Artist Biography
Judy Bowman is a mixed-media collage artist who was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Her art practice centers on exalting America’s Black culture. Bowman’s use of vibrant hues, textured paper and acrylic paint illuminates’ narratives that move beyond institutional racism and disparaged perspectives of the Black experience–a view in which America too often limits the full picture. Considering herself a visual griot, she sees her job to tell stories that are reflective of her coming-of-age in Detroit’s Eastside and Black Bottom neighborhoods. Scenes in her vibrant collages depict love, community and a type of fellowship that resides in jazzy nights, the sway of young Black women and the swag of young Black men, church on Sundays followed by family dinner, family outings and cultural dignity and richness.
Bowman’s work appears in private and public collections–nationally and internationally–including Institutional Collections of the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition, Sarasota, Florida; The Free Press building, Detroit, Michigan; R.W. Norton Art Gallery/ Museum, Shreveport, Louisiana; Georgetown University Library, Booth Family For Special Collections, Washington DC, US Department of State, Art Bank Program, Washington, DC; and the Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, Michigan.
After Bowman retired as principal of Detroit Academy of Arts and Science in 2008, she rebooted her career as an artist. She lives in Romulus, MI and works throughout Metro Detroit.
Artist Statement
Art has given me the space and freedom to reframe narratives about African American people and culture. My art is not an imagined existence, it is one rooted in scenes that have nurtured my upbringing in Detroit’s Eastside community and Black Bottom neighborhood. It is the narratives of my family, friends, and the everyday people in the community and how we loved each other. Although my art reflects the personal memories of my family, it is also the memories of families in my community. My work is one founded on the vision to uplift humanity and leave a legacy that highlights the beauty and dignity of Black people.
Working primarily in figurative collage, my technique style is intuitive. After finding the right papers, colors, and textures, I create moments in time that give off a feel-good elixir reminiscent of Detroit’s Black Bottom and the Harlem Renaissance era. I begin with the eyes and allow my subconscious to connect with a rhythm and freely allow the story play out on the canvas. I have been working in this style over the last five years.
I am often told my collage work recalls the style of Romare Bearden’s photomontage compositions. I see my collages in the traditions of Kerry James Marshall and his use of black skin tones and a focus on details and emotion. “Mom On Seneca” jpeg #1. I am also inspired by the aesthetic and talents of Charles White, Gordon Parks, Elizabeth Catlett, and Benny Andrews. Like their works, my collages serve as archives of Black life and resilience; style and pride; music and spirituality. I envision myself as a visual griot with a mission to illustrate the story of how I see my people, how we lived and the power of our being.
Through my artistry, I aspire to leave a legacy for my children and grandchildren that paints our rich and complex history. I want my art to serve as a gift of joy from me to the universe and continue to make an impact long after I am gone.