Judith Haron: What the Horizon Keeps
Contemporary Narratives in Egg Tempera
On view September 19 through November 15
About the Artist
Judith Haron is a Laguna Beach-based fine artist celebrated for her highly intricate contemporary wildlife illuminations. Raised in Denver, Colorado, her lifelong love of nature fuels work that centers upon endangered species.
Her narrative masterworks weave together urgent environmental conservation with original poetry and the mystical folklore of indigenous cultures. Notably, Haron researches the geographic origins of each bird species, using that specific regional history to dictate the flower symbolism and intricate decorative borders that further the painting’s story.
Haron holds a BFA in Illustration and Textile Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She furthered her fine art training through the MFA program at the Laguna College of Art and Design and the Grand Central Atelier.
Today, her rich textile background seamlessly enhances the intricate patterns and contemporary edge of her magical realism panels.
Operating at the peak of the Southern California art market, Haron is a highly vetted, established professional. She has been juried into the prestigious Laguna Beach Festival of Arts for five consecutive years, notably ranking in the top 10 of 120 elite exhibitors.
Remarkably, she is only the second artist in the festival’s near-century history to master her rare medium of choice: authentic, hand-ground egg tempera and 24-karat gold leaf water gilding. Evoking the majestic legacy of 14th-century Illuminated Manuscripts,
Haron painstakingly hand-crafts her paint by mulling dry pigments into a fresh egg and walnut-oil emulsion. She then embellishes her panels with traditional water gilding, burnishing the precious metal to a mirror-like brilliance. Haron’s deeply personal paintings feature signature translucent bubbles to create a surreal sense of space.
Haron’s deeply personal paintings feature signature translucent bubbles to create a surreal sense of space. Look closely, and you will find hidden marbles tucked into the imagery, a loving tribute to her late father, who was an avid antique marble collector.
Reflecting the deep literary roots of her practice, she is currently developing a forthcoming book that pairs her original poetry and story telling with her illuminated narrative artwork.
Ultimately, her wish is to encourage global conservation and share transcending messages of hope with those who view her work around the world.
Events
- Opening Reception (during Toast to the Casa), Saturday, September 19th