Judith Godwin's Abstract Expressionist Journey: From Hofmann to Gender Equality

Judith Godwin, who was born in 1930 in Suffolk, Virginia, graduated with a BFA from Mary Baldwin College and Richmond Professional Institute in 1953. She was inspired by Martha Graham and developed the Nucleus series in 1950. While in New York, she studied with Hans Hofmann and interacted with prominent artists such as Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock. In 1998, Godwin championed women painters, asserting they felt the need to create with the same intensity as men. Her prominence increased with exhibitions in 1958 and 1959. During the 1960s, she delved into design and Native American art. After returning to New York in 1974, her artistic style transformed. Her works are housed in over thirty-five museums, and she was part of the 2016 Denver Art Museum exhibition Women of Abstract Expressionism.