Australia-born Judy Cotton is an acclaimed artist and author whose work is shaped by a lifelong fascination with the natural world. Across painting, sculpture, and mixed media, she explores life in motion: animals, plants, rivers, fires, floods, skies, and the fragile environments that sustain them.

Internationally recognized, Cotton has exhibited in over 38 solo shows and 60 plus group shows, at major galleries and museums in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and China.  Her work is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Phillips Gallery, the Lyman Allyn Museum, the Florence Griswold Museum, the National Gallery of Australia and numerous private collections.  A ten-year survey of her work traveled in Australian museums in 2002-2003.

From 1974 to 1993, she was also the New York Contributing Editor for Vogue Australia covering New York, the art world and travel.  She profiled a number of important cultural figures including Tennessee Williams and Oliver Sacks.  

More of her work can be found on her site: Judy Cotton.

Acclaimed artist and designer Aidai Asangulova (Sep 5, 1978 - Jan 25, 2026) dedicated her life to the preservation and celebration of Kyrgyz nomadic heritage. Continuing a multi-generational line of nationally recognized felting artists, she pioneered a revolutionary technique to fuse silk and felt and allowed for precise design control and complex patterns. This innovation brought her namesake studio global recognition and provided a prominent platform through which she shared Kyrgyz culture with the world.

As a visionary cultural leader, Aidai worked tirelessly to revive traditional arts through her ethnographic work with the NGO Kiyiz Duino and her artistic practice at Studio Bukon. Her dedication extended across mediums— from embroidery and jewelry to traditional costumes and headdresses— and generated a rich body of work rooted in tradition. Through her work, her masterclasses, and her community leadership, she ensured that these vital expressions of Kyrgyz identity continue to be celebrated and passed down to future generations.

Learn the Craft: Discover the technique Aidai has pioneered. Create your silk and felt scarf at Tatter Library on either Friday, April 24 or Saturday, April 25 and learn about the art of melding felt and silk fibers. Open to all levels.

Sign up for the class here: Felting Workshop.