Submitted by Judy Lai
London-based painter, Judy Lai, has always been inspired by the world – particularly the developing world. Upon graduating in Sydney Australia, Judy set backpacking across the world on a shoe-string budget. What began as a journey to explore the unknown unexpectedly became the root of an ongoing love affair with producing artworks of often nameless and voiceless, yet inspiring women and children from developing countries.
“Having traveled extensively, my most profound memories are not seeing Times Square or climbing the Eiffel Tower, it’s remembering the faces and stories of women and children I have seen or met along my unplanned journeys” states Judy. “Despite their daily struggles, the presence of these women can tell a million stories”.
“I met a 70 year old woman in Asia who lived in a Hmong village which had no electricity and was so high in the mountains it appeared hidden in the clouds. Despite the language barrier, her presence and the lines beautifully creased across her serene face told stories of a lifetime; her wisdom as a village elder sustaining the traditions of her tribal community; the love for her family; the will to preserve her culture among the younger generation in the wake of urbanization – a real threat literally thousands of meters at the foothills of the mountain. Such simple encounters from one woman can often be the tale of many women. This is what I try to capture in my paintings”.
Unlike other artists who prefer to depict facial expressions, Judy’s artwork takes a different approach. She states: “I want the viewer to look at my artworks and envisage stories behind these figures based on their own interpretations.” Each single woman and child in the paintings represents a community of people, of lives, of different stories.
The variations of the six primary colours used across her painting collection reflect the life, love and dependency between mother and child witnessed across the globe, despite the struggles of their reality.
The ‘Mother Child Painting’ collection was officially released in October 2012. All her artworks are oil over acrylic on canvas. To view the full collection of paintings go to www.motherchildpaintings.com
Judy Lai is a London-based Australian artist. She continues to backpack the world searching for human encounters that can be translated into art.