In Memory of Judith

An exhibition of work by Judith Entwisle-Baker, Artist, 9th March 1957 – 9th January 2019

Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre, North Uist, from July 2nd to August 13th 2022

Judith and her husband moved to Uist in the early 90’s. With a mutual passion for wildlife, nature and crofting, they fast became fully immersed in island life. Judith was able to focus on her passion for painting while also working for many years at The Hebridean Smokehouseas manager. Her commitment to arts in Uist was evident in her drive to develop Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre where she was a prominent member of the Board ofTrustees for many years.

She always took great pleasure in sharing her work and knowledge with visitors to her Paiblesgarry gallery and was happy to take the time to discuss her inspiration with them. Many of her customers became firm collectors, often commissioning their own originals. Collectors of her artwork are located far and wide including Europe and America. It always brought her joy to know that some of her originals were staying on the island and sheappreciated the support local collectors gave her.

She had a firm belief that original art should be enjoyed by all at a price which was affordable. Always generous in encouraging new artists with her time and enthusiasm, she took great pleasure in seeing the development of new and upcoming artists on the island. Judith was an active member of the Uist Art Association for many years and central to the development of the summer Art on the Map open studio trail.

Local artist William Neill reflects:

I remember Judith and Stuart visiting my studio some years before they moved here. She was clearly interested in art and particularly in watercolour painting, so it was no surprise when Judith joined a watercolour-painting day at Kildonnan Museum in 1998. It was a lovely calm, sunny afternoon and we worked “en plein air”. Later I heard that Judith thought of that painting as her first “real work” though it showed a degree of competence that suggested there had been plenty of earlier effort but perhaps not in watercolour.

It was a pleasure to see the confident development that went on after that. I particularly enjoyed seeing her turbulent sea and sky paintings with birds floating through at ease in the roughest of weather. The birds are integral to the work; she doesn’t fall into the trap of treating them differently and thereby inadvertently separating them from their environment. Sadly she has gone from us but her work will live on.

 Judith’s inspiration for her art came from her love of the landscape and wildlife of her Western Isles home. She expressed this through the medium of vibrant watercolour paintings, mono prints, and pen and ink studies. In particular, she loved birds and was very knowledgeable about them. In her paintings we see Gannets soaring over the wild seas of St Kilda and Boreray, Hen Harriers over Vallay, Arctic Terns at Balranald and waders on the shore at Paiblesgarry. Many of Judith’s more recent paintings were inspired by St Kilda, which she visited on several occasions, but by far, most of her inspiration came from closer to home in North Uist.

In this retrospective exhibition of a very personal selection of Judith’s artwork the visitor will experience a range of Judith’s paintings and drawings rarely shown publicly. Some of it features earlier work drawn from other locations throughout the UK. A Marsh Harrier in Suffolk, colourful floral arrangements, still life studies of domestic scenes, a windmill in a rural village, a Yarmouth boat with an interesting history. We even have some delightful little studies of more exotic creatures, a group of bright pink flamingos painted at Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust and a charming pencil study of lions in Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire. There is so much to enjoy in this retrospective exhibition of Judith’s work. She was exceptional artist and supportive friend to many.

Taigh Chearsabhagh have kindly agreed that they will not take a commission from the sales of work in this retrospective exhibition and all monies raised will be returned to her family and donated to the Headway charity in Judith’s memory.