MAKING THE OLD NEW AGAIN — Wintersville resident Judy Schmidt, president of the Steubenville Art Association, is bringing new life into old furniture through paintings she creates and sells at SAA and local yard sales.
— Contributed
WINTERSVILLE — She was born with a talent not too many people possess. And yet, she never used that gift with which she was born until around the age of 60. Her ability to paint a beautiful scene that isn’t always right in front of her is a unique trait. And one she is currently working on.
Judy Schmidt is utilizing her talents for projects other than the typical canvases she usually uses. The Wintersville resident has served as the president of the Steubenville Art Association for five years; however, she only started painting after she retired from her career as a nurse.
Schmidt explained her husband bought her some acrylics as a Valentine’s Day gift following her retirement. She hasn’t put them down yet.
Schmidt is now using her artistry to paint flower scenes onto wooden chairs which she rescues from local thrift shops around the area. She explained she has purchased several Duncan Phyfe chairs for $3 each, and has more than 20 chairs completed. She paints children’s themed chairs, as well, including the popular cartoon dog, Bluey.
Her home is overflowing with chairs, as she loves what she is doing and hopes to sell some of her creations at upcoming shows.
“I mean, canvas painting is one thing, but painted chairs take up a whole lot more space,” she stated. She said she sells her art through word of mouth, but also takes a few pieces to SAA art sales. Some of her artistic furniture will be sold in the upcoming United Way of Jefferson County Community Yard Sale at Eastern Gateway Community College Sept. 7. She also will have pieces at the sale at Grafton Farms during the Labor Day weekend. Schmidt sells the chairs anywhere in the range of $40 to $50. The price increase is due to the time and dedication that goes into each chair, with every one being unique from the other. Every project can take anywhere from eight to 10 hours to paint, she said. Others take longer. The cost factors in for the price of materials, with each having a protective clear finish.
Schmidt said she had one person who purchased four different chairs to use with her country-style dining room table. She has hundreds of paintings on canvas, has painted numerous denim jackets and painted all of the plywood characters displayed during Christmas at the Visitor Center at Historic Fort Steuben.
“Nothing is safe around me,” she joked. “Sometimes paintings just flow. Other times, it is a battle to paint something you are not happy with.”
“As with writers, an artist can go through a dry period where nothing they do looks good to them,” she continued. Schmidt noted if someone were to approach and ask her to do a specific piece, she replied she would have to see the work beforehand, so as to see if it would work for her. “I am not usually a realist painter,” she concluded. “But I do get enthusiastic about unique artwork and lots of bright colors.”
Schmidt has painted a portrait of her uncle, who was one of the Andrews Raiders in the Civil War. There had only been a likeness of him found in a book, which she used to paint his portrait. The portrait may be donated to a Georgia museum that honors the Raiders, as his is the only one not hanging in the building.
To contact Schmidt, call (740) 424-3835.
