Community Spotlight: Judy Bigby

Judy Bigby has been part of the Eliot School community as a neighbor, student, and dedicated supporter of our mission to make lifelong learning in craft and creativity accessible to all. She has taken classes with us and gone above and beyond to help the Eliot School thrive by giving her time and resources and recommending us for a grant through the Cummings Community Giving program.  

We caught up with Judy for this month’s Community Spotlight to talk about what keeps her connected to the Eliot School and why she chooses to financially support us.

Join Judy in sustaining the Eliot School by donating today!

Transcript

Judy: I'm Judy Bigby. I live right in this neighborhood. I'm someone who tries to appreciate all kinds of art. I also have been involved with my own variety of crafts, mostly sewing. I've made quilts. My mother, when I was growing up, made most of our clothes. My grandmother was a seamstress and worked in my grandfather's dry-cleaning business. So, I have an appreciation for how important these things can be in your life. And I think art in general provides the opportunity to help people bridge cultures, bridge generations. 

What initially brought you to the Eliot School? 

Judy: During Open Studios in September, we always came here to see what [artists] were displaying here. Two years ago, I gave two of my granddaughters a week at the Eliot art camp for kids. And when I came to pick them up, they said, “Well, how come we only have a half day?” They didn't want to go home. And then we repeated that this past summer, and they loved it. Now they are telling me what kind of classes they want to take here: woodworking, all kinds of things. So, I'm really glad that I could expose them to this environment where there's so much support for youth.

Have you taken classes with us? 

Judy: I have taken classes here. And the one that I really enjoyed was the Matchbox Art class. I made my daughter one. I made each of my four granddaughters one. 

What are your hopes for the future of the Eliot School? 

Judy: This is a very hard time because of all of the pushback on any type of education or cultural entities. I hope that when things change, and I know they will. This swing of the pendulum will go back the other way. I'm hoping that Eliot will come out stronger. I think this is a very important community contribution. It's been here a long time, and hopefully it'll stay here a long time.