Judy Walters is a Charleston emerging artist who discovered her passion for painting after retiring from business life in 2008. From her rural Kentucky roots to her frequent painting trips to France, Italy and Greece, Judy has traveled the globe honing her eye for color and composition. Painting outdoors, amid colorful landscapes and dramatic architecture, is where she finds her deepest artistic inspiration.      Having studied with several of Charleston’s most influential artists and at the Florence Academy of Art, Judy’s paintings skillfully express her deep reverence for subjects that evoke timeless beauty and a strong sense of place.

“Good art doesn’t match your furniture.” Not my quote, but certainly my philosophy! Art is what makes our house our home, from our kindergarteners’ framed construction-paper projects hanging in the laundry room, to a vibrant antique quilt adorning a hallway wall, to a masterly portrait of a pelican that evokes memories of vacation rituals with the kiddos. Compulsively creative, I began my journey with art at age 10, in an oil painting class at the local rec. I have sewed and painted my way through life, inexplicably driven to always be making something. (Except dinner.) I’ve had formal training abroad, in Florence, Italy, and locally, at the College of Charleston. I paint what speaks to me. I paint canvas, furniture, murals; anything that will allow me to slather it with color. My style ranges from whimsical illustration to realistic animal portraiture. I’d love to discuss your ideas, and welcome inquiries and commissions. Through painting I’ve learned to face my fears. I’ve learned to listen to my instincts, and trust myself. I’m compelled to paint, and do so with the hope that it will bring as much joy to the viewer as it does to me in creating it.