Fulfilling her childhood dream of becoming an artist, Judith Gwyn Brown has made a name for herself as a talented author, illustrator and painter. Since starting as a private illustrator and instructor in New York in 1958, she has illustrated more than 40 books, including “Lavender-Green Magic” by Andre Norton, “Mandy” by Julie Andrews Edwards, “Butch Elects a Mayor” by Helene Hanff, and “Mr. De Luca’s Horse” by Marjorie Paradis. She both penned and illustrated “The Mask of the Dancing Princess,” “Alphabet Dreams,” “Muffin,” and “Bless All Creatures Here Below: A Celebration for the Blessing of the Animals.”
Ms. Brown started her career right out of college, when she got a job at a printing house. She created illustrations for the printer, compiled a book of her work, and got gigs with various publishers, building her reputation in the industry. Once established in literary illustration, Ms. Brown branched out to include another passion, painting, into her repertoire. Her preferred medium is oil, which she used to produce numerous paintings of New York and portraits of dogs. One notable moment came when some of her artwork was showcased in Interior Details Ltd in Connecticut for the Art to the Avenue festival in 2011.
To enhance her knowledge in her field, Ms. Brown completed coursework at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art from 1951 to 1952 and postgraduate work at the Parsons School of Design at The New School from 1956 to 1957, and earned a Bachelor of Arts from New York University in 1956.
As a testament to her success, Ms. Brown was included in the 16th edition of Who’s Who of American Women. She was also proud to be featured in permanent collections at the Boston Public Library, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Huntington Library in California, as well as a variety of universities. When she isn’t working, she enjoys volunteering at animal welfare groups in New York and Massachusetts.