Judi grew up on the Gulf Coast of the southern United States. Both parents painted so she began painting when she was about eight years old. She has a BA in Fine Art & an MA in Painting. She married George Kellas and moved to the Midwest in 1968. Judi taught at KU in the early '70’s and opened the 7E7 Gallery in 1972. She sold the gallery in 1983 to return full-time to her art studio. She has taught painting, drawing and printmaking to both children and adults. She works in her studio daily where acrylic & collage paintings, silverpoint drawings and serigraphs are her usual media. Her work is exhibited in art galleries regionally and nationally.