Judy Atchison Campbell

Born and raised in a small town in rural Missouri (St. James), Judy Atchison Campbell began her career in art at a very early age. Creating one of a kind artist renderings for decorations in yards, school plays, and sketches for T-shirts, she was rarely without pencil and paper or paints.

Married to her high school sweetheart at 17, her travels around the world began early when her husband joined the Air Force in 1969. By age 23 she found herself a stay-at-home mom of four little girls and very little spare time for her love of art other than in the form of doll clothing and fairy tales.

By the time the girls were in school, Judy's aspiration of being an artist was once again in full swing. She began collecting art books and studying every inch of every photo inside. Within a year she had lined a 15-foot hallway from top to bottom with her practice pieces. The end of the year found her teaching art classes for the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Department on military installations on oils, acrylics, and pastels. A whole new world opened up and she soon realized that she enjoyed teaching her profession as much as she enjoyed creating new works.

She specialized in animal and people portraits for several years throughout her family's travels. In 1980 she was hired as Staff Artist for a wildlife museum in Louisiana. While there she was able to further study actual specimens of wildlife and their habitats. Working alongside the owner, she helped sculpt and create forms for the exhibits as well as designing and painting the majority of the dioramas, displays, and even on occasion, an actual specimen. Active in her community, she was also President of the Bossier City Arts Council, and designed and helped produce a child safe Haunted House each year at a local military installation.

Returning once more to an overseas assignment with her family, she was contracted again by the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Department. This time she created outdoor sports murals, ranging in size from ten feet to two hundred in length, many the height of two story buildings.

Locally, you can see Judy's murals on the walls of the Douglas Company in St. James and on the walls of the Childrens' ward of Phelps County Regional Medical Center in Rolla. You can also see examples of her work on the web at www.thornwoodhollow.com.