Jude Tolar, PSA, IAPS/MC
'I paint the light'
Jude was probably born with a pencil in her hand. She spent her childhood in SE Kansas and NE Oklahoma, exploring outdoors and drawing indoors. She set aside mermaid drawings and college doodling for a psychology degree from Oklahoma State University (US). Art followed her, though, leading to a long career in graphic design and illustration. Along the way she spent two post-baccalaureate years in art and illustration courses at The University of Oklahoma (US). She also wrote and illustrated children’s books.
In recent years Jude has focused on fine art, working mainly from life. She began using pastels as a way to study color and work easily en plein air, and immediately loved the results. Today's soft pastels and sanded surfaces offer many painting options.
She's studied extensively with Clive Tyler, and with notable artists Lyn Asselta, Stephanie Birdsall, Lorenzo Chavez, Terri Ford, Debby Kaspari, Rita Kirkman, Terry Ludwig, Elizabeth Mowry, Mitsuno Reedy, Sally Strand, Becky Way, Todd Williams, and Mike Wimmer.
Jude's art is lyrical and representational, and celebrates beauty and joy in the world. She looks for light and color. She's known mainly for floral and tree portraits outdoors and glass subjects indoors. She prefers to work from life, using mostly Terry Ludwig soft pastels on Art Spectrum ColourFix paper.
Her pastel paintings have won many awards, including five Best of Shows. Her work has juried in to many national and international shows, including PSA, IAPS, and Pastel Journal's Pastel 100. She has won national and international awards, including two in PleinAir Magazine's PleinAir Salons, and has been published in The Encyclopedia of Pastel Techniques (2018 edition), Fine Art Connoisseur, Pastel Journal, PleinAir Magazine, PleinAir Today, and Pratique des Arts Magazine (France). She has also written articles for Pastel Journal and PleinAir Today/Outdoor Painter.
Jude is a Master Circle Pastelist, an award bestowed by the International Association of Pastel Societies, and holds Signature status in the Pastel Society of America and other art groups.
She has exhibited in galleries, invitational group and solo shows; her work is in collections across the US and abroad. She also demonstrates her pastel techniques and teaches pastel workshops on various subjects.
When not painting, Jude Tolar can be found gardening, hiking, reading, or mowing. She lives in Oklahoma (US) with her husband, a variety of gardens, and a studio full of pastels.
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