scratchboards are ideal for creating linear textures and, … Read More

Japanese Honeysuckle is an introduced, somewhat invasive, climbing vine which grows on my land. The frilly white blossoms are highly fragrant and last from April to July, and I don’t mind their intrusion. The red young stems are strong and used in traditional basket weaving. As it grows, the larger woody vine will grow in a spiral around a tree branch. When the vine is removed, the branch is left with a twisted appearance, which some woodcarvers prize for creating … Read More

My bearded irises have flowered beautifully this spring, inspiring me to paint them. The delicate petals are ruffled and nearly transparent, with one group growing upward and the other down. Their feathery ‘beards’ and tightly folded buds provide additional interesting shapes and values. As usual, I took far too many reference photos, being especially drawn to those with backlighting. I wanted to give a different twist to painting an iris, and I was inspired by the paintings of an artist … Read More

If you’d like to see some samples of the world’s most amazing scratchboard art, I’ll take you there! The International Society of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA) has posted its 2020 Online Show, and I am in awe of the creativity and artistic talents of scratchboard artists. As a new member at the “active” level of the ISSA, I was allowed to enter two of my scratchboards into the annual non-juried show. I entered “Purple Cow” and “Heart To Heart.” Even at the … Read More

My newest and largest in a series of paintings with blown bubbles has just been accepted into the 2020 Tennessee Watercolor Society Biennial Exhibition. International watercolor artist and juror Soon Warren selected “What A Wonderful World” as one of 72 paintings for the show. My painting “Eat Chicken” was the Best in Show winner at the Society’s 2018 biennial exhibit. Perhaps now I’ll become known as the bubble lady instead of the cow lady…?!?! This painting features my great-nephew Liam, … Read More

Colorful cows, delicate flowers, cute pets, interesting faces, tranquil rural scenes – my online galleries are filled with pretty pictures. “Distress” is a departure for me, intentionally, and I’ve attempted a change in my style on this watercolor as well. What story does this painting tell you? How do you think the man feels and why? I designed and composed the image to be thought-provoking, moving and ambiguous. My goal was to prompt an emotional response. When I finished this … Read More

I was delighted to be accepted into my first national watercolor exhibition with “Sorghum Maker,” then disappointed when the show was not opened to the public as scheduled. The 41st National Exhibition of the Georgia Watercolor Society (GWS) was slated to take place at Oglethorpe University Museum of Art in Atlanta GA from mid March through April 26, 2020, but the museum is closed indefinitely, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The show was hung but never opened, and the juror … Read More