Judy Gilbert Levey
Artist’s Statement

Time is of the essence. With long contemplation, any experience can be diluted – but there’s a moment when the experience of seeing a flash of light, an intense beam of color or flicker of motion is met with senses heightened and a clarity of focus. That’s the moment that I set out to capture in my painting.

Working en plein air with oil paints, my work aims to bring to life those fleeting moments. I hold onto the yellow splash of sunlight or deep purple shade that caught my eye and at the same time provide an impressionistic view of the landscape, buildings and figures I see. The visual experience is accompanied by an emotion – a sense of joy, calm, adrenaline rush – that the brush strokes and paint can evoke.

Not a risk taker by action – no skydiving, no bungee jumping, rappelling off cliffs for me – I am a painter who takes risks in painting, with my mind flooded with ideas and open to change. Poured into a painting, the result is a colorful window into a moment in my world.