Judy Barks-Westrich mixes her passion for teaching, creating at The Artist Studio

Through 38 years of teaching art, Judy Barks-Westrich says she has learned as much from her students as they have learned from her.

Barks-Westrich, also a mixed media artist with her own studio in downtown Cape Girardeau, teaches art at Central High School. Before she came to Cape Girardeau 15 years ago, she taught art at Sikeston High School.

Barks-Westrich said she plans to retire from teaching next year but isn't sure if she will.

"I've said I was going to retire the next year for eight years now," she said. "But I just keep teaching because I enjoy it so much."

She said the art she teaches is something she is passionate about, so she is lucky.

"I've always thought of art as the fourth 'R' when you think of reading, writing and arithmetic," she said.

This month, her studio and store, The Artist Studio, will mark its fifth anniversary. Barks-Westrich teaches adult workshops there in acrylic or watercolor painting, working with mixed media, papermaking or weaving.

Barks-Westrich said the idea for adult workshops came from parents of her students at the high school.

"Parents would always come into the art room and make a comment about how they wished they had this in high school, so I thought I would like to teach some adult workshops," she said. "I thought at the same time, I could do some work there and have somewhere to display my art."

Barks-Westrich said her reach into different mediums using texture has been an evolution over the years. She began working with weaving when she did her master's thesis in college and has expanded from there.

"I've always liked texture and I've always liked fibers," she said. "I did some research on Indians and natural dyes and fibers. That kind of evolved into more with weaving."

Once she opened her studio, Barks-Westrich said she got more involved in painting and then began making jewelry three years ago.

"I wanted to do something a little different," she said. "One kind of evolves into the other, because it's all textural."

Many of her works feature beads, fabrics and natural items such as feathers, wood and grass.

She describes her style as nonobjective abstract. She said she rarely plans a work of art, and experiments often with rich colors and textures. She said she titles her work only after she has time to step back and decide what it means and what it looks like to her.

Anne Foust is a local jewelry maker who displays her own work at Garden Gallery and regional craft shows. Foust took a weaving workshop at The Artist Studio and said she was impressed with the different mediums Barks-Westrich is using.

"She's a tremendous artist and incredible teacher," Foust said.

She said she had no experience in weaving, but under the instruction of Barks-Westrich she ended up with a beautiful wall hanging.

"I enjoyed it very much. It was something I had always wanted to try and I was very pleased with the result," Foust said.

Geoff Smith is currently taking a weaving workshop with Barks-Westrich.

The workshop was a birthday gift from his mother, who is also taking the class. Smith said participating in the workshop has been a step into the unknown, because he has no background in art.

"Judy gives you a really good hands-on experience," he said. "She was able to explain to us the overall concept. ... She is there to make sure you're not going to fall apart, as well as give you ideas on past things and what's going to work and what doesn't work."

Barks-Westrich said she schedules the workshops as people become interested in signing up. She said she does not offer one-on-one instruction but will often offer a workshop if she has two or more people interested in one of the mediums. At the end of each workshop, participants are able to display their work in The Artist Studio.

Information on upcoming workshops will be available and Barks-Westrich's art will be on display at her shop Friday for a First Friday reception.