a sketchbook from hellJudy Williams, 57 a woman with incredible enthusiasm and drive. Excitable and mad you would never begin to image what her life story entails. In 1994 she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and was forced to have a masectomy. As a wife, a mother and a woman this was something unbelievably painful. As an artist though, it made her create some of the most stimulating and sesitive work. Small stitched patchwork snippets of materials, framed beautifully alongside huge canvas’ full of black paint and vicious lines. For Judy looking back on it now, it all seems so dark.

After battling against cancer she looked forward to spending the rest of her life with her husband Mark, the love of her lif, until he was diagnosed with manic depression in the early 2000’s. Judy sat and watched as her husband deteriorate before it all became to much. December last year, it was decided they would divorce but Judy said she still tries to hard maintain a relationship with Mark.

Judy Williams is such a inspiring woman and artist, using art to express her deepest fears and a way to forgive and move forward.

‘Its hard to admit to yourself that your that desperate. But some-times your best work comes from when its most painful’

‘A Story from the Past ’Judy comes across a print she did of the antique chair that came from Mark’s family, She said she became obsesssed with this chair and drew it over a period of 5 years.

‘It was very dark.’ - Judy Williams, 57

When walking around Judy’s house she was always very open about experiences she has had, talkative and high pitched she would laugh manically but when in her studio however she would have moments of peace. Sometimes awkward, she would stand and pause, almost admiring her work, then snapping out of the silence she would explain the development of each piece and would always end on how she felt whilst she was working. The work whilst Judy’s battle against Breast Cancer was so jumbled. Looking at it was hard as it was all stitched together, with parts missing and layers added too.

‘I guess everythings about layers and boundaries, block and unblocked. Moments of Englightenment.’

The work about entitled ‘A Story from the Past ’ is a body of work focusing on the deteriation of Judy’s ex-husband Mark. In the early 2000’s Mark was admitted to hosptial with Manic Depression. Judy sat at watched whilst Mark

became less like the man she married and more like a stranger. They moved from their family home they lived in their whole married life while Mark was admitted and Judy had to live alone whilst her two children were at University . When Mark came out of hospital, together they moved back into their ‘home’ and tried to rebuild their relationship.

The house had been completely emptied and whilst plac-ing the furniture back Judy came acorss this chair she had never really noticed before. A family heirloom from Mark’s side. A beautifully crafted wooden chair that had been damaged during the move, Judy felt an instant connec-tion to this seat.

For five years Judy drew the chair, addicted to its curves she still never understands what the attraction was to this chair. Last decemember it was finally decided that Judy and Mark would divorce. ‘I’m finally happy’.

Annabel May Oakley-Watson

‘ Sometimes its hard to admit that your that depressed. ’