Judith Margolis

Judith Margolis (born September 24, 1944) is an Israel-based American artist working visually in paintings, drawings, artist's books and multi-media collages. In her art and writing she "explores tensions between consciousness, feminism, and religious ritual tradition".

Early life Margolis was born into a Jewish family and Yiddish-speaking community in the Bronx, NY. In 1948 her family moved to suburban New Jersey, from which the adolescent Margolis would adventure to New York City for her early artistic education.

Early artistic training Margolis began her artistic training during high school at age 15 with a drawing class at The Art Students League, then attended Cooper Union, where she met her first husband Albie Tabackman. The two traveled across the United States to California, where they lived at Magic Forest Farm in Oregon. Margolis also studied at Lone Mountain College in San Francisco, and has an MFA (1986) from the University of Southern California.

Travels Margolis spent an Orthodox Jewish life in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Israel before leaving her orthodoxy.

She was selected as one of ten international Common Ground artists.

Margolis is Creative Director of Bright Idea Books, which produces limited edition and artist's books.

Margolis wrote and illustrated the prayer book Life Support; Invitation to Prayer.

In 2015 she was co-curator for the Jerusalem Biennale, presenting the Women of the Book exhibition in which women artists offered their own interpretations of the weekly divisions of the bible.

Education MFA from University of Southern California, 1986 BA from Lone Mountain College, SF, CA 1977

The Underground Dreams of a Cactus, Limited edition hand painted etching, mono-print cover. (1983)

Family Judith's second husband, the author David Margolis, died on July 17, 2005. She has three children and six grandchildren.

Exhibitions One person exhibitions Hebrew Union College, New York, New York. 2009 Jerusalem Biennial 2015 During this residency, Margolis created The underground dreams of cactus, an handmade artit's book in an edition of 20. The book documents a post-modern woman's experience. Sixteen etchings incorporating images and handwritten text explore the perils of living in a body-conscious, sex conscious world. Cornell Council on the Arts (NY), Project grant; Ithaca, 1983