Golden Rule

Golden Rule
Judith Brandon
March 3, 1963
Artist Biography
Acquisition Number: 2017.1
Medium: Ink, charcoal, and pastel on incised printmaking paper
Size: 42 ¼” x 72 ½”
Date: 2013
Credit: Gift of the artist

In Judith’s work, you will see a union of nature and emotion, and Golden Rule is no exception. In Golden Rule, ominous storm clouds crowd the top of the painting, only to break apart by a glowing path of golden light which illuminates the ground below it. Various words are incised over the piece, such as “Quit waiting for something to happen,” “You won’t ever be the same as yesterday,” and “The other side is love,” among others. Some are well-hidden, others are easily visible. Indeed, it seems that Judith was swept up in emotions when she made the piece, saying that “It came spilling out one late afternoon and was finished a few days later, which is extremely rare for me.” She states that “Golden Rule is one of those pieces that is best shared. Its essence is: Love and accept yourself, only then can you truly love and accept others.”