ART

JUDY JOHNSON

WILLIAMS

Judy Johnson-Williams is an artist exploring line, sometimes in the abstract, and sometimes figurative. It is the expressiveness and adaptability of line to many forms that is interesting.

 

The subject of my work is our roles and how we fill them, our roles as parents, as women, as partners. All of us fill multiple roles and I like to explore the slippage between them. Our roles are part of our identity and they are formed in relationship with other people, mother and daughter, man and woman, always at least paired. I am interested especially when there is conflict between what is good for us and what is good for the other or when there is conflict between roles: I am a daughter to my mother, but a mother to my daughter.

 

Since all of us are subject to various roles it is fertile territory for public art. My art, though not bland or easy, is nevertheless quite approachable because I’m not preaching a distinct one-size-fits-all conclusion but leading the viewer to active participation in examining their own roles and attitudes towards them or to provoke insight into other views.

 

Judy Johnson Williams exhibits widely on the West Coast and is active in a number of art groups. These groups have provided additional opportunities to show, curate and collaborate, in addition to chances to host workshops and gallery walks (including Art Murmur) which serve to educate the public about local art activities.

Also, Judy runs a grant-supported art program in a public elementary school in West Oakland. She is the director and developed the art activities, as part of their curriculum. Now in it’s 5th year, it remains a program popular with teachers and students. It is this balance between the solipsism of art practice and reality of teaching young artists that she cherishes and nourishes her art.