Judy Rodriguez is an artist, born in Oakland and raised in Hayward, California. Her interest in art began as a child at home and in the classroom. The Alameda County Fair and community galleries in her hometown displayed her early work throughout her grade school years. In high school, she was awarded the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) governor’s medal in 1991 and 1992 for her accomplishments in drawing and painting. While attending CSSSA at Mills College in Oakland, one of her cyanotype prints made it to the student show at the Crocker Museum in Sacramento.
After graduating from high school, she went on to work at the Hayward Public Library for several years, and her career in libraries continued at the Santa Clara University Library in 1998. There, she developed an interest in graphic design, and two years later she enrolled in a graphic design program at Silicon Valley College. In the years that followed, she developed a passion for technology, fiber arts, beaded wirework, and design, which enabled her to create several online shops where she sells hundreds of her handmade products.
Wanting to deepen her knowledge of artistic techniques, she began coursework towards a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Studio Art and minoring in Art History at Santa Clara University (SCU). In a Mixed Media Painting class, she made a series of assemblages using reclaimed e-waste and non-recyclable library office supplies, and in 2017, she was invited by the director of the Sun Gallery in Hayward to show the series of assemblage works in a group show. In 2018, Several Eyes won the Studio Art Award for Drawing in the Student Juried Show at SCU. Soon after that, she was in charge of designing the curriculum for Fifth Wave’s Summer STEAM Camp’s art component where she taught young adults how to draw using linear perspective, and to create art using various painting techniques that include using everyday household items. As a class of 2020 graduate from SCU, Judy Rodriguez continues to make art, acquire more interests, and sell handmade products, while finding opportunities to incorporate art and design in her life and career.
After graduating from high school, she went on to work at the Hayward Public Library for several years, and her career in libraries continued at the Santa Clara University Library in 1998. There, she developed an interest in graphic design, and two years later she enrolled in a graphic design program at Silicon Valley College. In the years that followed, she developed a passion for technology, fiber arts, beaded wirework, and design, which enabled her to create several online shops where she sells hundreds of her handmade products.
Wanting to deepen her knowledge of artistic techniques, she began coursework towards a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Studio Art and minoring in Art History at Santa Clara University (SCU). In a Mixed Media Painting class, she made a series of assemblages using reclaimed e-waste and non-recyclable library office supplies, and in 2017, she was invited by the director of the Sun Gallery in Hayward to show the series of assemblage works in a group show. In 2018, Several Eyes won the Studio Art Award for Drawing in the Student Juried Show at SCU. Soon after that, she was in charge of designing the curriculum for Fifth Wave’s Summer STEAM Camp’s art component where she taught young adults how to draw using linear perspective, and to create art using various painting techniques that include using everyday household items. As a class of 2020 graduate from SCU, Judy Rodriguez continues to make art, acquire more interests, and sell handmade products, while finding opportunities to incorporate art and design in her life and career.