Judith’s legacy as a sculptor is deeply embedded in the way she lived her life with her husband, fellow sculptor, Lloyd Le Blanc at Manor House Saxby, Her instinct for good hospitality was at one with the self-discipline that underpins what she achieved. Her work enables us to see something of what it is to be that particular girl or boy, young man standing smiling, woman sitting hidden by a hat or whatever, as well as something universal we can recognise, enjoy or reflect upon.
Judith’s clarity of vision shines through in her work. Many people who have encountered Judith’s figures, whether wandering through gardens or in the formal spaces of a gallery, have been inspired to use her pieces to create something special in their own gardens or home. Whether as a gift, a memorial, fun for the grandchildren, an impressive sculpture garden in the Blue Mountains of Australia or a small piece in a corner of a room, people find ways to bring something of Judith’s spirit into their own space and lives.
Judith’s life as a sculptor, wife, mother, friend, mentor and bon viveuer was lived to the full. She and Lloyd loved nothing more than a day spent working in the studio, garden or foundry – capped by an evening with patrons, friends, family and students around a table laden with home cooking and home grown vegetables. Judith also spent a good deal of her time encouraging and supporting young people, especially dyslexic students, through work experience and educational projects. It was alongside the excitement of watching others learn and grow that her own work developed.Judith’s models were drawn from people she knew as well as those she was commissioned to portray. Clients invariably became friends, and Judithís work attracted increasing attention beyond this immediate circle. It is through sensory pleasures, whether from the earth or its produce, and how they help us to feel better about ourselves and others, that we can appreciate how Judithís work contributes to an understanding of ways to live well.