VALERIE JAUDON (b. 1945)

Valerie Jaudon is an influential American painter associated with the Pattern and Decoration movement of the 1970s. Educated at institutions including the Memphis Academy of Art, the University of the Americas in Mexico, and Central Saint Martins in London, she developed a distinctive visual language that fuses ornamental design with geometric abstraction. Her work draws from diverse decorative traditions such as Islamic tilework, Celtic knotting, and architectural motifs, often arranged in rhythmic, interlacing grids. Jaudon’s paintings challenge the historical separation between fine art and decoration, elevating pattern as a vehicle for complex intellectual and aesthetic expression. In addition to her studio practice, she has completed numerous public art commissions across the U.S. and has taught extensively. Her work is held in major museum collections including MoMA, the Whitney, and the Hirshhorn Museum. Jaudon lives and works in New York City.