Sunlight can transform landscapes into beautiful scenes that glow with new life. Stemming from that sentiment, the intent of Newtown-based artist Judy Kieta LaTorre is to create paintings that radiate warmth using the transparent nature of watercolor.
"Because of the fine detail rendered in each scene, coupled with the changing effects of light, my work has been described as a combination of realism and impressionism," she shares.
Bucks County's natural beauty gives Judy the opportunity to preserve the region's rich history for future generations. "If my work conveys a feeling of peace and harmony, and allows viewers to take a moment to appreciate their surroundings, then I have been successful," she concludes.
Judy creates and sells watercolors, landscapes, florals, architectural-driven renderings, digital kaleidoscopes and notecards.
"My hometown near Windber, Pennsylvania, was once an artist colony; this may've had an influence on my passion for art," Judy says. "When my son, Matthew, was born, I was a stay-at-home mom; this gave me the opportunity to follow my dream job: being an artist. My second child, Chloe, was born in 1991. I always joked they became my business partners, as they accompanied me for photo shoots and to galleries and shows."
While working in watercolor, she says she captures moods through her treatment of light. "My careful observation of sunlight and perspective creates works that radiate warmth. Floral watercolors are included in my portfolio, but the main purpose of my work is to capture our place in time in a beautiful light," she says.
This artist's work is in public and private collections throughout Bucks County and Philadelphia. Juried exhibits in which she's participated include Phillips Mill, The Philadelphia Sketch Club and Ellarsie Open at the Trenton Museum.
Judy's had solo and group exhibitions throughout The Delaware Valley.
She was commissioned by Stuckert and Yates Attorneys in Newtown during 2003 to create “Marshall Law,” one of the Miles of Mules’ sculptures. Miles of Mules was an idea started by the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor supporters. In that area, anthracite coal was first discovered, mined and transported by the canal system, with mules providing locomotive power. Just prior to the Civil War, more than 3,000 mule-drawn boats traveled up and down the Delaware Canal, moving more than a million tons of coal per year.
From 2005 to 2010, Judy donated a painting to the annual Pearl S. Buck Foundation’s “Tastes of the World” event and auction. For that project, she says she was given the rare privilege to photograph the interior rooms of the estate.
Bucks County Community College Tyler Hall also has a few donated works from the annual Tyler Tasting displayed.
“My goal is to allow viewers to take a moment to appreciate the scenes that surround them every day,” Judy states.
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Judy Kieta LaTorre
Judy admits her creative spirit was inspired by the landscapes and history of Western
Pennsylvania. Although she enjoyed painting and drawing throughout her childhood, she chose medical technology as a profession and received a bachelor's degree from St. Francis College, Loretto Pennsylvania during 1979. She worked as a research scientist until the birth of her first child in 1988.
Her family moved to Newtown during 1990. The paintings she created thereafter have reflected her emotional ties to the community. Throughout the years, she contributed to the preservation of the historic landmarks in Bucks County, too.