JS33, 1989 pastel on paper.
Judith Scott started practicing at Creative Growth in 1987. She was in a new city with a new community. She was surrounded by over 100 artists, including facilitators who provide support to Creative Growth artists by gathering materials, providing technical support, and giving supportive peer feedback. Artists at Creative Growth have the opportunity to take different classes and explore different mediums. Some artists who enter the studio have a professional background or other artistic experience. For others it's their first time making art.
Judith did not begin her time at Creative Growth working in textiles. She started with painting and drawing. After being at Creative Growth for about six months, Judith met the visiting artist Sylvia Seventy who introduced Judith and other Creative Growth artists to fiber arts.
Her first sculpture started with two sticks wrapped together. This began a new chapter in Judith’s journey as an artist. She gathered objects from around the studio combining them with yarn, thread, and other textiles. Sometimes the objects inside peaked out, such as shoes and chairs to keys and shopping carts, or their general shape remained so that one could guess what was at the center. Other times, objects would be completely hidden. Her sculptures were tightly wound into new, abstract forms. This type of sculpture, a form of fiber art, became her iconic art practice.
As her art practice developed, so did her place in the community. She had friends and peers. Some of those people, like Brian Nakahara and Dinah Shapiro, are at Creative Growth to this day.
“I remember Judith Scott doing those yarn things. Like logs. It was different multi colored strings she was using on a wood piece. And what she did is yarn after yarn rolling on a piece of wood. To make it nice and neat.”
- Brian Nakahara, Creative Growth artist since 2001
Many remember how Judith used found objects from all over the studio, incorporating them into her sculptures
“We always knew when she would take something into her art. She would do a sneak peak and put it into her art. She'd take anything and put it into her art. You name it, she did it. If it was laying out she would put it into her art.”
- Dinah Shapiro, Creative Growth artist since 1983
Creative Growth has always been a place where people use a variety of languages and other forms of communication. While Judith did not use words, she was extremely communicative through her body, personality, and artwork.
“She was a good friend to me. A long time friend. She had her sorrows, her ups and her down times. She'd communicate through her art. When she was sad she’d make sad. When she was happy she’d make happy art. When she was dreary she’d make dreary art. Everything was told through her artwork. Stories through her work. Never without her art.”
- Dinah Shapiro
Over the years, Judith’s art gained international reach. She created over 100 sculptures during her time at Creative Growth where she practiced until she passed away in 2005.
[photo creds TBD]
[photo creds TBD]
Today, Creative Growth artists like Anthony “Tony” Pedemonte and Joanna “JoJo” Beal, who entered the studio in 2009 and 2017 respectively, create wrapped fiber sculptures similar to Judith’s. They did not overlap with Judith and may have gravitated to fiber sculpture on their own or by being encouraged by Creative Growth staff, just as Judith was encouraged. Like in any ecosystem, people impact each other directly and indirectly, with or without words. They live forever through art and memories.
“Judith Scott will be back to be reborn as a new baby. Young Judith Scott. She’ll be coming back real soon.”
- William Scott, Creative Growth artist since 1992