Judy Braddy wasn’t born a Wichitan, but she loves Wichita Falls and shares her art with the community. Right now she has art at the Kemp Center for the Arts, the Wichita Falls Art Association Gallery Seventh Street Gallery, and and a solo exhibit at The Forum. The solo show is called “The Story of the Traveling Stray Straw Hat”.
The theme of “The Story Of The Traveling Stray Straw Hat” involves the travels of her mother and her adventures around the world. Her mother, Myrna Morse, was a school secretary and saved her money to be able to travel for a couple of weeks during summer vacation. She went around the United States and all over the world. “She went to 20 countries over the 12 years she was a secretary.”, Judy said. “She was always interested in learning new and different things and she usually talked a couple of her girlfriends into going with her.”
“While she was on Prince Edward Island in Canada, she met a woman that was a tour guide and played the part of Ann in the play of Ann of the Seven Gables, that my mother enjoyed. The woman became so fond of her that she gave the hat to my mother.”, Judy said.
Judy’s exhibit at The Forum has that straw hat in every painting, although sometimes it isn’t easy to find.
“I didn’t want to paint my mother in every picture, so I thought why not paint the one thing she always had with her. The hat didn’t do her any good because she was always loosing it—leaving it on the bus or in a restaurant, and she always had to go back and find it.”, Judy said with a laugh.
The last trip she took was to Alaska and while riding a bus it blew off of her head. The bus driver said it wasn’t safe to go and get it without a stick to test the ground, but he promised they could go back the next day to get it when they were better prepared. When they went back the next day, they found it upside down with 4 eggs in it. Myrna decided then that that was the end of her hat. They were careful not to touch it and leave human scent on it. Perhaps it was meant to be, since that was the last trip she took. And, of course, the hat with the eggs is immortalized in one of Judy’s paintings at The Forum. The theme of the show came about from an idea Judy had of making a children’s book to help children learn about their own heritage. “I want there to be a place in the back of the book for stories of grandparents, like their travels and experiences. That way the children would know and understand why the relatives are the way they are. Also they would be able to record those experiences.”, Judy explained.
Unlike most artists, Judy enjoys when people touch her art. In many of her pieces she puts caulking compound under the paint. She likes the texture that the caulking gives to the painting. “The texture jumps out at you.”, she explained.
Judy’s earliest influence was John Magey who was an artist that taught painting on a TV show. He taught from the top of the Empire State Building and was a huge influence on her at the early age of 9. Her Aunt Marguerite, who was dress designer in New York City, thought that Judy had talent. Her parents started giving her art supplies, and under the direction of her aunt, she went to college pursuing an art degree at Kansas State University. Judy then transferred to Wichita State University where she got her degree. Her later influences include van Gogh, Monet and Manet.
“What inspires me today is in the love of painting, the people the Wichita Falls Art Association, and the people that are here at the Seventh Street Gallery.”, she said. “There is so much talent in Wichita Falls and there are so many people that have influenced me.”
Judy paints at the Seventh Street along with a number of talented artists. She also sells her work out of the Wichita Falls Art Association Gallery and the Seventh Street Studio, as well as the Kemp Center for the Arts and The Forum. The Kemp Center for the Arts exhibit will be up until January 7th and her show at the Forum will be up until January 28th. She has work that is for sale at the WFAA Gallery and the Seventh Street Studio year round.
She credits her friends Reggie Milam and Louise Nacol for getting her to Wichita Falls.
“I love this city and I thank them almost every day for talking me into moving here.”, Judy said.
Judy was born in California, but lived most of her life in St. Louis. She has taught art in Wichita Kansas, Azle Texas, Fort Worth, and in Wichita Falls at Notre Dame Catholic High School.
Judy Braddy is a bit of a Renaissance woman. Currently, she teaches Speech at Midwestern State University, art at Michael’s Arts and Craft Store, water aerobics at the Downtown YMCA, Ballroom Dancing at various venues, and summer art camps throughout the city.
-Cindy Kahler Thomas
