“First and foremost, I paint for myself… it’s something I’m meant to do, it’s this journey that I’m on” said Andrew Judkins, a local artist. Judkins has been painting in the Mankato area since his youth. “I’ve always been drawn to art and had a bit of a natural ability or connection with it,” Judkins said. His natural talent and years of commitment have led to the creation of fantastic oil landscapes, among other subjects.

On Jan. 9, the YFAC was packed with people eager to hear about Judkins’ art.

“I watched the YFAC light up with his work,” Associate Professor Jason Jaspersen of the Studio Art Dept. said after their conversation. People would walk through the YFAC expecting photographs, only to discover paintings instead.

Judkins is known for using oil paints on canvas to create lifelike landscapes that transform into abstract, vibrant images the closer the eye gets. Through years of dedicated education and practice, he has found his distinct style. “He has developed skill through his commitment and his commitment is paying off,” Jaspersen said.

Students were left inspired by the art. “Just seeing… how he used colors is crazy… he would take blue and put it in a place you’d never imagine blue to be,” sophomore Faith Johnson said. Judkins thoughtfully uses color to captivate realistic moments full of emotion. “I have favorite colors and favorite mixes too,” Judkins said.

Junior Olivia Woller was so captivated by the artwork that she purchased one of the paintings. “I loved the color palette and the feeling it gave me when I looked at it. Its name is ‘The Swimming Hole,’ and to me, it looks so refreshing and it is like I am there… I cannot wait to go exploring to try to find it,” Woller said.

Most of his landscapes come from moments in local nature. “On some level, things around here are interesting because it’s a scavenger hunt because there are beautiful moments to seek out but it’s not very easy,” Judkins said. Judkins excels at finding beauty in unexpected places. “His art inspires me to appreciate the beauty around Mankato,” Woller said.

While the paintings themselves are windows into the local gems, there is more to the story they tell. “My paintings are a moment I’ve experienced, so all my paintings are a place I’ve been, but also I’m trying to convey kind of through a filter to the audience a moment that I had,” Judkins said. In that moment, Judkins not only captures the natural wonders, but the emotions. “Sometimes I’ll paint something that I’m really excited to paint and then that gives me a lot of positive feelings to get started on. And then when I’m done with it, I realize it’s not all about joy, but there’s sadness too,” Judkins said. So many of Judkins’ interests and experiences work their way into the paintings.

So many of Judkins' interests and experiences work their way into the paintings.For example, he is heavily influenced by music. “I listen to a lot of baroque music… you’ll have a string orchestra and you’ll be able to hear all the parts really well and make a cohesive whole sound but you’ll also be able to feel that individuality within the parts really well and I kind of want to do the same thing with painting,” Judkins said.

Amazingly, Judkins translates the moment to the canvas with all its complexity from his basement studio. There, with the aid of photos, he captures the image that is in his memory. He photographs many moments, though only a few get captured in paint. Skillfully, he puts the moments on the canvas. “It’s not something I’m planning out and I’m sort of stretching and moving elements as I paint slightly as the eye sees them and feels appropriate so there’s no underpainting and there’s no sketch,” Judkins said.

His techniques are clearly successful. Judkins captures moments that are unforgettable. “I want people to want to look at them and get drawn in… and related to that I’m so interested in landscape and nature and just looking at things very carefully in life and enjoying those little things.”