About Judith Campanaro

My mission statement is to facilitate empowerment through creative expression. I am a firm believer that art feeds the soul and empowers the psyche. The more universal the thought, form and color, the more powerfully the work will speak to the harmony within each human being. My paintings are meant to capture universal truth, and thus provide a path for the viewer to his/her own internal rhythms and peaceful center.

I was born and raised in California. At an early age, I recognized art as my life path. From 1976-1986, I owned and operated The Hobbit School of Art in Ventura, California, where I taught both children and adults. I previously taught for VSA Arts of Nevada and Ottawa University in Phoenix, Arizona. I hold a BA in Psychology, an MA in Professional Counseling and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Art Therapy.

In addition to teaching, I have had many solo shows both in the United States and the Caribbean. My paintings are also included in numerous public and private collections.

My newest paintings are about many things which are a mirror of the best and worst realities of our times. I seek to add new dimensions through the language of color, form and expression. I usually start with a color scheme and then evolve into a composition. As the process continues, color, composition and fluid movement combine to create a vision that documents the changing moods of man and nature – the hidden meanings of life. Blending traditional color and images with contemporary styles and forms is an important element in understanding my vision and intuitive art.

My life is the expression of myself in my art. Painting and teaching are my passion. “There are people who are born to do certain things. It’s something innate that drives you almost beyond control to that destiny. “You start out in life becoming what other people want you to become. You hope in the course of your life, you’ll find out what you want to become (Seslar in Lehrman, 1992, p. 103).”

My current objective is to be true to who I really am as an artist. Inspired by the work of Wassily Kandinsky and the soft gentle impressionism of Claude Monet, I strive to explore both cultural and personal expressions. My goal is to combine the bright symphony of Kandinsky with the light and softness of Monet thus creating an unselfconscious language that helps one look a little closer at the world around us.