Wildlife brings a beautiful dimension of colors and textures through fur, fins and feathers that are fascinating to Judith Ann Holcomb. As a child one of the advantages of coming from a family who loved wildlife was the opportunity to study the many aspects of nature up close.
"Seeing what wildlife my father and grandfather brought home from hunting fascinated me. I would get to feel the creatures’ fur or feathers and examine them closely. Second oldest of nine children, my dad taught me how to fish and hunt. My mother is a wonderful wildlife cook and when we were younger, my sisters and I were taught to help pluck ducks, geese and pheasants (although I’m sure my dad wouldn’t have appreciated us trying to put our doll clothes on the birds, had he known!)".
Art was always a part of Judith’s upbringing and seeing that many artists at the time displayed evidence of professional degrees, the desire for an art degree grew but was put on hold while raising a family of three children. Judith obtained a Bachelor of Fine Art from Siena Heights University in 1992, graduating magna cum laude.
"I work mainly with acrylics and vary the use of them, from thin washes that give my work the look of watercolors to thicker layers that are dry brushed onto paper or canvas. I don't worry about backgrounds and may or may not put much detail into them because they are not the focus."
The intent is to confront the viewer. "So much of wildlife goes unnoticed by people going about their daily routines that the connection with wild creatures for the most part has been lost for a long time. I reconnect the viewer by forcing him or her to pay attention. Nature cannot be overlooked or ignored. The eyes of the animals are often meant to follow the viewer and unnerve him. Roles are reversed and it is the human enticed out of his or her natural cover instead of the animal. Unsure of the human intent, the look from the animal in the painting can be total ambivalence of the viewer, mild interest, or intense confrontation. It is now the human who is the object of scrutiny."
Over the years Judith continues to donate many original pieces to wildlife organizations like Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited chapters for annual fundraising. Other works are in commercial and private hands across the United States, in Canada, and Germany.
"I give wildlife a voice that asks: Why are you here and what do you want?"
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