By permission of the artist, The Cyber Art Show is pleased to feature the first of two 12-piece exhibitions of works by contemporary American landscape painter Jude Tolar (born 1953 in Louisiana, USA).

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Jude Tolar set aside mermaid drawings and college doodling for a psychology degree from Oklahoma State University. Art followed her, though, and led her to a long career in graphic design and illustration. She also wrote and illustrated several children’s books. Along the way she spent two years in fine arts classes post-baccalaureate at the University of Oklahoma.

 

In recent years Jude’s focus turned to fine art. She picked up soft pastels as a way to study color and work easily en plein 

air (in the fresh air), and immediately loved the results. She began studying with a number of well-known pastel artists, including Stephanie Birdsall, Lorenzo Chavez, Terri Ford, Debby Kaspari, Rita Kirkman and Terry Ludwig, Dale Martin, Mitsuno Reedy, Becky Way, and extensively with Clive Tyler.

 

Her soft pastel paintings are lyrical views of the beauty and joy she sees in the world. Light is the first thing she’s drawn to, followed by color and line. She prefers to work from life, mainly en plein air. She’s best known for trees and floral portraits outdoors and glass still lifes indoors.

 

From the outset Jude’s pastel work has garnered much success. She won an Equal Merit award in the very first juried show she entered. Since then her paintings have won many more awards, including five Best of Shows. 

 

Her art has juried in to numerous national and international shows, including three times in Pastel Society of America’s annual NYC show, and twice in IAPS shows. Her work has received Honorable Mention in the Pastel Journal’s Pastel 100, and awards in national shows. 

 

Recently Jude’s pastel paintings won back-to-back awards in the 5th Annual PleinAir Salon; Best Outdoor Still Life (Oct./Nov. 2015) and Best Overall Pastel (Dec. 2015/Jan. 2016).

 

Those paintings appeared in the March and May 2016 issues of PleinAir Magazine. Her work has also been featured in three editions of PleinAir Today, the e-newsletter of PleinAir Magazine (March 29, June 22, and July 13, 2016). In addition, she wrote an article, “Portrait of a Flower,” for Pastel Journal (April 2016). 

 

Jude was the Featured Artist on Autumn Perceptions in Paint and Pastel FB group page, May 27, 2016.

 

She’s been in invitational gallery shows, including Grapevine Gallery’s inaugural Consignment Sale in OKC, and in solo shows. Her pastel paintings are available at Multi Arts Center Gallery, Stillwater, OK, and via her website and Facebook art page. Her work is in private collections across the US. 

 

Jude is a Signature Member of Pastel Society of America. She’s also a Signature Member of Oklahoma Art Guild, and a member of American Impressionist Society, Oklahoma Pastel Society, Pastel Society of New Mexico and Stillwater (OK) Art Guild. 

 

She gives pastel demonstrations and teaches pastel workshops on various subjects. 

 

When not painting, Jude can be found gardening, reading, hiking or mowing. She lives in Stillwater, Oklahoma, with her husband, Jim Bullen, and a studio full of soft pastels. They have a grown son, a daughter-in-law, and two grand-dogs.

                       Selected Awards and Exhibitions
 

                                                                       2016

- One painting accepted, national juried Pastel Society of America Annual Exhibition

- Featured in PleinAir Today, July 13, e-newsletter of PleinAir Magazine, "Plein Air Portraits – of Flowers"

- Featured in PleinAir Today, June 22, e-newsletter of PleinAir Magazine, "Why This Works"

- Fourth, Painting, Contemporary Art Gallery Online Botanical Competition, May

- First, Landscape, and HM, Still Life/Floral, Oklahoma Pastel Society Summer Show

- Judge, Pastel Guild of Europe "Get Dusty" May competition

- Published in Pastel Journal Magazine, April, "Portrait of a Flower" article

- Published in PleinAir Magazine, May, PleinAir Salon Dec. 2015/Jan. 2016 Winners article

- Featured in PleinAir Today, March 29, e-newsletter of PleinAir Magazine, "Parting Shot"

- Published in PleinAir Magazine, March, PleinAir Salon Oct./Nov. 2015 Winners article 

- First, Second, and HM, Advanced Pastels, Stillwater Art Guild Spring Show

- Best Overall Pastel, in PleinAir Salon Dec. 2015/Jan. 2016 competition, PleinAir Magazine 

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                                                                      2015

- Best Outdoor Still Life, in PleinAir Salon Oct./Nov. competition, PleinAir Magazine

 
- Two paintings accepted, national juried Pastel Society of New Mexico Annual Exhibition. Cheap Joe's Art Award in the same show.

- One painting accepted, international IAPS 26th Juried Exhibition     

- Best of Show, Oklahoma Pastel Society Spring Show
     

- Second, Advanced Pastels, Stillwater Art Guild Spring Show

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                                                     2014

- Three paintings accepted, national juried Pastel Society of Oregon 19th Biennial Show. Pan Pastel Award in the same show.

- Two paintings accepted, national juried Pastel Society of New Mexico Annual Exhibition

 

- Featured Artist, Festival of Trees gala fundraiser, Stillwater Arts and Humanities

- Second, Still Life/Florals, Oklahoma Art Guild Fall Show

- First, Still Life/Florals, Oklahoma Pastel Society Spring Show

- Second Overall; plus First, Second, and HM, Advanced Pastels, Stillwater Art Guild Spring Show