Judith Reilly is an award-winning Fabric Artist whose work has been exhibited in numerous national and international exhibitions as well as in museums, galleries and government buildings. She has traveled extensively teaching and speaking – most notably sharing her inspiration on the topic “Twelve Life Lessons for Creativity”. Using fabric, paint and thread to express her world, her unique interpretations have been shared with others through books, magazines, newspapers and television.
Judith grew up on a dairy farm in the small town of Verbank, New York, where her family still “tills the soil”. She credits the world outside her door as her first and most influential art teacher. Learning to sew at her grandmother’s knee she honed her skills through many years in the 4-H Program, and then as an adult through numerous art classes, half a century of observation and exploration, and miles and miles of fabric and thread.
Judith holds a Liberal Arts Degree but refers to herself as a “life-taught” (rather than “self-taught”) artist. She believes reflecting upon and responding to the lessons of life itself present a continuous and inexhaustible source for growth, vision and interpretation. And by valuing our unique self-worth, we are given the courage to follow our intuition.
After their son completed college Judith and her husband George moved from Fairfield County, Connecticut to Brandon, Vermont. They came not to retire but to “re-fire” their lives. They hit the ground running, joining the Brandon Artists Guild and participating in Brandon’s ongoing revival. Judith now operates a Gallery housed in her historic home where she shares and sells her original artwork, print reproductions and a delightful collection of accessories.
Artist Statement:
The vibrant colors and textures of fiber have always sung out to me. After half a century of developing an intimate relationship with needle, fabric and thread I now delight in combining the technical skills and complexity of a master quilt-maker with the soul of an artist. Rich colors and distinct lines intertwined with a light-hearted spirit and a love for storytelling are signatures to my work. My pieces are representational but not literal – expressing both realistic and fantastic interpretations in a catawampus and quirky style. I consider myself a “fanciful artist”, not needing to answer to reality. I visit reality once in a while, but I have no desire to live there. To me, the challenge of life is to recognize and claim our individual creative gifts. The joy of life is to live them.