Hud Armstrong – RIP

Armstrong was well known in the city as the guy who mixes cocktails and art.

He painted the mural at City Hall and he illustrated all of the Chowderfest logo since.

From a Chowderfest biography: 

He developed an early interest in art and began his artistic endeavors at around the age of four. Largely self-taught, he did also take some private lessons in his early years. He attended the State University College at Buffalo until 1966 when he was drafted into the Army, and served his country until 1968. Following his discharge, he attended the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts where he studied anatomy, drawing and painting. Hud returned to Saratoga for several years, then spent a decade working in Huntington, Long Island, and ultimately returned to Saratoga in 1987 where he remains.

From The 12866 Blog (2021): 

Hudson “Hud” Armstrong, a longtime Saratoga Springs bartender-artist-cartoonist, has a new book featuring hundreds of his cartoons that were published in Poor Richard’s Journal from 1991 to 2006.

“Booker D. and the N.G.s: A Chronicle of Saratoga” was published July 8 by Northshire Bookstore’s Shire Press. 

Back to the Chowdefest:

He became known for his caricatures, illustrations, murals, portraits and cartoons. He created and illustrated a comic strip from 1991-1999 for Poor Richard’s Saratoga Journal which became quite popular, particularly in August during track season.

Then, in 1999, along came Chowderfest! Hud’s design for our first-ever event, after creating several design possibilities, featured Diamond Jim Brady and Lillian Russell as he wanted to be sure to incorporate a design that would link the event to Saratoga.

Hud’s Facebook page shows more of his art.