Page 132 - Abilene Living

“Curating art exhibitions at The Grace Museum, teaching, critiquing, exhibition design, graphic design, photography, writ-ing.....it’s all about the art and the artist.”

“My life has evolved in ways I never would have imagined growing up in a small town outside Dallas,” Judy said. She recalls a childhood spending hours alone drawing and making pictures of things that existed only in her imagination. Later in high school she was fortunate to study with talented art teacher, Florene Gray, who gave her an appreciation for art history.

When Judy decided to attend college, her parents were op-posed to art as a major. They compromised. She would study a ‘sensible’ major like interior design. She enrolled at UT Austin in 1963 and graduated four years later. Thus began a twenty year career as a licensed commercial interior designer.

She created interiors for corporate offces, hospitals, restau-rants and developers across Texas. Many clients asked for graphic design assistance so she started Judy’s Ink graphic design frm. Soon, it became apparent she was not over her desire to study art. As a working single mother of three, she pursued her masters in

Through the Eyes of an Artist

Always drawn to art, Judy Deaton finally found her niche at The Grace Museum where she uses her curatorial skills to create experiences in art.

by Jeff Clark | photos by Jason McDonald And Judy Deaton