Artist Bio
A Tennessee-born life-long resident of Rock County, Wisconsin, Judy Hatlen is a realist artist specializing in nature, wildlife, rural scenes, and genre art. Her detailed, vibrant paintings and drawings pay homage to her rural background and love of the outdoors. Especially evident in her work is her emphasis on detail, inviting the viewer to stop, observe, and ponder. It is most important to her that her art enhances the well-being of the viewer. The comment she hears most often about her art is “It gives me a sense of peace.
Hatlen’s interest in art was ignited when her mother showed her how to draw stick figures at the age of three. She found she could tell stories by drawing the figures in various positions and adding facial expressions, and other components. From that time, art was her main interest.
Hatlen graduated from UW Whitewater in 1977 with a BSE in Art Education, and taught art in both private and public schools, before retiring in 2017 to pursue art.
Most recently, Manhattan Arts International selected Ms. Hatlen’s painting, “German Iris”, for the HerStory 2023 Exhibition.
Her painting, "Tiger Swallowtail in a Butterfly Bush" was selected for “The Healing Power of Art inspired by Nature” 2023 online exhibition.
In 2022, she received an award in the Wisconsin Regional Artist Program for her painting, "Spotted Knapweed on Lake Superior.”
Her art appears in many private collections, and in 2022, an art gallery in York, PA purchased one of her paintings. She is a regular participant in Janesville Art League exhibits, the Tallman House Art Fair, and Milton House Arts and Crafts on the Lawn. In keeping with her passion for art in healthcare settings, her art has been exhibited in several healthcare facilities in Southern Wisconsin.