Judy now paints exclusively in pastels because she says they give her more flexibility and control in expressing what she wants to say.  She is a realistic painter who delights in the challenge of portraying the effects of light in her paintings.  Judy says that without light we see little color and it is the interplay of dark and light that draws the eye to the subject.

One of Judy’s goals as an artist is to perfect the art of sculpting rocks.  They play an important role in her South Yuba River landscapes and are portrayed in all their nuances.  Like rocks,  water has an important texture and is different in every painting where it is depicted as rippled, wavy, or reflective.   Judy grew up near the Great Lakes where water was always part of her life.  Her family had a canoe in their backyard which was easily pushed into the quiet waters of a small river where Judy became mesmerized by the beauty of her surroundings.  Today her paintings show this sensitivity and inspiration.