Judy Aronson: Watercolors and Occasional Acrylics

I paint memories; memories of the house where I spent my childhood summers, an old church ruin viewed from my hotel in Guatemala or a fountain splashing in a square visited on a painting trip to Provence. Painted local scenes also evoke memories of good times, such as brunch at Callaghan’s on a sunny Sunday afternoon, hot doughnuts at Krispy Kreme. or wandering through Cathedral Square on a summer afternoon. Some pictures are painted on site (en plein air) while others are painted from personal photographs taken on my travels both near and far. My digital camera is always with me and I attempt to capture the light, the color and the spirit of each place.

I also paint commissioned pictures so that clients can capture and record their special memories. These include house portraits, pictures of wedding sites and bouquets, and still life paintings composed from personal treasures such as sports memorabilia, family heirloom china, beloved musical instruments or a favorite book.

Fruit and flowers are other passions. I try to record the color texture and form of each, so that when you see a green apple in one of my paintings you remember the crisp taste and rush of juice on your tongue, or viewing a lushly painted orchid recalls your trip to Hawaii. Solving the problems the paint and subject create requires total concentration that takes my mind on a vacation from everyday concerns.

After studying art and receiving a degree in Art Education from Skidmore College, in Saratoga Springs, New York, I took a break from painting that lasted almost twenty-five years. When I moved to Mobile in 1992 I was inspired by the energy of the local arts organizations and the Mobile area’s beauty to begin taking watercolor classes and workshops. Among the teachers who have influenced me greatly are Bill Morris, Ernie Kirkland, Jo Patton, Don Andrews and Madeline Busby I fell in love with the watercolor medium and now paint several days a week.

My work can always be viewed at the Cathedral Gallery, Hillcrest Gallery and Framing, and Southern Art and Framing in Mobile, Alabama. Active in local arts organizations, I regularly exhibit and have won awards in juried shows. My work has been featured on a recent Museum of Mobile invitation, a Casual Friday T-shirt and is in private collections throughout the United States, Europe and Israel.