jude harzer fine art

Fresh Starts! Still.

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 01:45:00 +0000

Fresh Starts, Still

I haven’t written a blog post since 2019. That fact alone makes me pause. Have I been asleep all this time? Have the years quietly slipped by while I was busy doing everything else?

Of course not. And of course fresh starts are real—otherwise what would we be doing here, any of us?

Here I am at 62, still harboring ambitions of pursuing my painting practice and a creative path that feels both familiar and unfinished. I’ve been a public school art educator for 25 years. It’s strange how time moves forward, especially when I remember that this career was chosen mostly so I could be available to my children—and with the intention of “just trying it for a year.” Somehow, one year became twenty-five. A life. A rhythm. A devotion.

And yet, the searching never stopped.

2025 was a dramatic year of growth for me. I traveled alone to Amsterdam to immerse myself in history and art—to walk slowly, look closely, and listen to what rises when no one is asking anything of you. Later that summer, I attended a master weaving workshop in Lima, Peru. I went searching—searching for more language, more lineage, more connection to process and purpose. I didn’t go because I lacked something. I went because I wanted to deepen what was already there.

Along the way, I had a small solo exhibition in Asbury Park and participated in other local shows. Quiet milestones, perhaps—but meaningful ones. Evidence that I am still showing up.

Now, I feel ready for more.

I have always said that as I move toward retirement, my commitment and focus will narrow—not shrink, but clarify—around three essential things: my children, my art, and my health. These are not competing priorities. They are the structure that holds everything else.

What I want, more than anything, is to live without the regret of not having tried. Of not knowing what I could actually accomplish with my painting if I gave it my full attention, my patience, my courage.

I am ready to let go of fear—the fear of failure, the fear of having nothing to say, the fear of mediocrity. Fear has been a quiet companion for a long time, and I no longer need it to keep me alert or safe. Curiosity can do that now. Commitment can do that.

This blog is not a declaration of arrival. It’s a return. A willingness to speak again, to reflect in public, to stay awake to the work unfolding in front of me.

So here I am. Still searching. Still beginning.

Join Me as I Explore Street Art from Bristol to Berlin!

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Sun, 21 Jul 2019 15:10:00 +0000

I have been absent from blogging for quite awhile! I'm Jude Harzer...a painter, educator , Mom of 2 adult children and a passionate seeker of the creative and curious!

I'm packing to prepare for my European excursion to document street art and public works from Bristol to Berlin. Thanks so much to Fund for Teachers for supporting this initiative. As an FFT Fellow, I will share my experiences and new discoveries throughout the next three weeks and upon my return, right here. I hope you will follow me as I wander and learn. My intention is to guide my students at Brick Memorial High School, in my new Mural Painting class this autumn, to create their own public works to benefit the entire school community. I hope that my stories, images and experiences will inspire them through their process.

I am beyond excited! I invite you all to come away with me!

Me in my studio July 18, 2019. Time to set my work aside
and wander to discover new artists, paintings and places.
Large scale public works differ from more intimate personal
studio painting in that it attracts a community, commands attention,
and invites immediate interaction and commentary!
photograph by Andrea Nardozza

Thank you Fund for Teachers for awarding me a
fellowship to explore, learn and to enrich both my own
and my student's creative experiences.

And here are a few useful resources for teachers and art appreciators alike.

Let's start in Bristol!

Art and the Public Realm Bristol: http://www.aprb.co.uk/

Finding the Universe: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2-day-bristol-itinerary-planning-guide/

Where the Wall:http://www.wherethewall.com/

Visit Bristol: Banksy Walking Tour: https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/banksy-walking-tour-p1354013

Upfest: https://www.upfest.co.uk/page/upfest-festival

The Expressive Portrait

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 04:23:00 +0000

To Elsewhere and Back: Beginning Again

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 23:36:00 +0000

So I had every intention of maintaining my blog and sharing my past year's excursion, out west and back...to the Elsewhere Art Residency in Paonia, Colorado , the Rensing Center in Pickens, South Carolina and then to teach a mixed media summer session at Savannah College of Art and Design. I posted excerpts of happenings and work as they occurred last year but felt hard pressed to stay in the moment rather than record in words and images a daily journal. There are moments I wish I had as upon returning, after six months gone, it immediately felt like a distant memory....as though it hadn't happened.

But I did go, return and resume life here in New Jersey, which by the way, is quite amazing. It is only now , as I settle in to a new year, nearly 12 months to the date of my departure, that I am able to reflect and fully appreciate all that transpired and how much has actually changed. Best of all is that I met incredible people and made an abundance of new work that I intend to share in a solo exhibit entitled "Elsewhere". (information to follow)

And so in an attempt to reconnect here with fellow artists and friends, I am posting some of my most recent projects and exhibits! It is also a reminder to myself to press on...

Peace,
Jude

Monmouth Museum 36th Annual Juried Art Exhibition.

Jude Harzer Juror's award....so honored

Monmouth Museum 36th Annual Juried Art Exhibition

Seriously an unexpected honor to be awarded the Juror's award! Very grateful!

Hope to see you!
Prince Street Gallery

7th National Juried Exhibition
Juror: Robert Berlind
January 27 through February 21, 2015
Opening Reception:...
Saturday, January 31, 3 - 6 pm Gallery Hours: 11 - 6 pm Tuesday - Saturday

Lipscomb Gallery at the SC Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities

Fall 14: Artists of The Rensing Center — at Lipscomb Gallery at the SC Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities.

November 10- December 4, 2014

The Lipscomb Gallery welcomes the final show of 2014 with Natural Wonder: Artists of The Rensing Center. This is a group exhibition of current and past artists-in-residence at The Rensing Center located in Pickens, SC.

Artist and Rensing Director Ellen Kochansky curated the show, bringing together works that span a variety of materials but all linked by the Rensing experience. A gallery talk will be held on Thursday, November 13, at 4:30 p.m., with the show open from November 10 through December 4.

Selected artists: Adrienne Antonson, Ali Aschman, Molly Aubry, Amelie Beaudroit, Dylan Critchfield-Sales, Shelby Davis, Ryan Finnerty, Jude Harzer, Alyson Highsmith, Ellen Kochansky, Evelyn Rensing Kochansky, Colette Lucas, Drew Matott and Margaret Mehan, Anna Lena Phillips, Jennifer Rabin, and Crystal Schenk.

WORKSHOP WITH JUDE HARZER : The Expressive Portrait

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 21:17:00 +0000

ALL ARE INVITED!!!

I am excited, nervous and honored to be teaching a workshop "The Expressive Portrait" at the Franciscan Life Process !
Thank you to the very gracious Kathleen Bechtel for the invite!

I hope that you will join me! I can promise you great energy, attention, experience, stories and of course a glimpse into my process that hopefully might benefit yours! Please feel free to share this link to my event!

Workshop date: Friday, March 27, 2015 at 9:00 AM - Sunday, March 29, 2015 at 3:00 PM (EDT)
Lowell, MI The Franciscan Life Process Center
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/jude-harzer-the-expressive-port

Workshop Schedule:

Daily 9:00 am -4:00 pm
Break: 12 - 12:30

Day 1: Introductions, Presentation, Materials and Painting Demonstration, Establishing an Underpainting and Color Palette Selection to infer mood, Studio Time, Individual assistance to participants.

Day 2: Brief group morning critique (idea sharing), Demonstration, Studio Time, Individual Assistance, Effectively integrating mixed media and refining the overpainting.

Day 3: Morning discussion aimed toward resolving the expressive portrait, Studio time, Individual assistance, Concluding critique.

Please feel free to write with any questions prior to the workshop to ensure your comfort in feeling prepared.

Hope to hear from you and that you will join me!

My MFA Thesis Exhibit

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 13:06:00 +0000

Yesterday, I officially concluded the necessary requirements to complete my MFA degree in Painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design with my culminating thesis exhibit held at the Ocean County Artists' Guild in Island Heights, NJ. It was an exceptional day attended by incredibly supportive family, friends, students and colleagues.

So today begins a new phase in my life. I have taken a leave from my job. For a "moment" I am not restricted by the typical structure and daily obligations that have defined my days and years. All there is...is me and the motivation and discipline to move forward and paint. But today I just feel like reading a book that I received, For The Benefit Of Those Who See by Rosemary Mahoney. It has great personal relevance that I will share at a later time.

Here are some images from my thesis exhibit! Enjoy and thank you!
my thesis exhibit

To view images from the show on Facebook click HERE!

Jude Harzer Thesis Exhibit Feb. 2, 2014 Ocean County Artists' Guild
photograph by David Steele

Photography As Reference and Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 01:24:00 +0000

As a pre-teen, I taught myself how to draw the human face and figure by pouring over Seventeen Magazine advertisements featuring Christie Brinkley and Cheryl Tiegs and the apparel sections of the voluminous annual  Sears Christmas catalogue.  Basically, I used whatever visual references were available and trust me, there weren't many. On butcher's paper that I "borrowed" from my Mom's kitchen, I made detailed and time consuming pencil studies of eyes, faces and torsos. Substrates were limited as well and so I carefully rolled out several feet of this clean white surface onto the crowded floor of a bedroom I shared with my two sisters and then would spend hours looking and copying without any regard for rules or technique. I just felt the need to draw people, particularly kids, and as I recall, my five siblings were not the most stationary subject matter . I made work and either discarded it or tucked it safely under my bed. I was more interested in learning and improving than sharing my art.

Since then of course, I have had the experience of drawing from life using a model . It is an invaluable resource that has enriched my work but it is not always convenient or affordable. So photographs are my "go to" for subject references, made even more accessible by the immediacy of digital photography and top notch editing programs. I encourage my students to use every resource possible but not to rely on any one of  them exclusively. They are simply" tools" that when paired with the experience, knowledge, skill and imagination of the artist, can strengthen and inform their work. There is no magical singular solution or "way." I only know what I feel works for me and that is what I share but always with the willingness to try alternate methods and new materials.

During the past two years I have been teaching basic Digital Photography and Photoshop editing at the high school level . I had no prior experience and had to learn along with my class.  It has significantly impacted my own way of "seeing" and has exposed me to the works of some masterful contemporary photographers who create imagery that seems as precious to me as the finest oil paintings on Belgian linen. These artists happen to all be women.  They capture the human form while telling some underlying and often thought provoking story, whether or not that was their intention. Intensely captivating children are featured as subject for a few of them. I am drawn to them. I hope that my paintings share a similar sensibility. So I thought I'd share the excellence of their work.

I was asked why I don't just make photos. Because when I paint, I am aware how much I love the process , the error and the evidence of my very own fumbling marks when using pigment .

Here are a few of my favorite photographers:
1. Sally Mann

Sally Mann
b. 1951 Lexington, Va.
http://www.sallyman.com

2.Francesca Woodman

Francesca Woodman
b. 1958-1981 Denver, CO

www.heenan.net/woodman

3. Diana Arbus

Diane Arbus
b. 1923-1971 New York , NY
diane-arbus-photography.com

4. Loretta Lux

Loretta Lux
b. 1969 Dresden

http://www.lorettalux.de/

5. Deborah Parkin

Deborah Parkin

http://deborahparkin.com/

7. Tierney Gearon

Tierney Gearon
b. 1963 Atlanta, GA

http://www.tierneygearon.com/

Progeny

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 00:37:00 +0000

This painting, entitled Progeny is part of my White Rabbit, White Rabbit: Rituals of Painting, Progeny and Play exhibit. It can be viewed at the Ocean County Artist's Guild at 22 Chestnut Ave, Island Heights, NJ from February 2-26, 2014. Please join me for the opening reception Feb. 2 between 1-4 pm at this location. http://ocartistsguild.org/

Progeny oil on wood 30 x 30 2013 Jude Harzer

Project 365

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 00:24:00 +0000

Why do any of us create? That is such a broad question, unanswerable by a single response. Obviously it differs for each of us. I know that for myself, this desire is persistent, necessary and therefore important. Finding time to do it with all of life's happenings poses challenges but it seems in life, we tend to make time for that which we value most....or we don't and that is often more about our choices and priorities rather than about time itself. So although I have neglected writing about my efforts in an organized and chronological way, I have certainly not abandoned my effort to create an image a day , every day, since the start date, my 50th birthday: Nov. 6th.

Some of these have been 5 minute scribbles and others have been day long oil paintings but all are evidence of the fact that I have indeed made the time. I value my work no matter the end result. I have deemed it " Project 365." Perhaps next year I will work on a more sequential, highly organized and deliberate version of this project, faithfully documenting it along the way .....or maybe I won' t. For now, I would simply like to share a sampling of the images that have resulted from time I feel is well spent. In these moments of scribbling, scrawling and pushing paint about, I feel most aware of what I need and value.

I hope you find the time for what matters to you and discover your joy.

“You will touch this joy and you will suddenly know it is what you were looking for your whole life, but you were afraid to even acknowledge the absence because the hunger for it was so encompassing.”
― Eve Ensler

12 x 12 oil on canvas Jude Harzer 2014

Rolodex cards graphite sketches Jude Harzer 2014

Rolodex cards (enlarged) Jude Harzer 2014

Crowned oil on canvas 24 x 24 Jude Harzer 2014

Flock oil on canvas 24 x 24 Jude Harzer 2014

The Wait oil on canvas 24 x 36 Jude Harzer 2014

You Are Invited! FEBRUARY 2, 2014 1-4 pm Jude Harzer Thesis Exhibit

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 23:38:00 +0000

A belated and abundant New Year to all!

On Sunday , February 2nd, my graduate thesis exhibit opens at the Ocean County Artist's Guild in Island Heights, NJ. This concludes the requirements necessary for me to successfully complete my Masters of Fine Arts degree in Painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA. This is the culmination of a 3 year commitment , one that I chose not necessarily to acquire a degree but to immerse myself in a creative and learning community dedicated toward rediscovering and establishing my own art practice.

It took a great deal of persistence, balance and encouragement to actually complete this program... and so I did, despite the whole lot of life that happened in the midst of it all. I finished my academic work just two weeks prior to the passing of my mother and a week after I celebrated my 50th birthday. Yes, life goes on and I am moving forward and through it all.

And so I celebrate the start of this New Year with my exhibit entitled, "White Rabbit, White Rabbit: The Rituals of Paint. Progeny and Play." If on February 2. 2014 you are available between 1-4 pm, I'd love to share my work with you and simply say hello and thank you!

Hope to see you there!

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.”
― Neil Gaiman

Phyllis Frances Vereb: Remembrances of Our Mother

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 17:07:00 +0000

Phyllis Frances Vereb, 73, passed away at Bayshore Hospital in the late evening of Dec. 4^th, surrounded by her loving family. Phyllis was born on July 27, 1940 in Trenton, NJ to parents Edward and Bernadette Wierzbicki. Visually impaired since birth, this platinum blonde beauty with a “Colgate” smile was raised, along with her younger sister and brother, by their devoted mother, in their Lalor Street home where Mrs. Wierzbicki remained until her death in January, 2008 at the age of 87. The passing of Phyllis’s mother, who was her most treasured friend and greatest supporter, was a profoundly sad event in her life.

Phyllis graduated from Cathedral High School in 1958 before marrying her childhood sweetheart David Vereb in 1960. Together they had six children, all of whom were raised in Trenton before the family relocated to Clarksburg, NJ, Millstone Township in 1972. Phyllis independently reared her spirited brood of six in this picturesque Monmouth County farming community. She proudly lived in her Stagecoach home residence until her recent fall and subsequent illness in late October.

Phyllis leaves behind her beloved six children: Lisa Diez, (CA), David P. Vereb (VA), Judith Harzer (NJ), Beth Martin (NJ), Christopher Vereb (NJ), Robert Vereb (VA) and thirteen grandchildren: Christopher, Shannon, Kelly, Christina, Justin, Maurice, Robert, Mary, Michael, Mario, Patricia, Jordan and Jacob. She helped to create and inspire all of these beautiful, passionate and accomplished young lives. She is also survived by many valued immediate and extended family members and friends. Phyllis was pre-desceased by both of her parents and her ex-husband.

When remembering Phyllis, her children wish to recall her devout faith and the affirmations that motivated her despite a life filled with tragedy and hardship. Daily she would assert, “This too shall pass.” “ One day at a time.” “Patience is a virtue.” and “Life is easy as long as you don’t weaken.” Phyllis loved music, especially Johnny Mathis and Broadway show tunes. She played the accordion as a child and was a graceful dancer mastering the Lindy, Jitterbug, Waltz and Polka. Phyllis valued art, literature and fashion, having been a model for local Trenton department stores as a young woman. She prided herself on baking authentic traditional Polish holiday nut rolls and Chrusciki for her family. She appreciated history, Shark Week, Jeopardy, the ocean, Anne of Green Gables, dogs, the color pink and wonderful food. She adopted the butterfly as a symbol for her life as it represented freedom, beauty, evolution and flight. And with what little she had, Phyllis regularly contributed to charities and organizations that supported children and the underprivileged. These are the memories that help define who Phyllis was and how her family wishes to remember her.

Phyllis will be cremated and celebrated privately by her immediate family. She was recognized, post mortem by the New Jersey Sharing Network for a successful organ and tissue donation. In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider making a donation to Catholic Charities who greatly assisted Phyllis while raising her children, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the Blind Commission.

“to live in this world you must be able to do three things
to love what is mortal; to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go.” ~Mary Oliver

Project 365: Unexpected Challenges

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 13:08:00 +0000

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Project 365 is progressing slowly. It seemed an exceptionally simple objective: to execute a single daily image of a child, given whatever time was available, using any medium. Start date: November 6^th, my 50^th birthday.

I have not abandoned this concept so early on in the process but have realized more than ever that factors such as real world occurrences above and beyond the typical demands of full time work, family and life in general, potentially impact time, energy and motivation in a way that is down right paralyzing. This goes without saying perhaps but my own deep-seated sense of inadequacy that conceived this basic project to purposely keep my ever wandering mind on track makes personal failure at something so seemingly “easy”, difficult to bear.

As of late, even putting a single stroke on a page seems uninteresting and laborious. My motivation has waned and yet I am scribbling my way through but not with the intended fervor that I had imagined. I am embarrassed by my inability to perform better.

The “real world occurrence”, without over dramatization or a laundry listing of the many heart wrenching details …was the hospitalization of my 73 year old mother two weeks prior to my project start date. In many ways it was expected… inevitable. I knew immediately that this would not have a positive outcome and that she would possibly never return to her home of 41 years. It was confirmed two weeks ago that indeed she will not. This has been excruciating for her to process on many levels, the most significant being that my 47 year old, mentally impaired brother who lived with her, will as a result, also be displaced.

The lives of my sister Beth and I have been consumed by the juggling act of the resulting upheaval. Beth is the strong and gracious one shouldering much of the precipitating burden. Near daily hospital visits and sharing custody of my brother who suffered trauma that caused extensive short term memory impairment 20 years ago, have become the norm. My Mom, coherent and depressed, reluctantly resigned herself to being situated in a convalescent home for the duration of her life. The care she requires is so incredibly extensive, that this seemed the only alternative. She knows this and was relocated this past Saturday to her new residence.

On Sunday morning, November 24^th, she flatlined…coded…whatever the appropriate terminology. She was rushed to the nearest E.R. They responded efficiently and effectively, worked furiously to revive her unaware of the “Do not resuscitate” orders which had not yet been transferred from the rehab center to her new "home."

This week, she has been surrounded by family. She is awake without any recollection of her lapse into a permanent sleep or the resuscitation that followed. She is amazingly able to converse and respond quite well. However, her challenges are greater. She is unable to breathe independent of a Bi-pap ventilator. The trauma to her chest from the CPR caused physical damage and pain. Her body is retaining fluid. She is reliant on others to accommodate her basic needs. She is not ambulatory and is trapped in her own body.This is her current state of existence.

Along with my sister,while we are able, we wait, feed her, talk with her, watch monitor levels rise and fall. I fail to imagine her pain and place. I asked her what she thinks during all of these hours immobilized and alone. “Life and death,” she emphatically stated. However, she does express hopefulness that she will recover but also how tired she is at trying.

I cannot remember why I paint at the moment. In comparison to real challenges, mine are ridiculously small...near non-existent and yet I do not move. I know this is a time to just be and accept events as they unfold.

Project 365: more to come….

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 02:31:00 +0000

Project 365

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 16:12:00 +0000

On November 6th I celebrated my 50 th birthday. In the months prior I began seriously considering the significance of this milestone. A half century of life and experience sounds strange to acknowledge in regard to myself. I remember when I was in high school asking my grandmother who has since passed, if she could "feel" the years and the aging, not on her body but on her mind. She was not much older than I am at the moment. 50 sounded sadly ancient to an anxious sixteen year old. But I was always torturously reflective, sensitive and empathetic in my youth. I was very aware that I would be like her one day and that she had been me... young, love struck, perhaps passionate, although I think her conservative blue collar Catholic upbringing did not allow for passion of the kind I felt. I desperately needed to know how one gets from point A to point B without transforming into a stern and worn shadow of their former self. I don't think she ever appreciated my inquiries. They forced her to readdress choices and regrets. Her response to me: " Life and your body will betray you." I savored these words but knew that somehow I would not surrender to them.

Fast forward more than three decades. Life has happened and my body has changed but neither have betrayed me. I am grateful. The difference between my grandmother and I quite simply is time. I grew up in an era where education, exploration and the power of thought to process experiences was gradually embraced. My life was wrought with challenges...abuse, molestation, my parent's divorce, financial poverty, illnesses, deaths, lost love and more. I didn't always navigate these gracefully but I lived them open eyed , searching for the value and the beauty that lay within or beyond these moments. "This too shall pass," my mother would say. I feel it all passing, the good and the bad. It is as it should be.

So to acknowledge this passage, I will use my art to mark each day of this upcoming year. There are a few things of which I am certain at 50: Always there is beauty of some sort to be found, only I have power to create the life I desire and so very little of the abundance of this world is known by me. I will leave it ignorant but awed.

Project 365 will be comprised of daily sketches or paintings, 5 minutes or 5 hours, of my favorite subject matter: children. There is no real objective other than to persist in practicing my painting despite the busy pace of life. The end result will be a body of work that reminds me that I paused to consider the beauty and that I am participating in life, rather than hiding from it.

I hope that you enjoy my work . I welcome comments and contributions of images of your little ones
Here is a glimpse of Project 365 in process.

Join Me On FaceBook!

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:51:00 +0000

For updated information about new work, exhibits and art resources, please like or follow my new artist's page! Thank you! <3 p="">

https://www.facebook.com/judeharzerart

Recent Works: MoreDeta

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 11:24:00 +0000

Recent works

1 hour oil on board

Untitled, oil on linen, detail, 2013

Protector, in process, oil and graphite on paper, 2013

Heartache

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 11:17:00 +0000

“Every day we slaughter our finest impulses. That is why we get a heartache when we read those lines written by the hand of a master and recognize them as our own, as the tender shoots which we stifled because we lacked the faith to believe in our own powers, our own criterion of truth and beauty. Every man, when he gets quiet, when he becomes desperately honest with himself, is capable of uttering profound truths. We all derive from the same source. there is no mystery about the origin of things. We are all part of creation, all kings, all poets, all musicians; we have only to open up, only to discover what is already there.”
― Henry Miller

Heartache can be likened to regret. When quiet with myself, the persistent pangs that gnaw at and wither my spirit , I realize, are largely self imposed. I wince and wallow in this awareness that I failed to take action, follow through or respond to life itself. I lacked courage and stood still,
Note to self: move.

Action # 1 Post recent works and update blog.

Armed (detail) oil on linen 60" w x 20" h 2013

I create works that for me, are satisfying in their conception and process (for the most part). Many are incomplete. They surround me , waiting to be revisited. Crazily, many pile up in my studio, as I pay little attention to their "after life". The time has come to sell, exhibit or at least share my art. I am preparing for an adventure...a move...a leap of faith.... and I cannot carry the weight of these works with me. So for today, I will offer a glimpse of my private pleasure of painting.

Hiding Spaces oil on linen 20" w x 60" h

My recent Hiding Spaces series explored space, both physical and psychological. I enjoyed creating these works as they felt very authentic and emerged fluidly as I painted.

Fish Tales oil on board 2013 Concept for future series exploring the art of storytelling featuring children and fish as subject, both representative of fertility, abundance and transformation.

There's more to come....

Aftermath

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 03:18:00 +0000

Storm Sandy unleashed her wrath here at the Jersey Shore. Her strength was underestimated and the aftermath inconceivable. There are no words at the moment so all I can do is paint.Works in progress...

Tell Me A Story

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 01:39:00 +0000

We each have a story to share. When repeated to ourselves and others, we not only perpetuate the essence of our past experiences, but we begin to believe that they somehow permanently define who we are and effect what we ultimately become. We often expand upon these personal tales and get stuck in them . We see ourselves as past hurts, lost loves, and failed friendships. Of course others contribute to our stories and those passages are much more difficult to edit or forget. During my recent graduate narrative painting class, I wanted to share the story of someone whom I felt tried with every ounce of her being to rewrite the events of her "past" life. The chapters of her youth are downright painful. Profound sexual , physical and mental abuse would scar the psyche of just about anyone. My friend Teri is no exception. Her appearance betrays none of the ugliness that pervaded her life for decades. Part mask and part mission, Teri has spent her life furiously trying to shed the harm inflicted upon her and to abandon the practiced , self imposed belief that somehow, she deserved all that she endured. Sharing the details of her saga would make for interesting and somewhat unfathomable reading but it might unnecessarily compromise the intention of my own work.

Teri bravely gave me permission to share her secrets. Perhaps one day I will. I ache from her story and so I decipher the pain the best way I know how, through my painting.My current work explores the influence of "Legacy", the inherited, shared and often imposed stories from generation to generation, that inextricably infiltrate our very being, with or without our consent. It often takes a lifetime to realize that we ourselves give power to the stronghold of these weights on our soul and psyche and only we can truly unburden and free ourselves from the past. So here I sat with Teri, her daughter Noelle and her grand daughter Zoe, three generations of beautiful women , all impacted by past legacies. As I interviewed Teri, it grew apparent that there was an enormous void caused by one of the most profound and painful chapters of her life.Teri helplessly witnessed the suicide of her 21 year old daughter Mary as she walked in the path of an oncoming train. This has become part of their legacy , as individuals, mothers, sisters and daughters. As I worked I wondered how does one refrain from giving power to such pain.There are no words, no right way, no time frame, no magic mode for healing.

These works are inspired by Teri, her daughters , Noelle and Mary and granddaughter, Zoe. They celebrate their legacy.

Legacy

Legacy: On the Backs of Their Mothers

Zoe

Strength and Wisdom: Knowing

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Knowing: Zoe oil on canvas Jude Harzer 2012

Knowing: Savka: "dedicated and brave" inspired by photograph of artist Natalija Mijatovic

Knowing series oil on canvas oil on canvaas 2012

It was Aristotle who said that knowing ourselves is the beginning of all wisdom. My current work continues to explore feminine strength and resiliency but also the knowing of self that results from life experience. One does not have to be aged to possess wisdom, although grace in maturity is often evidence that the individual has learned a thing or two about how to navigate this life . It requires mastery of mind, strength of spirit, flexibility and a whole lot of letting go. But curiously, children often exude this same inner fortitude and awareness. In youth , some have been challenged to tap into those internal reserves that protect and preserve them from moment to moment. They exhibit a quietness and composure that reminds us that they are witnessing , constantly observing and learning.... They see and know based on how they are made to feel and how they perceive the business of life and the reactions and patterns of behavior of their elders to it.So my new work will celebrate the seers and knowers, whatever the age, because in exploring them, I am reminded how very little I know about myself ...how fabulously foolish and flawed. ...

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 05:02:00 +0000

Contrary to what some people may believe, creating art is more about discipline, time and practice than it is about talent and inspiration. I have the privilege of having access to some amazing professors at the Savannah College of Art and Design who are guiding me as I desperately try to paint, learn and improve. It helps to borrow the eyes and minds of other artists as I complete my first full year of graduate school. The goal is to finish before I am 50. Hmmm....I am on track. Fingers crossed! Here is some of the work that I have produced during the past 3 weeks of summer study at SCAD.

The Copper Frog Studio and Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 23:11:00 +0000

I am so grateful and honored to have been invited to exhibit my work at The Copper Frog Studio and Gallery in Allentown, New Jersey. I am a 1981 graduate of the nearby Allentown High School, home of the Redbirds! It feels like coming home!

Owned and operated by the very talented and renowned visual artist Ericka, O'Rourke, the Copper Frog will open in September of 2012.

THE GRAND OPENING WEEKEND CELEBRATION

will coincide with the Allentown Annual Fall Festival,

October 13th & 14th 2012

9am-5pm Saturday and Sunday

The Copper Frog Studio & Gallery

42 South Main St

@ The Old Mill

Historic Allentown, NJ 08501

Please mark your calendars and join us to celebrate the revitalization of downtown Allentown and the opening of this quality art establishment. Visit the website for information regarding artists, purchases and events.
http://copperfroggallery.com/

June: The Gift of Ruins

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 03:25:00 +0000

June is here. Summer sun, creating in my studio in Savannah, daydreaming and designing my new life and wondering where it will lead...where I will live ...and how it will impact my work.
I am not fearful...well maybe just a little. I am excited by the potential and possibilities of it all.I am ridding of the guilt associated with letting go of my old life.

My niece shared this with me: “A friend took me to the most amazing place the other day. It’s called the Augusteum. Octavian Augustus built it to house his remains. When the barbarians came they trashed it along with everything else. The great Augustus, Rome’s first true great emperor...how could he have imagined that Rome, the whole world as far as he was concerned, would be in ruins. It’s one of the quietest, loneliest places in Rome. The city has grown up around it over the centuries. It feels like a precious wound, a heartbreak you won’t let go of because it hurts too good. We all want things to stay the same. Settle for living in misery because we’re afraid of change, of things crumbling to ruins. Then I looked at around to this place, at the chaos it has endured – the way it has been adapted, burned, pillaged and found a way to build itself back up again. And I was reassured, maybe my life hasn’t been so chaotic, it’s just the world that is, and the real trap is getting attached to any of it. Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation.” Elizabeth Gilbert

Ruin is a gift. June is here. Change will come.

Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 03:07:00 +0000

In order to proceed with my graduate studies at Savannah College of Art and Design I had to pass the initial review. Trucking two dozen of my most recent works in a cargo van with my suite mate from Connecticut, Jessica, I presented my art before a panel of three professors. It was exhausting but valuable. The process forced me to focus and to thoughtfully regard the relevance of my work.I passed, with the help of very dear friends who helped hang, measure and level work. My summer studies will bring even greater change. I was encouraged to break rules , paint the darkness and quiet the voices that promote comfort, acceptance and safety. Shhhh!!!!" Faint not!" (note to self)

Time Well Spent

noreply@blogger.com (Jude Harzer) — Sat, 05 May 2012 20:55:00 +0000

When I have an uninterrupted hour,deciding how to use it is easy. My preferred activity is painting . It is my passion, my meditation ,my means of navigating this world. Here is evidence of one hour last night, well spent.