Judy Merchant

Judy trained in Textiles and Fine Art at Canterbury College of Art and, while doing her own art work, her career took her from art teaching into mental health social work, counselling and psychotherapy. In 2010 she decided to return full time to her art work.

Judy is drawn to the idea that nothing is permanent, that everything is in a transient state and that there is beauty in imperfection. She is inspired by marks evidencing the passing of time in the urban environment and the changing seasons, such as ageing walls and fallen leaves. She loves the surfaces and textures which seem to hold a sense of history and mystery. Her work echoes this process of change as she works in layers which conceal and reveal what went before. She uses fabric, paint, gesso and machine stitch to create a surface which constantly changes, incorporating unexpected and accidental events. Her work is mostly abstract and she works on a big and small scale.

She has a regular practice in life drawing and portraiture using charcoal and pencil.

www.judymerchant.com
Inst. judy.merchant