Judy was invited to submit original paintings to the jury for an art exhibit entitled ‘Rural Roots’—to be held in a century-old restored flour mill just east of Peterborough.

Judy submitted ‘In the Gloaming’  plus a few of her miniatures that were in keeping with the rural theme of the show.  She visited the exhibit while up that way for another show (the Buckhorn Wildlife Art Festival).  “This venue is fantastic—a huge three-story heritage mill.  There are massive walls covered with rough plaster, enormous hand-hewn tree trunks for beams, and wide floorboards polished by decades of hard use; through the deep set windows you are able to hear the water rushing and see past the mill pond for miles.  The exhibit, done by Canning Galleries, was set up in such a way as to complement all of this perfectly.” 

NHL Commission

Selected from hundreds of submissions from across Canada, Judy was one of twelve artists  commissioned to create the first series of works for a lasting NHL Collection of art.  Marie Mahovlich held position as curator of ‘Visions of Hockey’.

Final jurying was continued by a panel of her selection:  Mr. Matthew Teitelbaum (Director of the Art Gallery of Ontario); Mr. Chas. Pachter (well known artist and sculptor); Chief Justice Roy McMurtry; the Hon. John Brooke; and Mrs. Mahovlich herself (a graduate of the Ontario College of Art).

The twelve artists chosen—from Nunavut, Vancouver, Montreal, and parts between—were asked to portray their feelings about hockey.

Judy wanted to point to the grassroots of the game, how it helped forge our communities and became a defining part of our collective psyche as Canadians.  “Every weekend in winter there was at least some time spent at the arena.  As kids, the equipment was minimal; you had skates, usually hand-me-downs; and a stick.  If your family was well to do, you might have a helmet, probably one of the old leather ones.  You might even have rolled up newspapers in your socks to protect your shins.”  That was the basis of the still life which she painted; simply her husband’s old hockey bag, stick, and skates, and entitled it ‘Classics’.

The AllStar festivities as a whole  were billed as ‘the biggest hockey event of all time’ and there were multiple functions slated for the weekend. 

The artworks would be auctioned online, the auction beginning two weeks prior to the All Star festivities and culminating on the last evening.  The Collection was unveiled at a gala opening at the Hockey Hall of Fame at that time, to much media attention.  Judy and her husband chatted with many hockey legends: Dick Duff, Ron Ellis, Ken Dryden, ‘Shack’ (who was pleased at her choice of subject, saying, ‘that’s where we came from!’) and many others.  She finally met Marie Mahovolich, with whom she’d had many telephone conversations through the course of the project —‘a wonderful personality’ (husband Senator Frank M. was on a diplomatic mission to France at the time, she met him later). The auction was ceremoniously begun.  (The National Post, Toronto Star, Sun, Ottawa Citizen, NOW & Scene Magazines, as well as on Global TV, CBC National Morning Show, CFMT-TV) 

Judy’s still not sure how to summarize the huge AllStar festivities two weeks later.  All the artists were feted, wined and dined; gold seats in the ‘Bowl’ for theAllStar Game, then many gala receptions at the Royal York, the CNE grounds, and finally piped into one at the International Trade Centre (by the 48th Highlanders of course).

As for the auction of the original works, the online bid figures were going up steadily.  In the last 48 hours or so, a bidding war seemed to erupt for Judy’s work.  Apparently NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was a major participant in this (Judy received a nice note from him later) but when the final bell was sounded someone else had slipped in the winning bid at the last moment.  Final figure was $4,300 (about $6,235 CDN at that time.)       

“Over $50,000 U.S. was raised in conjunction with the sales of the Visions Collection for the U.S. and Canadian Cancer Societies.”

Senator Frank Mahovolich,

Mrs. Marie Mahovolich,

Judy

Judy has received word that her entry to the Miniature Art Society of Florida (MASF) International Show has won Best in Show, for her work ‘Lang Syne’ (January 2010, details on blog). The MASF is the largest such show in the world.

Judy has received a number of national/international awards for her work including ‘best in show’, juror’s choice, and critic’s choice; some for her children’s book; and she holds several others for her miniatures, including the President’s Award from the Cider Painters of America, and an Award of Excellence from the World Federation of Miniaturists. 

‘Smallworks North America’ (Oct-Dec ‘08) , hosted by the Greenwich Village Workshop Gallery in Connecticut, saw voters placing her submission in the ‘Top 40’.   

It is not the intention to provide a complete CV via these pages, but one is available to galleries on request.   

AWARDS

(SELECTED) EVENTS

All images and information copyright Judy Minor.

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