JUDITH KRUGER

2025 WORKSHOP (and Tour) SCHEDULE - Scroll down for descriptions and inquiry forms below.

June 25-28, 2025 (4 Day Workshop Retreat-Weds thru Saturday )
Nihonga: Then and Now immersive- Wisdom House, Litchfield, CT- lodging and meals on premise-commuters welcome.
contact-Judith Kruger for details and registration. 8 participants. Commuters welcome (3 available spots)

August 18-22, 2025 (5 Day Workshop Retreat-Monday thru Friday-Sunday night welcome dinner)
Abstract Alchemy- Snow Farm: New England Craft Program, Williamsburg, MA- lodging and meals on premise-commuters welcome.
contact- Snow Farm for details and registration. 10 participants

September 15-19, 2025 (5 Day Workshop Retreat), Willow Pond SLO, beautiful California Retreat with great food and onsite room and board) Abstract Alchemy - contact Willow Pond SLO for details and registration. 12 participants

October 9-16, 2025 - 10 ppl max-all private studios-option of printshop for 4 printers-with room and board
Master Abstraction Workshop in Residence- The Studios of Mass MoCA, North Adams, MA- lodging, museum passes, daily lunches and 1 welcome dinner included.
contact- Judith Kruger for Application - 10 participants. (7 available spots)

November 1-13, 2025, Traditional and Contemporary Arts Tour of Japan-Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara including day excursions. contact- Judith Kruger for more info and to register. 14 participants (2 available spots)

In-Kruger Studio individual residencies (1 on 1) May, 2025 is filled. 3 month advance preferred.

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Abstract Alchemy-Black, White and Warm Metallics- 5 day

In this abstract painting course, students will reinterpret nature’s deep imagery and essence employing matter from nature itself. Paint, ink and home-made gessoes will be made from a limited palette of inorganic and organic sources including tree soot (sumi), gofun (shells), earth minerals, and plant matter. Metallic leafing and alchemic oxidation techniques will be covered. A variety of painting, drawing and collage techniques will be covered to cultivate individualized expression in mixed-media abstraction. We will work on a variety of Eastern and Western papers as well as wood panels. Asian paper sizing, backing and mounting techniques will be covered. This meaningful, process-driven, ecological (non-toxic, water-based) work truly nurtures the heart and spirit. Traditional and abstract artists at all levels are welcome.

NIHONGA: Then and Now - 4 Day

This workshop is a basic Nihonga (traditional Japanese mineral pigment painting) class. Students will make water-based paint and grounds from Japanese pigments, pine soot (sumi), indigo, cochineal and gofun (shell white) with natural glue binders.Varied colors and particle sizes will be explored through a traditional layering system on Kumohadamashi (hemp/mulberry paper). Metallic leafing and oxidation will be covered, as well as Japanese paper sizing and mounting. Emphasis will be on the creation of multi-layered paintings stemming from ancient, time-honed practices. Works of traditional and contemporary Nihonga painters will be introduced through powerpoint presentations. Traditional and abstract artists at all levels are welcome.

Master Abstraction Workshop-in Residence at the Studios of MASS MoCA. - 1 week

This workshop in residence is an opportunity to take your work to a deeper level with new considerations in a space conducive for growth. You will have your own studio at Mass MoCA (8 participants per session) where you work in your own medium of choice, accommodations, lunches, a welcome dinner, museum passes, one on one and group critiques, morning meetings, material and resource discussions and optional time to visit nearby museums. It’s a very deep, immersive week. Artists have returned more than once and have travelled from as far as Kyoto, Japan, Santiago, Seattle and San Francisco. Note: 4 of the 10 participants will have access to printmaking presses and ongoing help from a master printer in their private studio area.

SUMI Exploration: New Approaches for Contemplative Artwork - 3 Day

This workshop introduces sumi ink, not only from a historical standpoint, as employed in Asian artwork throughout centuries, but also as a significant medium for the creation of contemplative, visceral, contemporary artwork. Through a series of meditative exercises, we will learn ancient Asian methods of ink grinding, toning and burnishing using a variety of ink sticks and papers with both wet and dry brush techniques. Traditional plant based pastes, adhesives, backing, resisting, folding and crinkling methods will be introduced. A variety of tools (beyond brushes) will be explored. Sumi’s meditative and healing properties are powerful! 2D and 3D artists at any level are welcome.

TESTIMONIALS:

The Master Abstraction Residency workshop with Judith Kruger is a rare and unique opportunity to focus and to examine one’s own work. Judith brings a wealth of knowledge both to her critiques and to sharing work of others artists through videos and youTubes. Judith reviews each artists’ previous artwork and encourages directions to further and more clearly express the aim of one’s art.  Judith gives 110% of her experience, energy and time while sharing the week with the participants. It is an opportunity to work independently along with skilled critiques and suggested directions with Judy and further enriched by exchange with the fellow participants. It is neither an instructional workshop nor an isolated residency. Bring questions and lots of energy to fully delve into an amazing week. For me the week (I’ve been twice) provides thought provoking exploration and inspiriation for months of future studio work.

Robin McCondichie, Naples, NY, Robin’s Website

I just completed a week-long residency workshop with Judy Kruger at The Studios of MASS MoCA. After I applied, I debated spending the money and traveling from my home in Atlanta, but the experience was invaluable. Judy gives everything she has. Every minute of the day and for as long as it takes. Her knowledge of Art, past and present artists, process, theory, materials, business (and on and on) are remarkable.  Sometimes ideas were shared as a group, but every day we had one-on-one time with Judy. With eight very diverse resident artists, I was astonished with the knowledge and insights she had for each of us individually. 

Judy generously shared her treasure trove of inspiring artists' videos and films that she has researched and collected for decades. Most all of them were new to me. She guided us through all of the exhibits at MASS MoCA. It's huge and can be a little daunting to navigate. The pace was perfect so we didn’t miss too much studio time. The introduction was made so we had the option to return to our favorites at our leisure. Judy personally understands the emotional challenges of creatives. She shared her experiences and counseled me with my own struggles. All the doubt, frustration, confusion, embarrassment, joy and satisfaction that comes with being an artist.

My week with Judy was wonderfully intense, fun, inspiring, and opened my eyes to so many new perspectives that I will treasure and continue to explore. A shot-in-the-arm. Run, don’t walk, to any opportunity with Judy if you are aching to charge your evolution as an artist.

Elizabeth Stockton, Atlanta, GA, Elizabeth’s Website

The Master Abstraction experience was transformative, and has left me with much more confidence in my artistic direction. In only one week Judith shared a wealth of contemporary art knowledge and technical expertise, led spirited conversations, built group cohesion and spent quality time with each group member. Judith is a generous and perceptive instructor, highly skilled at assessing each individual’s strengths and challenges and addressing them in a compassionate, no-nonsense way. If you’re ready to take your art to the next level, I can’t recommend this experience highly enough!

Ginger Danz, Visual Artist, Fayetteville, WV, Ginger’s Website

I recently did a week-long residency with Judith Kruger at Mass MoCA with a focus on abstraction. The planning, schedule and organization was top notch, communication was excellent and invoicing timely. During the residency I felt informed with short videos and lectures, and the wealth of material knowledge (paints, binders, mediums, resources) Judith provided me was worth the cost of the entire residency alone! During each studio visit I never felt rushed and each piece was examined and discussed in depth. Each critique was extremely valuable and my practice shifted in direction during that week. I highly recommend her! 

     Mari Skarp-Bogli, Visual Artist, Professor Hartford Art School, Tunis Community College, Naugatuck Valley Community College, Mari's website

I have participated in Judy’s one on one coaching, her then and now workshop and her Mass Moca abstraction residency. Her passion and persistence to teach the artist how to mine their authentic self and best work is impeccable. I am in no way the same artist I was when I began working with Judy. She constantly provokes and challenges me to be my best artistic self.  She is patient in teaching and sensitive to individual artist strengths and weaknesses. She is more than generous with her resources, wisdom, and personal life experiences. There is not another Judy Kruger. She is a national treasure in her area of expertise.

Krystal Hart, Visual Artist, Greensboro, NC, Krystal’s Website

I have been searching for a medium that would translate my imagery for years, one that would combine the soft organic nature of western watercolors with the capacity for fine detail, but with more life, more vitality. Researching Nihonga led me to think it may work, and to Judith Kruger's 'Then and Now' Nihonga Workshop. I came through it with far more than I anticipated. 

With the help of Judith, and her vast knowledge I found a rhythm with the class that allowed me to explore and play, but also to translate my work to a new medium with fluidity. The result was discovering a new way to communicate my work in a way that I had felt was not possible. The medium brings light and atmosphere to works that had felt flat and contained. Work that had seemed imprisoned in a two dimensional world was given a sense of vastness. I could tell that my work carried over to Nihonga would grow a life of its own. It has given me new eyes to see my work, new ideas, and a feeling that I have found a home for my current vision. Working with Judith has been a pleasure. She has an eye that allows her to see the heart of your work, to help you realize it and the knowledge of materials.

     Lisse Williams, Visual Artist, Ann Arbor, MI, Lisse's website

I not only learned so much more than what I expected from attending Judith’s Nihonga: Then and Now workshop, but I also felt as though the experience answered many of the questions I have had in my studio practice through the last several years. Judith is a highly knowledgeable teacher who is willing to share her wisdom with her students. I appreciated her generosity with her time and expertise, and am grateful that I had this unique opportunity of learning alongside her and other students. Although the workshop is advertised as intro-level Nihonga, it is intensive and comprehensive, and appropriate for professional artists who have a clear sense of their style and craftsmanship.

      Yuko Oda, Visual Artist, Professor, University of Massachusetts, Yuko's website

I made contact with Judy online in 2013 while desparately looking for answers to a practice I had been working on, mostly experiments, which had a number of resemblances with Nihonga. I believe she was the teacher/mentor I was looking for all this while and feel fortunate that we crossed ways. It was almost a year of interactions, long distance critiques where she took time to understand my practice while patiently introducing me to the tenets of Nihonga. She was particularly encouraging to keep sanctity of ones own course. She not only helped me with unknotting a million doubts that I had in my newly discovered path, but also helped for a foundation to my art practice and opened many more avenues for explorations. In the Fall of 2014,  Judy was generous to invite me to her Nihonga workshop in Connecticut on a scholarship. It is a gesture that I will always owe to her, given my need at that point to be able to learn the art in person and to see her demonstrate.

Judy has a vast knowledge about her subject and what I like most is that she is a person who loves to break the rules and follow her own path and encourage students to do the same. Her particular teaching that I will carry with me for a long time is that "in Art (as in life) there is no right or wrong, it's just cause and effect". Judy's deep concern for her students' well being and her passion to spread her learning with sincerity and honesty is something in her that I highly respect. She is a beautiful addition to your art practice in case you want to learn about Nihonga, alchemy or are interested in delving into natural media. She is someone who will always hold a special position in my art practice and I owe her a lot of what I know as an artist today.

      Gunjan Kumar, Visual Artist, Chicago, IL, Gunjan's website

I attended one of Judith Kruger’s Nihonga workshops to learn more about the medium. The weekend proved to be an unpressured environment for learning with plenty of time for discovery. Judith is a wealth of information, generous in her teaching and in sharing her own personal discoveries. She clearly demonstrated the use of materials and painting techniques. She helped me to learn and understand the finer points of the medium both artistically and technically. I am now equipped with a broader knowledge base of the fundamentals of Nihonga and a foundation for further growth.

      Delro Rosco, Visual Artist, Hawai’i, Delro's website

Although Nihonga involves a technique which, no doubt, would require years of practice to master, in four days Judy lays down a thorough foundation. She explains the qualities and composition of the natural pigments, how to prepare the paint binder and the paper size, how to stretch and mount handmade paper, the application of silver leaf and how to oxidize it, painting techniques and much else. We were introduced to historical and contemporary masterpieces of Nihonga and the artists who painted them. And then, Judy gave each student a twenty minute consultation, advising how Nihonga techniques could be integrated into our personal art practices. We left with notes, painting samples and a head full of new ideas. My world feels more expansive having taken this workshop with Judith Kruger.

      P.C.Turczyn, Visual Artist, Brooklyn, NY (see her Nihonga-referenced art here) and website here

Taking Judith Kruger's Nihonga Painting Workshop was an absolutely fascinating and completely rewarding artistic experience! I have been painting and teaching at the university level for over twenty-five years, so I recognize the traits of a gifted inspired teacher. She was extremely generous with her wealth of knowledge, a great demonstrator, and covered a wide range of both technical and conceptual material. Judith has designed a unique workshop valuable to artists from any background. I know this great experience will continue to feed my painting ideas for years to come!

      Allison B. Cooke, Visual Artist/Professor, Milwaukee, WI, Allison's website

I took Judith Kruger's Nihonga workshop primarily as a way of letting the medium take me to a different place. I had been on a trajectory towards abstraction for sometime but needed the impetuous to travel into my unconscious to go into pure abstraction; Nihonga and Judy helped me get there. First, the extraordinary attention paid to process was in itself hypnotic, and then, with Judy's encouragement, the free association and transcendence. Since the Nihonga workshop I have gained the confidence to let go and explore the potential of my imagination. The simplicity and beauty of the Japanese artform paired with the complexity of the ancient medium, inspired me to go beyond the workshop to a new and exciting realm. I have attended Judith’s Mass MoCA Abstraction Workshops twice and received one on one coaching with her for several years since our initial meeting. I highly value her expertise and scrutinizing eye for pushing me to make my work stronger. Her encyclopedic knowledge never ends.

      Roni Sherman Ramos, Visual Artist, Brooklyn, NY, Roni's Website

For a number of years I have been admiring Japanese painting, always finding my way to it at museums. But it isn't solely the images that have caught my attention--though they are exquisite, as are the various color effects and the compositions--but the paint itself, the magnificent surface created by the minerals, inks, and metallics, is what led me to search the internet for a learning opportunity. I wasn't sure what I would do with nihonga personally; I simply wanted to learn enough technique to help me figure out an approach. Initially my search was unsuccessful, but I did have an opportunity to see an exhibition of work by Makoto Fujimura. Here was someone who was taking directions of his own, and the results were mesmerizing. Continuing my search for instruction, I eventually stumbled on Judith Kruger's website. Not only did her work speak to my own aesthetic sensibilities, but she was about to move to New England where she was planning to offer workshops. I attended one. I learned so much! And I do hope to work with her again soon.

      Theresa Couture, Visual Artist and University Gallery Director, Rivier University, Nashua, NH

Blog Post Savannah Nihonga Workshop Review by Julian Pena, Visual Artist, Tacoma, WA