Born in 1952, Jude’s artistic journey began at an early age in northern Illinois. Both of her parents are very creative, her father having a Masters Degree in Fine Art and her mother an accomplished Folk Art painter. They always encouraged their children not to be afraid to try new ideas, or experiment with the art materials of all kinds that were readily available in their home.

In 1968 she was introduced to metalsmithing and jewelry design, which was her primary pursuit for the next dozen years. The designing, casting, and fabricating of gold and silver, along with the use of a wide variety of stones resulted in works of art where form and function worked in harmony. After moving to Alaska in 1979, gold nuggets found while mining in the wilderness area near the rural community of Chicken, Alaska were a unique addition to her creations.

During the long Alaskan winter of 1981, Jude began working in a stained glass studio and was immediately intrigued by this new medium. The challenge to create unique designs workable in glass was irresistible, and the results breathtaking. Within a few years Jude had her own glass art studio, and was teaching stained glass for the University of Alaska in Fairbanks through the rural extension project in Fort Yukon. Her works evolved with the incorporation sandblasting, fusing, slumping, casting, and glass painting in her unique creations.

Over the years Jude’s wandering soul and pursuit of artistic expression has kept her on the move from Alaska to New Mexico and many locations in between. Her most recent move back to Illinois in 2006 finds her back in school working towards a Fine Arts Degree and excited about a renewed passion for painting. Jude is always searching for new and exciting ways to express herself, and only time will tell where it leads her next.