Lawyers with Artistic License: Judith McInturff

Judith McInturff

HE THE G. S L

Judy McInturff has an energy and enthusiasm which fuels her multitalented creativity. She uses her artistry to better understand herself and the world around her. She is a former pianist and violinist, a painter, poet and writer, all of which enable her to give back to family, friends and the legal community.

Judy taps into her different moods by creating art, poetry or stories that are reflective of what is happening in her life or around her. She relaxes by painting portraits of her friends’ pets and homes to give as gifts from her heart; she composes poetry to celebrate others’ milestones or family celebrations; she writes short stories and books when personal life events inspire her; and she writes plays when she is worried about national events. Many of Judy’s poems have been written for holidays or to celebrate a family member’s life events. She says her family looks forward to the gift of each new poem.

Judy describes her painting process as beginning with a photo of the pet or the house she plans to replicate. When she is in painting mode, she loses track of time, and thoughts of personal or work challenges flee while she concentrates on the next color to use or image to create. She generally works with acrylic

She talks about how her writing connects both her and the reader with what matters, with personal, but hopefully universal, insights. Judy knows she has written something of value if the reader either laughs or cries in response to her prose. Lately, she has written two children’s books, soon to be published by Five Rainbow publications, which were inspired by her young granddaughter who has a disability, and a play.

When she is in painting mode, she loses track of time, and thoughts of personal or work challenges flee while she concentrates on the next color to use or image to create. She generally works with acrylic paints, although she experiments with other mediums, such as pastel chalk.

paints, although she experiments with other mediums, such as pastel chalk. A typical painting of a dog, she says, might take around four to six hours. When she is painting pet portraits, her goal isn’t perfection, but rather to create a layered, moving picture with personality. Her goal is different when painting pictures of friends’ houses, with the hope that her friends will proudly display them in their homes.

It is no surprise that with such an eye for color and detail, she married Jim Wolfingbarger, a housepainter who understands those concepts. Judy relates that their three adult children, Alexandra, Drew and Ryan, have also inherited various degrees of artistic ability.

Judy grew up in the Knoxville, Tennessee area, the daughter of an engineer and a fashion artist. From her father, she learned how to think logically through issues, and from her mother she learned about perspective, technique, shapes and colors. These latter lessons, she reflects, taught her how to recreate a 3-D object into a 2-D format.

After studying at Miami University with a major in education and a

PAINTINGS by JUDITH MCINTURFF

minor in art, she attended Capital Law School (1980). Judy’s legal career as a solo practitioner concentrated on debtor bankruptcy and related matters, while also serving as an Adjunct Professor in Capital’s paralegal program. In 2015, after 35 years of practice, she closed her practice to become the CBA’s Director of Continuing Legal Education. Even in this role, she creatively thinks outside the box in planning the curriculum. that written communications, whether in the form of a short story, a play or poetry, can change the world for the better, and personal poetry and paintings can uplift the special people in her life.

Heather G. Sowald, Esq.

Sowald Sowald Anderson Hawley & Johnson hsowald@sowaldlaw.com

Judy’s creations are meant to be a gift not only to her family and friends, but also to society. She believes