Reflecting on an artistic career

The speaker who will spill the tea at Newport’s next Tea & Talk on Thursday, Nov. 16, is one of the artists in the current “Varied Perspectives” show at the Newport Visual Arts Center.

Judith Toler, who prefers to go by Jude, is originally from Portsmouth on the south coast of England.

“The need to be creative has forever been a part of my life,” she said. “My grandfather was an important early influence, a talented amateur watercolor painter, he always encouraged me in my goal of someday attending art college.”

While pursuing a degree in textile design, Toler won several awards, including first and second place awards from the British Textile Institute and a National Carpet Design travel scholarship.

After graduating, she became a designer for a fashion house in London and later a carpet designer in Wales.

“The lack of time for my own art led me, on a whim, to the travel industry as a seasonal tour director during the summer, working all over Europe which financed my wintertime art activities,” she said. “This work also gave me access to the great cultural centers of the art world.”

During a short vacation in Hawaii, Toler met the man who would become her husband. Their son was born on Maui the following year.

The family moved to 30 acres in rural Oregon in 1985 and created a small business making handmade ceramic tile that they initially sold at the Eugene Saturday Market and later at art shows all over the west.

A chance encounter led to a couple of week-long workshops with master silk painter Karen Sistek.

“It was a revelation,” Toler said. “I found that using dyes on silk is captivating, the intensity of color enhanced by the luster and sheen of the silk.”

In her talk, Toler will cover a little history of silk painting, give details of how she works and provide a list of resources.

Tea and Talk events, organized by Coastal Arts Guild, are informal afternoon gatherings for anyone curious about art and artists.
The talk begins at 2 pm at the Newport Visual Arts Center, located at 777 NW Beach Drive.  For more Information, call 541-574-3364.