Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Judith Marquez grew up in the Washington DC area. She was always interested in drawing and decided to attend art school after attending a life drawing class at age 16. She studied at the Maryland College of Art and Design in Silver Spring, and received her MFA in Painting from American University in Washington DC. She has been in Albuquerque for over twenty years, and considers New Mexico home. She has taught drawing and painting in Washington DC, Maryland, Austin, TX, Albuquerque, and through an online art college. Working primarily with oil paint, her imagery focuses on interpretations of the human form. She experiments with mark and color to emphasize the expressive qualities of her subjects, and is exploring mixed media through collaging on drawings and monotypes. Judy has participated in group shows in Washington DC, Austin, and in two-person shows in Albuquerque.
Artist Statement
My work mainly focuses on the human form. I’m continually drawn to the emotive potential inherent in figure and portrait studies, the ways in which subtle facial expression and gesture can relate universal experience.
The images are based on quick studies done from life, memory, inspiration from photos, and imagination. I’m interested in exploring how the interaction of paint on various surfaces affects the expressive qualities of a subject. The paintings tend to evolve and change as I respond to unexpected marks and colors, often resulting in something quite different than originally envisioned. Each painting or drawing is a process of discovery, of endeavoring to translate ideas visually and welcoming the ever-changing results of paint on paper or canvas.
