Judy McSween
Charleston, SC
✨ “Abstract art rooted in my love of the outdoors, reminding us that nature restores what busy lives take away.” ✨
Message
"I pulled up that picture, Googled your website and looked into your work. Your images leapt off the screen - your eye/voice is unique, the emotional content is immediately evident and powerful, and I was simply captivated." ~Collector
Charleston-based painter Judy McSween creates luminous abstract works inspired by the landscapes and life experiences that shape her. Working between realism and intuition, she layers brushwork, palette knife marks, and line to reveal pathways of light and color—her signature throughout her paintings.
Originally from Warren, Ohio, McSween earned her BFA in Painting from Bowling Green State University and spent more than twenty years teaching art, crediting her students with helping her see the world with fresh eyes. Her work has received numerous awards, including Best Painting at the Piccolo Spoleto Juried Art Exhibit (2022) and the City of North Charleston Arts Fest Design Award (2017), where her painting Scraping the Sky II became part of the city’s permanent collection.
McSween advocates for art to educate and uplift through her painting workshops, monthly newsletters, and social media presence: Instagram Judy McSween FamiliarAbstracts and Facebook Facebook.com/JudyMcSweenPaintings Her portfolio is available for viewing on her website, judymcsween.com She is represented by Dare Gallery in Charleston SC and Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan's Island, SC. She is a member of the National Association of Women Artists and The National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society.
Statement
I create abstract paintings rooted in my lifelong love of being outdoors. As a child, playing outside was my place to dream and escape from noise and distraction, and as an adult it continues to be where I feel most alive, peaceful, and connected. Those experiences shape the colours, movement, and energy in my work.
My paintings are invitations to step away from the pace and perfectionism of modern life. Viewers often tell me they feel uplifted and transported when they stand in front of my work — reminded of places and moments where they once felt content. Through this reconnection, I hope to inspire people to put down their devices, spend more time in nature, and rediscover the joy of being fully present in their own bodies, minds, and spirits.
At its heart, my work celebrates imperfection, honesty, and the restorative beauty of natural spaces. It is a reminder that even in a world of excess and overwhelm, the outdoors offers us strength, freedom, and the chance to come back to ourselves.