Family and friends are saddened to announce the passing of John Edward Hudson of Greensboro on October 14, at Emory St Joseph’s in Atlanta. Known by his closest friends as ‘Ed’, Mr. Hudson was an accomplished, prolific artist known primarily for his compelling contemporary abstract paintings. Although he often preferred not to publicize his numerous other artistic endeavors and achievements, he was recognized and respected for his stunning scenic art and set decoration for several films made during the 70s and 80s, and for his highly skilled architectural/decorative art, and restorative portraiture work.
Preceding Edward in death were his parents, Eldred P Hudson, Sr and Jean Tatum Hudson, longtime residents of Madison. Surviving immediate family members include brother Eldred P Hudson, Jr (Bob Rossier) in Tryon, NC; sister Janie H Williams (Perkins) of Greshamville; niece Laura Williams (Andrea) of Charleston, SC; nephew Bob Williams (Carolyn) and children Kal and Charlie of Asheville, NC.
Born in Baldwin County, GA (1955), Edward completed his BFA in painting from The Lamar Dodd School of Art, UGA in Athens (1975) where he bonded with a group of artist friends with whom he remained close in spirit and purpose for four decades.
Intensely focused on the development of his painting, Edward was a private, introspective individual who enriched his life and the lives of others through his love of art, music, and nature. A good day in the life of Edward typically included steady work in the studio (often into the wee hours) and a full day of creatively figuring out how to make something useful or beautiful out of nothing, or trimming a row of trees to make his mark on the landscape that was his sanctuary.
Those who knew and loved him best will remember his engaging (sometimes exhausting)
July 12,1950 - Oct. 14, 2022
insistence for detail/ clarity in word and deed, and his ever-endearing talent for telling (acting out) a gut-funny story about the latest close encounter with the realities of human existence.
Throughout his career he lived and painted primarily in Athens, Madison, Buckhead, and Greensboro with shorter residencies in San Francisco, France, and England. His work was featured in various solo and group exhibitions in US venues.
The bulk of Edward’s paintings reside in private collections across the country. Although he was rarely comfortable pursuing gallery representation, he was represented for a short period by Fay Gold (Gallery) in Atlanta.
Under the mentorship of well known Film Art Production Directors Charles Bennett and Patrizia von Brandenstein of New York, Edward’s scenic work contributed to the critically noteworthy aesthetic of films such as ABC’s production of Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, ‘The Gold Bug’, the PBS adaptation of Flannery O’Conner’s short story, ‘The Displaced Person’, and the tender, socially relevant adaptation of Bette Green’s novella, ‘The Year of My German Soldier’, among others.
Although Edward sometimes yearned to return to France, he valued his years in Morgan and Greene counties near family and friends (new and old) who added texture and color to his life.
A gathering to honor and celebrate the life of John Edward Hudson will be hosted by the family at ‘Sandtown Place’, the home of his dear friends, Bill and Sue Hodges, on Sunday, November 6 from 2-4 pm. The address is 365 Hodges Circle, Mansfield, GA, located about 20 miles outside of Madison. Light refreshments will be served. A few moments for remarks from family and friends will be followed by time to mingle and view numerous examples of Edward’s creative work on the property.