Judy Bowman

Early life and education Bowman was born and raised in Detroit's historic Black Bottom neighborhood, which was demolished the late 1950s to make room for the Chrysler Freeway. She attended Clark Atlanta University for three years before she had the first of her ten children. At Clark Atlanta University, Bowman studied art while working primarily in pastels and even got commissioned to create work for Coretta Scott King and Alberta King. After getting married and having her first child, Bowman's career in art was put on hold.

After her family and her relocated from Atlanta to Michigan, Bowman went to the University of Michigan-Flint in the hopes of finishing her art degree. Due to the university's lack of an art department, Bowman chose to pivot to an education degree.

Career Bowman began her career post graduation as an art teacher working in both Flint and Battle Creek. She retired in the position of principal of the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences after working in education for 27 years.

At the age of seventy, Bowman had her first solo museum exhibition. The show was titled "Gratiot Griot" and was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) from October 29th, 2022 to March 26, 2023. The exhibition included collage works by Bowman meant to celebrate Black culture while acting as a tribute to the Black Bottom neighborhood community in which Bowman was raised.

In 2024, one of Bowman's collage works was featured on the program cover for the University of Michigan's production of "When the Caged Bird Sings" by composer Nkeiru Okoye.

Awards and fellowships Kresge Artist Fellowship 2021 Alain Locke Recognition Art Award 2022