About
Judith Peck is a sculptor and Professor Emerita of Art at Ramapo (State) College of New Jersey. Her work is in over 80 public and private collections including the Yale Art Gallery, the Ghetto Fighters Museum in Israel, and in libraries, temples, college campuses, and corporate offices.
Dr. Peck's sculpture and the books she authored reflect her interest in the human condition, individually and globally. Descriptions about her books on art techniques, parenting, children's picture books, and fiction can be seen on https://www.iapbooks.com. Her commitment to human rights extends to her 42-year career as a tenured professor at Ramapo where she instituted a program (on-going) to train college students to conduct art workshops in jails, homes for abused children, psychiatric centers, domestic violence shelters and nursing homes.
Featured Work
Art and Social Interaction A Guide for College Internships Serving Correctional, Rehabilitation and Human Service Needs
This manual contains the information needed for human service institutions, liberal arts colleges, and community volunteers to present a program of creative visual arts in jails, psychiatric facilities, drug rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, shelters and facilities for youth in need.
By engaging in one-on-one artistic interaction with the individuals served, students not only perform community service but gain unique personal understanding of the major domestic issues of our time—crime, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic abuse and aging. The covered activities are designed to stimulate memory, acknowledge experience and achievement, and improve self-esteem. Delivering everything needed to set up the course in any liberal arts college, the book offers approaches for diverse populations and covers planning and execution, aesthetic and humanistic objectives, projected outcomes, and methods of evaluation. Techniques are presented for drawing, painting, collage, sculpture and crafts.
By adopting this manual, colleges with programs in art and social work, can provide students with education relevant to their lives and potential careers while providing a unique service to social service institutions.
Other Works
-
Naked Under the Lights
2020
-
Seeing in the Dark, Arielle’s Story
2012
-
Sculpture as Experience 2nd Edition
2007
-
The Bright Blue Button and the Button-Hole
2006
-
Art Activities for Mind and Imagination
2004
-
Artistic Crafts” Invented Creations with Cast-offs
2004
-
Smart Starts in the Arts
2003
-
Runaway Piggy Bank
2003
-
Leap to the Sun: Learning Through Dynamic Play
1979
Awards and Recognition
- Mom's Choice Awards: Smart Starts in the Arts: Fostering Intelligence, Creativity and Serenity in the Early Years.
- Mom's Choice Awards: Runaway Piggy Bank
Press and Media Mentions
- “The novel is a touching, no-holds-barred depiction of a dysfunctional family on the brink of brokenness. Peck proves herself to be as much an artist with words as she is with other media.” Kirkus Review, Seeing in the Dark, Arielle’s Story”
- “A rich depiction of the tangled ties of love, art, and family.” Kirkus Review. Naked Under the Lights.
- “Author Judith Peck uses imagination and ingenuity to present a story that successfully imparts the intended message in an entertaining way to young readers. The humor and the bouncy rhymes coupled with bright watercolor illustrations further enhance the appeal. Runaway Piggy Bank will be a runaway success with young readers with its vibrant artwork and rhyming verse tailor-made for reading aloud.” BookWire Review
- An effective collaboration of author Judith Peck and artist Mario Stasolla, this book packs peppy rhyming verse, lively characters, and captivating, clutter-free illustrations to relate the fascinating story of love, parting and eventual reunion of a button and a button-hole… Unfortunately, the man develops a fondness for the delicious cakes, pies and tarts at Miss Murphy’s shoppe, and this starts showing on his waist… and one day… the button pops off. [Eventually] the old man and Miss Murphy find their own wedded bliss. Besides inducing giggles from the picture-book audience, this delightful book presents information in an engaging way…while the large type and simple words prompt [children] to read and learn. BookWire Review, May, 2005