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Artist Judson Ridgway has found home in his long love of Oxford and Ole Miss.

Written by Emily Welly  |  Artwork Courtesy Judson Ridgway

Judson Ridgway may have been born and raised in Memphis, but it seems his heart has

always been in Mississippi.

His grandfathers both graduated from Ole Miss, as did his parents, James Wallace Ridgway and Betty Jean Langston Ridgway.

His maternal grandmother was a kindergarten teacher at Tupelo Elementary School for many years, and his grandfather, Judson Davis Langston, taught high school in Tupelo and went on to become Superintendent of Schools there.

His paternal grandfather was born in 1893 in Jackson and graduated from Ole Miss before moving to New York. There, he met and married Dorothy, a German immigrant who was a musician and artist. She taught young Ridgway the basics of drawing.

“As a child, I would always draw pictures of Rebels in football uniforms, especially Archie,” Ridgway said, adding that his house was filled with his sketches — often on prescription pads of paper since his dad was a pharmaceutical rep and had an endless supply.

Ridgway never had any formal art training; artwork was a hobby. For years, he created portraits of family members and friends to give as birthday and Christmas gifts. But in 2011, he decided to show some work at the Double Decker Arts Festival and took the occasion to concentrate his work on Oxford and Ole Miss subjects.

It started with a pastel of Taylor Grocery, then a pregame scene in the Grove, and then the Double Decker Arts Festival in full swing.

“I couldn’t write down art print orders fast enough,” he said. “From there, I was off and running. I started painting, Oxford and Ole Miss every year … and every year I did only one show and that was Double Decker. Every April I would fill my vehicle with paintings and easels and tents and set off on my yearly spring pilgrimage to Oxford.”

One year, he started setting up his easel to paint live at the festival, which draws people to stop and talk. “Their children help me put dabs of paint on my canvas, making them part of the painting and its story,” he said.

Double Decker is still the only show he attends each year, but traveling to it is about to get easier. Ridgway recently relocated to Oxford.

“I’ve never had formal art training, and my creative talents are truly a gift from Him,” he said. “I’m not only thankful but blessed to be doing what I love to do in my favorite town.

“It’s been nearly 40 years since I’ve lived in Oxford, but the moment I landed here this summer, I knew I was finally home.”

Ridgway offers both prints and full-size canvas reproductions of his original work. Ridgway also draws equestrian life, animals, figure study, and — most notably — pencil renderings of children that he said have actually been the heart of his work for nearly 50 years.

See his portfolio at judsonridgway.com. Contact him at judsoncreative@gmail.com or 859-913-7231.

Ole Miss Memories

“I have so many great memories dressing up in my Archie uniform and playing football with my cousins in the backyard when I was only 5 or 6 years old. I remember being devastated when he broke his arm in 1970. I can still remember looking at his picture in the newspaper article.

“While attending Ole Miss in the ’80s, I never missed a home game and went on many a road trip throughout the conference to watch my Rebs play. I was there in Jackson for the immaculate deflection and was also there in 1989 on about the 5-yard line to witness Chucky go down right in front of me during the Vandy game. During my senior year, I was asked to be on the Senior Executive Committee to help raise funds to Save the Grove. At the time, the school needed an irrigation system to help save the trees from dying. I designed a T-shirt in partnership with Coca-Cola that helped raise a lot of awareness and money for the cause. There is a small statue that stands in The Grove today that has a bronze replica of that design with all the members of that committee. I love Ole Miss, and I love my Rebels. Hotty Toddy!”