Judy Westegaard-Jenkins CDA has worked professionally as an artist, art director, licensed designer for the craft and gift industry, and as a company spokesperson and educator in the arts. Her work has been published in numerous magazines. With over 25 books and videos to her credit, she offers a variety of painting pattern packets as well as Zoom webinars. Judy's artwork, especially her holiday designs, can be found in many private collections as well as in the Library of Congress, the White House, the Smithsonian Institute and in several Presidential Libraries. Active in the former Society of Decorative Painters, she received the CDA designation in 1983. Judy's most current work is a mixture of decorative art and fine art incorporating unusual background textures, embellishment and a variety of other experimentation. Her work is strongly influenced by nature, anything vintage, antique or repurposed. She lives in southwest Ontario, Canada.

I am an avid flower gardener and love birds and the creatures that inhabit my backyard – deer, foxes, raccoons, chipmunks, squirrels, peregrine falcons, owls, rabbits and an occasional skunk.

I often paint from photos I have taken in my yard. Ron and I live surrounded by 3,000 acres of the Dundas Valley Conservation Area. With 25 miles of trails, the Carolinian forest and many waterfalls, we hike every day year-round.

When I paint just for myself, I always paint flowers. Is it any wonder that as a young woman, I had several areas I wanted to pursue: journalism, floral arranging and horticulture, and the veterinary sciences. Instead, I took up painting as a hobby and my life pursuits changed immediately. I enjoy writing about my crazy life of painting, teaching and traveling. My husband and I are are off to countries around the world as often as possible.

My art career started at the age of 3 in my mother’s freshly painted closet with a new tube of lipstick. There was something about that ruby red lipstick found in her purse that begged me to experiment on her mint green walls. After that experience, it’s no wonder I didn’t pursue art until age 23 when I signed up for a decorative painting class. My toddler was diagnosed with a severe case of asthma and spent more time in the hospital than at home. Her doctor told me to do something for myself to keep my sanity. I had seen my sister-in-law's brightly painted Priscilla Hauser designs on basswood rounds and I thought they were the most gorgeous things I had ever seen! Signing up for Monday night classes, I was hooked – line and sinker. After each class with Audrey Bettin while I was living in northwest Iowa, I stayed up until all hours of the night finishing my project. The next day, I would invite all of my neighbors over to spend the day painting what I had learned the night before. Life hasn’t been the same since! I began studying with artists like Ann Kingslan and Peggy Caldwell and so many others. I joined the Society of Decorative Painters and got involved with the Illinois Prairie Painter Chapter when I moved to the Chicago area where I had the opportunity to study with artists like Linda Kiska, Linda Wise, Doxie Keller, Bonnie Seeman, Joyce Beebe, Mary Jane Todd and Mary Jo Leisure who convinced me that I had the skills to try for SDP’s Certification program. I received the Certified Decorative Artist designation on my first try from the Society of Decorative Painters in 1983.

I taught at shops and for craft distributors throughout North America and soon began working with Judy Martin, owner of Illinois Bronze Paint Company. Wherever I traveled, painters were the friendliest, most sharing people I had ever met. The greatest friendships of my life have been because of decorative painting. One of the biggest thrills of my life was flying into Russia in the late ’90s, seated next to Priscilla Hauser, whose artwork and painting methods were the first I painted. I am very proud to have been integral in bringing acrylic paints for the first time for the Russian painters to use in Zhostovo. The experience and friendships we made were amazing and have continued through the years.

Working professionally as an artist, art director in the licensing industry, licensed designer for the craft, tabletop and gift industry, and as an educator in the arts has kept me busy for many years now. My designs have been published in numerous magazines. I wrote a column called "Homework" about the decorative painting lifestyle for a painting magazine for nine years as well as for an online magazine in the past few years. I have been a DecoArt Helping Artist since the program began. I worked for Illinois Bronze Paint Company for seven years until the company sold. I then worked for Robert Simmons Brush Company for seven years and did contractual work for many companies within the art materials and craft industries. 

With over 25 books, videos and a plethora of painting pattern packets and videos, sharing my designs with others gives me great joy. I was honored and humbled to serve as SDP's Convention Artist in 2017. My holiday designs can be found in many private collections as well as in the National Museum of Decorative Painting, The Society of Decorative Painter’s Permanent Collection, the Library of Congress, the White House, the Smithsonian Institute and in several Presidential Libraries. My most recent work is a mix of painting, fine art, chalk techniques, unusual background textures, embellishment and a variety of other experimentation. I am strongly influenced by nature, anything vintage, antique or repurposed. And yes, I no longer hide my artwork in the closet.