Judith Kruger

Judith Kruger (American Nihonga Painter) born (Judith Ann Mosse) in Pittsburgh, PA in 1955. Judith graduated from Syracuse University's School of Visual and Performing Arts in 1977 with a BFA in Illustration, including a year at Central St Martin’s College of Art, London, England.

In 1985 she founded Colorworks Design, Ltd., which specialized in new product development for cliets, some of which included Copco, Crate and Barrel, Federated Department Stores, Lincoln Center, Neiman Marcus, Metropolitan Opera, Philippe Deshoulières, and Salton. During this time, she collaborated with artisans in Europe, Asia, India and South America. In 2001, A brief trip to Kyoto, Japan led Judith to her discovery of Nihonga. She was lured to the beauty of Nihonga’s pure, luminous color and its remarkable surface. This ancient art form was her destiny; combining her lifelong passion for color, material and arcane processes.

Since 2001, Judith has immersed herself in the mastery of Nihonga, Japanese mineral pigment painting. Judith has exhibited her paintings in museums and galleries in both Japan and the USA. Her works meld ancient tradition with contemporary American aesthetic. Kruger says that her works are informed by "masters of centuries past, weathered surfaces on Japanese ceramic vessels,and the unadorned truths in nature".

In 2007, Judith participated in 0x0 Hiroshima/New York-a Ground Zero installation curated by Katsumi Kitada in Hiroshima, Japan along with artists Robert Kushner, Makoto Fujimura, Hiroshi Senju and Pamela Moore from the USA and 4 other Asian artists.

Judith is teaching Nihonga (Nihonga: Then and Now) at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Fall 2008. It is the the first university-level Nihonga class offered in the USA.

In August 2008, she was awarded a NAP grant from the Dept of Cultural Affairs (Chicago) to teach a course she created called "Getting the Dirt on Paint".

In 2008, her signature tableware collection featuring fine mineral pigmented Klay (Kruger Clay) will be available through Susan Fredman-At Home in the City, Chicago, IL. It is being manufactured in a small family owned factory in Central Japan per Judith's design and direction.

She works in the Ravenswood Arts and Industry Corridor of Chicago, Il and is represented in Chicago by Perimeter Gallery, 210 W Superior Street.

[http://www.judithkruger.com Judith Kruger, american nihonga panter]

Category: Nihonga