Bettendorf artist Gray honored in exhibit, scholarship

Longtime artist and Bettendorf native Judy Gray passed away this past Christmas, and Bereskin Fine Art Gallery and Studio now honors her with an exhibit representing her life's work.

At this Friday's opening at Bucktown Center for the Arts (225 E. 2nd St., Davenport), fellow Left Bank Art League artists, Pat Halverson (oil) and Rose Moore (pastel) will give demonstrations, from 6 to 9 p.m.

In addition to Left Bank, Ms. Gray was active in the past 15 years with Quad City Arts, Figge Art Museum, The Art Collective, MidCoast Fine Arts, The Art Garage, and Davenport Museum of Art, according to a release from the Bereskin Gallery.

"She explored a variety of mediums in expressing from photo realism to whimsical fantasy," owner Pat Bereskin's release said. "Her passion, as a life-long learner, brought her to many locations across the United States to study with some of the finest artists of our time."

Original work, along with prints, will be available for sale, with a portion of the proceeds to go to a scholarship fund created in her honor. "Many of Judy's friends, community and art patrons wanted to know how to acquire some of her work," Ms. Bereskin said.

"We met with the family and they were touched and happy to make her work available for this worthy cause," she said, noting that as a teacher herself, Ms. Gray was "well aware of those gifted students who were unable to study further because of financial restraints," Ms. Bereskin said.

Ms. Gray passed away at age 74 on Christmas evening, Dec. 25, 2016. The Bucktown show of her paintings will run through March 18.

Source: Bettendorf artist Gray honored in exhibit, scholarship