#74: Judy DeSimone: Abstraction Breakout

Judy DeSimone shared her experience of over 30 years teaching and had some great tips for teachers. She also talked about her ceramic work and inspirations. I loved hearing about how careful she is about the finishes, keeping areas matte while allowing some bits of gloss. Her transformation from realism to abstraction was also inspiring to hear.

Judy DeSimone is a ceramic artist living and creating art in West Chester, Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor of science degree in art education at Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her degree allowed her to pursue a career and vocation as a middle school art educator with 6th, 7th and 8th graders, at a public school in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. It was in this classroom Judy taught herself various ceramic hand building techniques leading to a love of the medium. Her ceramic enthusiasm was shared with her students.

For thirty years, Judy’s ceramics were realistic wall pieces consisting of animals, flowers, leaves and personal diary scenes executed in bas relief. With public school retirement came a shedding of the old and a blossoming of the new to the quick, spontaneous, “why not art” she currently pursues. The “why not” view was reinforced in her retirement job, teaching art to kindergarten through eighth graders at her local Catholic school. The inhibitions of the younger students’ ideas and techniques reinforced Judy’s personal philosophy of, why not, which she applies to her ceramics. What luck to have had three-hundred-part time muses at one’s disposal. After 39 years of teaching art to Kindergarten through 8 grade students Ms. DeSimone hung up her classroom apron to pursue personal artistic endeavors.

Blog Post with links and images: https://www.teachingartistpodcast.com/74-judy-desimone/

www.judydesimoneceramics.com

@JudyLDeSimone on instagram

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