OC Mag 01-22

but not without their benefits.
“It really forced me to hone in on
my drawing skills, so that was a good
thing,” Thompson said. “But I’m kind
of an outdoorsy person so of course I
think that really influences my painting.
Being in the Midwest we don’t
have the mountains or a lot of different
elements that other places in the
country do, so you start to appreciate
the prairie and field landscapes that
surround you.
A pair of extended stays in those environments
solely focused on painting
her surroundings solidified her favorite
subject matter.
“I like to paint a variety of subjects
— particularly figures and landscapes,”
Thompson said. “After artist
residencies at two national parks, the
Homestead National Historic Park in
Nebraska and Badlands National Park
in South Dakota, I began painting the
prairie landscape. The fields, farms
and prairies which surround us here
in Iowa are quite beautiful and have
Judy Thompson works on her most recent
commission at her home studio. Thompson’s
watercolor work focuses mostly on landscapes
and some figures combining her love for the
outdoors with her passion for painting.
a rich history. I love telling their story
through my artwork.”
The residency in Nebraska led
Thompson to create what she calls her
“Homestead Series,” a body of work
showcasing the stories behind praised
landscape and pioneer movement.
Memorable projects
When the 150th anniversary of the
Homestead Act rolled around, Thompson
started thinking maybe galleries or
museums would be interesting in showing
her “Homestead Series” in conjunction
with the anniversary.
So she started reaching out to various
venues and garnered lots of positive
responses.
Eventually her art would make its
way to South Dakota where it would
hang in the state’s Cultural Heritage
Center in Pierre, which also houses the
South Dakota Historical Society Press.
20 OC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022