Judith Copland is one of those lucky artists who has never had to have a day (or night) job outside of art to support her creative spirit.
“I’ve been an artist all of my life,” Copland said during an interview at the opening of her show last week in the main gallery at the Station House Gallery.
“I’ve never had a real job,” Copland said, adding that the great thing about being an artist is that you never have to retire.
She has dabbled in water colours but finds her true expression in oil painting. She is particularly drawn to the impressionist style.
“I like to create movement in my art,” Copland explains.
This particular collection is a mix of figurative, landscape and still life paintings. Some of the paintings feature Sheridan Lake where she and her partner and noted photographer Gabor Gasztonyi have a cabin.
Vibrant colours and energetic brushwork characterize her oil paintings on canvas.
Copland grew up on the West Coast where she was inspired by B.C.’s beauty at a young age. She studied drawing and painting at Kootenay School of Art and through the Art Instruction School of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Atlin Art Centre and various workshops.
After a brief time in Vancouver, Judith and her husband traveled north and spent time exploring much of B.C, before settling in 100 Mile House for a time.
She worked in the arts by painting, teaching and sign painting at her studio.
Her journey is one of growth and awareness, she explains in her biography.
In 2001 she moved to the coast again to further her career development with the Alliance for Arts and Culture.
Working at her studio in Surrey she has shown at Place Des Arts, Open Art Gallery, Deborah Worsfold Gallery, Aaron Ross Gallery, Autumn Brook Artists Gallery, and Art Concept.
Her work has also been shown in 100 Mile House, Williams Lake, Quesnel and Prince George.
Judith and Gabor started Gabor Gasztonyi Studio and Gallery, in New Westminster, where they now live.
Judith assists Gabor at his photographic business and displays her work with him as well as at the 100 Braid Street Studio, and Van Dop Gallery.
Gabor and Judith travel to Hungary every fall where they own an apartment.
They have travelled through Austria, Germany, and Italy and she is planning a new body of work based on their travels.
“I want to explore the abstract a bit,” Judith said.
Life has been busy and diversified, but some of her finest moments are in the quiet of one’s imagination where all forms of beauty sparkle before us, she said.