"Distant Harvest"
watercolor - © Judy Thompson
Artist Judy Thompson celebrates the prairie through her Homestead Series.
"Taking Root"
watercolor - © Judy Thompson
Inspired by an artist's residency at the Homestead National Monument in Beatrice, NE, Judy Thompson has created a series of 12 watercolor paintings depicting the fabric of the land and the people during this revolutionary time in history.
"When I arrived at the Homestead National Monument and stepped out of the car, I was struck with the vast, empty landscape that spread before me. At first, a sense of panic came over me since there was only a long flat horizon line wherever I looked." Fortunately, after two weeks of sketching the native tallgrass prairie, reading the journals of homesteaders and researching photos at the Nebraska State Historical society, inspiration started to flow. "I wanted to capture the pioneering spirit of these pioneers and how their efforts changed the landscape of the Midwest forever.
"Trails End"
watercolor © Judy Thompson
The Homestead Series will be on tour throughout 2012 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Homestead Act by President Abraham Lincoln as follows:
January-February: Pearson Lakes Art Center, Okoboji, IA
March: The Great Plains Museum, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
April-July: The Cultural Heritage Center, Pierre, SD
October - March, 2013: The Homestead National Monument, Beatrice, NE
In addition to the exhibition, Judy will present an electronic poster at the Great Plains Symposium on March 29th, 2012 which describes her process and inspiration. See link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuCJebSAFjc&feature=youtu.be
Be sure and stop back again for more great artists of the 2012 Artisans Road Trip!
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