Judith

In 1966, after fifteen years in the business world, Roger Medearis returned to painting, and in later years became known for his images of midwestern landscapes and portraits. In Judith the figure's pale green dress and laced-trimmed bonnet recall the clothing of the pioneer women who settled the Midwest a century earlier. Judith's pose mimics that of portraits of wealthy patrons: Her body is at an angle to the canvas and she looks away from the viewer. Her sagging shoulders and careworn face, however, suggest that the portrait is less a celebration of Judith's wealth or beauty, and more a tribute to the steadfastness and spirit of those who braved the frontier.

"Realism had been the motivating factor for me. Realism gave meaning and coherence to all the aesthetic principles." The artist, quoted in Roger Medearis: Drawings 1977-1981, Capricorn Galleries, 1981