Flourishing Congregations Northeast by Judy Jarrett Gier

This piece is a compilation of representations from the 2008 Flourishing Congregations event held in Fort Wayne, Indiana. To create the depictions of the Flourishing Congregations events, Judy has used a variety of painting surfaces.  If wood panels (which give a hard, flat painting), she utilizes acrylic paint and follows with increased detail by colored pencils. If watercolor paper (creating a fairly smooth surface with just a little "tooth" to it), she sketches first, then finishes with watercolor paint and color pencils. Paintings on paper are usually matted and have glass on top to protect the paper. The matting keeps the glass from lying directly on the art work. She is fond of round canvases for the Flourishing Congregations ideas and finds the acrylic paints appropriately rich and colorful.

About the Artist

Although Judy Gier has limited formal training, she has been an artist since childhood, entering art competitions and selling work in the local fairs in Indianapolis, as well as surrounding small towns. As an adult, she began illustrating children's books and other commercial projects, which developed from contacts at art functions. Judy was recently quoted as saying she “enjoys painting now more than ever and can't imagine a more interesting job than creating paintings for the Flourishing Congregations events."