Interviewee: Judith Heep
Date of birth/age at interview: Sept. 13, 1941/35
Interviewers: Lydia Quill and Jesse Morac
Interview date: summer 1978
Interview location: Heep studio
Interview length: 23 minutes
Time span discussed: mid-1960s to 1977
Summary: This Doylestown artist considerers her work to be contemporary art and not in the Bucks County art tradition. However she and her family loved living in the area where they settled about 1972. As a founding member of the co-operative Muse Gallery she gives insights into the set-up of the gallery, its objectives and early practices around shows and financing.
Time markers:
00:00 – studied at Brooklyn College and Harvard, education and career
01:45 – move to Doylestown with husband, six years (in 1977)
03:18 – teacher in New Hope-Solebury Elementary School and student at the Tyler Master Program from 1973 to 1977
04:49 – does art work almost every day
05:50 – at current time (1978) working on monochromatic prints
07:05 – enjoys living in Bucks County, looks to Philadelphia and New York City for support; art contemporary, not in the Bucks County tradition
08:10 – no competition among Bucks County artists; few contemporary artists; fostering interactions; gallery in Philadelphia because no audience in Bucks County
09:56 – frequent visits to Philadelphia and New York City
10:45 – does not feel isolated from other artists, is busy
11:42 – friend who opened gallery (parts indistinct)
13:04 – Phillips’ Mills show and other shows (disjointed)
15:07 – helped start Muse Gallery in Philadelphia, 20 members, history, costs, practices
18:15 – taught courses in studio her teaching, contacts with other artists
18:46 – female artists, harder to achieve success, need for women’s gallery like Muse; feminist movement helped (parts indistinct)
22:14 – formalist background, influenced by male artists; gallery owned by women but no strong feminist or political statement
