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".
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.[1] Margolis also studied at Lone Mountain College in San Francisco, and has an MFA (1986) from the University of Southern California.[2]
Travels
Margolis led an Orthodox Jewish life in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Israel before leaving the orthodoxy.[1] And for the last 10 years, since leaving Orthodoxy, she has been slowly finding a balance between everything she has gained from her religious life and a retrieval of the freedoms that she believes are important for her art.[1]
Career
Since 1998, Margolis has been the Art Editor of Nashim: The Journal of Jewish Women's Studies and Gender Issues, published by Indiana University Press.[3][4][5][6]
She was selected as one of ten international Common Ground artists.[7]
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.[8]
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.[9]
Life Support: Invitation to Prayer, Penn State University Press (2019)[8][9]
Countdown to Perfection:Meditations on the Sefirot. Limited edition fine art unbound book contained in an individual, linen clad, oyster box. (2009)[11][12]
The Underground Dreams of a Cactus, Limited edition hand painted etching, mono-print cover. (1983)[13]
Family
Judith's second husband, the author David Margolis, died on July 17, 2005.[14] She has three children and six grandchildren.
Exhibitions
One person exhibitions
Hebrew Union College, New York, New York . 2009[11]
Hebrew Union College, Los Angeles, California . 2008[2]
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California . 2003[2]
Yeshiva University Museum, New York, New York . 2002[2]
Brandeis Bardin Institute . Simi Valley, California . 2000
Talpiot Industrial Gallery . Jerusalem . 1994
ARTernatives Gallery . San Luis Obispo, California . 1989
University Of Southern California . Los Angeles . 1986
Buffalo Street Gallery . Ithaca, New York . 1988
Smedley's Gallery . Ithaca, New York . 1981
Eisenhower College Gallery . Seneca Falls, New York . 1978
University of Southern California (LA), Instructor, Painting/Design; 1984–89
University of Judaism (LA), Instructor Painting/Drawing/Book Design; 1990–91
Brandeis-Bardein College Institute (LA), Faculty; 1988–90
Woman's Studio Workshop (NY), Artist-in-Residence/Project grant; 1983[17] 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.[13]
Cornell Council on the Arts (NY), Project grant; Ithaca, 1983[2]
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