January 14, 2023

The Artist:

Judy Vincentz Gula, owner of Artistic Artifacts and Batik Tambal, is a published fiber and mixed media artist who loves to share her knowledge and skills in textiles and mixed media art with others.

Judy has had a passion for fiber most of her life. She began as a weaver, spinner, dyer, and a collector of all things vintage and ethnic fabrics. She studied fashion design at Radford University, earning degrees in fashion design and business marketing. Judy spent fifteen years as a member of the Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Virginia, and her studio at that time was included on the James Renwick Alliance Studio Tour.

Judy now enjoys merging all that she has learned from her many interests and channeling that into her business. She makes mixed media art quilts as well as shop samples using the unique collection of fabrics carried at Artistic Artifacts

Judy grew up in a family business that sold and manufactured parts for European automobiles. Her entrepreneurial spirit was born of this hands-on, real-world education, preparing her for the business side of running a brick-and-mortar shop and online store.

Judy finds inspiration in new and vintage materials and shares her love of art and empowering others to develop their own style. You may find her teaching a class or working with a customer on choosing the right fabric or supplies to create their own vision.

In 2012, Judy and her husband Dave purchased Batik Tambal, which includes hand painted batik panels from Indonesian artists, her own line of batik fabrics, sarongs, and an unique collection of new and vintage copper tjaps used in the batik making process.

In 2019 her first book, Colorful Batik Panel Quilts: 28 Quilting and Embellishing Inspirations from Around the World, was published by Landauer Publishing. In it you will enter Judy’s world of bright, colorful batik panels. Judy’s passion for vivid and intricate panel designs inspires beautiful art quilts and home décor that celebrate the fair-trade movement.

Judy’s work has appeared in A Quilt Block Challenge: Vintage Revisited and Cutting-Edge Art Quilts, both by Mary W. Kerr; Creating Celebration Quilts by Cyndi Souder; First-Time Beading on Fabric by Liz Kettle; and Modern Hand Stitching by Ruth Chandler. Her work has been juried into the Sacred Threads Quilt Exhibition.

Judy was a co-founder of “Power Suits: An Art Quilt Challenge” and “Arts & Old Lace: An Art Quilt Challenge”. She is a member of Studio Art Quilt Associates and the Textile and Fiber Art List (TAFA).

Artistic Artifacts is a sponsor of Sacred Threads Quilt Exhibition and the Textile and Fiber Art List.

Guild Meeting/Program: My Evolution – From Fiber to Business

Judy will discuss her evolution, why she ended up creating the business, and how she went about it differently than other businesses that take out a loan and have a big plan. That was not her approach. Her business grew as things sold; her displays were acquired somethings that were left on the side of the road.

Judy will also base her discussion on questions from our Guild members before the meeting. There will be an announcement of how to submit questions in advance of the meeting.

Date/Time: January 14, 2023 10:30 AM (following Guild meeting)

Location: St. James Episcopal Church, 11815 Seven Locks Rd, Potomac, MD 20854