| Interview With Artist Judith Threadgill by Mark Sean Orr |
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| Judith Threadgill |
| Cicero said, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” I believe you also need art and music. |
Hi Judith. Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed for my website. I am an admirer of your work and I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas about your art and the art world today. First, can you tell us a little about when and where you were born? I was born in Mexico Missouri on February 2, 1944. I was raised in Springfield Missouri, home of the Ozark Jubilee. My mother was a former beauty queen turned fundamental Baptist and my father was a charming alcoholic who was unable to hold a job. Dad was a very gregarious guy who could sell anything to anybody. During his brief periods of employment, he sold everything from tractors to pianos. I had two brothers, one older, one younger. All of our names began with the letter “J” including our fox terrier “Jigs”. Our family photographs portray us as a “Leave It to Beaver” family which was certainly not the case. What were your childhood and formative years like, and when did you begin to be interested in art? I graduated from Central High School in 1962. I left Missouri for California in 1969. I graduated from City College in San Francisco in 1979 with honors. I received an AS in Criminology. My piano and guitar lessons were given by private individuals.
was filled with colorful rugs, fascinating furniture, antique light fixtures and oil paintings. The basement was full of treasures such as theater costumes with rhinestone and mosaic buttons. There were paper mache busts of Beethoven and Wagner painted with gold leaf and props from his music store. I still have the Beethoven bust, but my brother destroyed Wagner with his BB gun. My aunt used to drag me to junk stores where I found the first of my collection of art deco incense burners. My first art print was a Dufy. I was inspired by Al Capp’s Shmoo image and Rose O’Neil’s Kewpie comic illustrations I liked classical music, show tunes, and some religious music. I later discovered jazz and rock and roll. In spite of where I grew up, I have never been a big fan of country music. In high school, I played a cowboy in the chorus of the musical “Calamity Jane”. I was a shoo-in for the role of Mrs. Keeney in Eugene O’Neills one act play “Ile” due to my ability to go “lose my mind” as I sang and played “Amazing Grace” on the piano. During my break down the audience began to laugh. Afterward I learned that it was because the card board porthole taped to the stage curtain fell off. My teen years were very painful. I wasn’t allowed to go to movies, dances, actually any type of social life was verbatim due to my mother’s religious beliefs. I was selected to run as an attendant to the homecoming queen in my freshman year in high school Thankfully, I was not chosen because I would not have been allowed to attend such a sinful function. Consequently I never learned to dance. Having friends over was not an option due to my father’s unpredictable behavior, so I was a pretty lonely child. I always loved art, music, poetry, etc. I took art, choir and drama in high school. I played piano and guitar. I began to hang with a bohemian type crowd which consisted of actors, artists, writers, radio announcers and I finally did manage to sneak out to a movie theater and see “West Side Story” when I was 17 years old. At 18, I met my first husband (Bob) at a club called Bebop Brown’s. He was a drummer. We were married and I had my daughter by age 19. We honeymooned at the Arthur Murray Motel in Noel Missouri. |
What was your life like at that time? Married life proved to be a drag. We lived in the Le Petite Apartments. When my former classmates came to visit us they classified us as Beatniks. My husband worked into the wee hours of the morning and slept all day. When he went out on the road to perform, our marriage began to unravel. There were always “chicks” (groupies) that hung out at the gigs. We moved to Joplin Missouri and lived first in a trailer and later in a motel. It was during this period that I attempted my form of collage. I only worked in black and white. I created one major piece which consisted of cutting photos of faces on a diagonal line and then piecing them back together with different faces. It took me months to accomplish and although it was an interesting piece, I didn’t feel that the it met any type of artistic standard. I became discouraged and stopped. Did you have any mentors or people who heavily influenced you? Some of my fondest memories are of a time I spent with a friend who ultimately became a famous “Master Potter”. While he was in graduate school, I hung out at his house with him and his group of artist friends... When anyone asked what I did, I could only respond, “I’m a house wife and mother”.
Gary Egan a “Master Potter’ was a friend and mentor. He created some extraordinary pottery. I spent many happy hours with him, his partner, Milton who wrote Japanese Haiku, and a group of artist friends during the 60’s. Gary died two years ago, but some of his work is on exhibit at the Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville Ark. http://www.zarksgallery. com/gallery/springstreet/gary-egan/ . My mother-in-law, Jackie Rosenberg is my idol when it comes to artists. She will soon be 88 years old and is still actively creating these amazing wood and metal sculptures. She happens to be the greatest champion of my art. Her last show was in May, and since then she has finally decided to retire. http://www.lodiartcenter.org/Special_Exhibitions.html
For a short period during the 60’s, I attempted to do collage art only, using black and white images. I created several pieces. How would you describe the process of making your art? I call my art collage, but basically all I do is cut out images and place them on backgrounds. I scan the original into my Picasa program and then print it on my computer. I don't photo shop the image. It is what it is, so I suppose you would call the end result a photographic print. I have a marvelous ink jet printer and I use premium plus photo paper. The print is so much better than the original. I don't know if I could explain my pieces, at least some of them. |
Do you also collect art? I began to collect any form of art that I could afford. I fell in love with a painting hanging on the wall in a thrift store. The store owner supported local artists by displaying their work. The painting was by a Russian artist and it was completely out of my price range. Years later I would not only become friends with the artist, but I would come to own that particular painting. So you were constantly active in the art world... Yes, I arranged shows for several artist friends and brought them together with people who would purchase their art. For my efforts, I received some free art or was given discounts on whatever art I purchased.
I was forced into retirement after 27 years of working a high stress job in the Criminology field. Suddenly I had all this time on my hands and was bored out of my mind. Since my husband slept during the day, I had to find something quiet to occupy my time. I decided to try my hand at collage again, but I struggled with the “traditional” notion of collage. Finally I came up with my own concept, the key being, simplicity. I was able to use only one or two cut out images, yet I managed to convey a mood of mystery, wonder or humor.
The response to my work was overwhelming. People described it as, mesmerizing, quirky, off beat, visually stunning, off kilter, cunning juxtaposition, etc.
of fresh air. Most of the art I view on a daily basis is photography, painting or sculpture. I love the infinite choices you have with collage. It allows you to be so uniquely expressive. I've noticed that you do not give titles to your work. Is there a reason for this? There is some opposition to my decision not to give my images names. I find myself unwilling to restrain my own vision or that of the viewer by naming my images. People constantly amaze me by what they draw from my creations through their own imaginations. I think that if I give a name to a piece, people will feel that they must understand or respond to the title. |
When and where did you first show your art to the public? I met another Russian artist,Vera Tour, who became my friend and mentor. She gave me my first opportunity to show my art at the Dragon Lounge Restaurant in Alameda, California. It was a wonderful experience with one exception, my images smelled like fried calamari after hanging in a restaurant for a month.
art? Studio....quiet area.....listen to music or other ideal conditions? I create my work in a small room with two windows. My view is of the tree tops. The room has an eclectic mixture of furniture and the walls are covered with art and photographs. You cannot imagine how many treasures are in this room. It is very quiet. I find the conditions ideal because I am surrounded by art, and I have nature right outside my window.
My images are all 8.5 by 11, even when custom framed. I collect art of all sizes. I think my largest canvas is 3.5 ft by 2.5 ft and my smallest is 4’ by 4’.
In many instances creating a piece “just happens” It’s like a puzzle that I put together and it either works or it doesn’t. Sometimes a piece evolves. Today I had a brainstorm about three pieces I want to put together.I spend many hours finding and cutting pieces for my images. I have drawers filled with various things such as faces, body parts, objects, animals, and another drawer that contains backgrounds. I might start the piece with an image that needs the right background, or it could be the reverse. I usually work on more than one piece at a time.
I do not have a favorite piece of my art. To quote my granddaughter, “I like them all”. I was very pleased with my last show. I was able to exhibit twenty two pieces that I custom framed in bright colored metallic frames I thought the display was stunning. It was nice to have free reign Usually the gallery person decides what pieces will be used in a show.
Andrei Banjanov is a favorite artist of mine. I have five pieces of his. I also like, Jay Defoe, Saul Steinberg, Michael Sowa, Andy Goldsworthy, Daniel Merriam, George Rodigue, and Michael Parks just to name a few.
inspires you. What do you think of all the new digital technology as it relates to creating art? Blessing, curse ... both or neither? I like digital art. I find a lot of it really exciting and interesting, I am old fashioned. I really enjoy cutting out pieces of paper and fitting them into the background. You have to work with what materials are available, and you can’t alter it with a click of your mouse (can I say that?). I recently met a young woman who creates beautiful digital images. She was amazed by the process that I use. We have a mutual respect for one another’s art. |
Judith Threadgill is a collage artist living in Oakland,California. I first found her unique and wonderful work on Facebook. Her work is surreal, whimsical...sometmes evocative and sometimes dark. It is always fascinating and I love seeing what she will come up with next. Judith's work combines the old with the new. When she uses terms like "cut and paste", she is referring to the actual use of scissors. I like that she is keeping this genre of art alive and wonderfully well. Judith also uses new technology in the printing of her work, but she makes the most use of her wonderful imagination. Her work inspires the viewer to think and interpret, something I find to be rare in the art world today.....or at least rarely done well. Threadgill doesn't aspire to create pieces for anyone in particular. She dislikes the confining constraints of themed exhibits and "open calls for art". She prefers to create whatever comes to mind without restriction, and the results, as you will see are amazing. Mark S.Orr July 12, 2013 |
I know that you view a lot of art...daily! What do you think of the influx of art now? Art on the internet, east and west coasts, midwest.....galleries? As you know, I have developed many resources for selecting all kinds of art to post. I don’t think I could break it down by region. I live in Oakland, and I find it pretty exciting that since the recession, Oakland has become a veritable arts boomtown. Oakland was named one of the nation’s top twelve “Art Places” by arts funding organization ArtPlace. Oakland has also just opened its first outdoor sculpture garden. There’s the monthly art walk around downtown Oakland called the Oakland Art Murmur where dozens of art galleries stay open late for an “art crawl” It’s been a great opportunity for me because it has extended to other venues where I am able to show my art without to having to join a gallery or pay large commission fees.
I remarried in the 1980's to another "Bob". We met and married in the Oakland Rose Garden. He is the "brains of the operation" behind my art. Just ask him and he will confirm it. For the last year I have shown my work in several galleries. I joined the El Cerrito Art Association and entered two of my pieces in a juried art show. I was delighted when one of my pieces won 1st place in its category. In some respects I find it difficult to think of myself as an artist, but I am having the time of my life. I love talking to people about my art and I am still amazed when they want to own a piece.
people view your work and how can they contact you? I do not have a web site, but I can be contacted by email at judythreadgill@att.net Thanks Judith! |
| The art of Judith Threadgill |
Music is A Little Piece of My Heart by Simon Husberg
