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. Since leaving orthodoxy, she has been gradually finding a balance between her religious learning and retrieval of the freedoms that she believes are important for her art.
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.
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 Two years study at Cooper Union, NY, 1962–64 Additional studies Columbia University, NY
Notable works Life Support: Invitation to Prayer, Penn State University Press (2019)
Countdown to Perfection:Meditations on the Sefirot. Limited edition fine art unbound book contained in an individual, linen clad, oyster box. (2009)
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 Hebrew Union College, Los Angeles, California. 2008 University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California. 2003 Yeshiva University Museum, New York, New York. 2002 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 Ithaca House Gallery . Ithaca, New York. 1978 Cole/Hayes Gallery . San Francisco. 1977
Two person exhibitions University of Judaism (now the American Jewish University) / Platt Gallery . Los Angeles . (scheduled) 1999 Ithaca House Gallery . Ithaca, New York. 1981
Selected group exhibitions
Women of the Book First Station, Jerusalem, Israel (2015) Jerusalem Biennial 2015 “Gathering Sparks,” (2014) Mizel Museum, Denver, CO “Find Common Ground” (2008) Huan Tie Art Museum, Beijing China Anlasslich des 125. Geburtstages von Hermann Hesse” (2002) KunstKeller Gallery, Annaberg, German Florida Atlantic University. Boca Raton, Florida. 2000 University of Arizona Museum of Art. Tucson, Arizona. 2000 Kutztown University Gallery. 1999 Plains Art Museum. Fargo, North Dakota. 1998 Morris Louis Gallery/Bezelel. Jerusalem. 1998 B'nai B'rith National Jewish Museum. Washington, District of Columbia . 1997 Central Exhibition Hall. Moscow. 1996 Kerim Institute, Jerusalem. 1996 Kanner Heritage Museum. Toronto, Canada. 1996 Skirball Cultural Center. Los Angeles. 1996 Navon Gallery. Neve Ilan, Israel. 1995 Plotkin Judaica Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. 1995 The Knesset. Jerusalem. 1994 Arad Art Museum. Arad, Israel. 1994 Yeshiva University Museum. NYC. 1993 Perkins Gallery. Boston. 1993 Dubin-Wolf Exhibit Center. Los Angeles. 1992 Loyola University Laband Gallery. Los Angeles. 1991 UCLA Kirkham Gallery Los Angeles. 1991 Aishet Chayil (traveled between 1990 and 1998), opened at Yeshiva University Museum NYC and closed at Bezalel Gallery, Jerusalem, Israel. Dubin-Wolf Exhibit Center. Los Angeles. 1989 The Art Store. Los Angeles. 1987 University of Wisconsin Fine Art Gallery. Milwaukee. 1987 Arts Commission Gallery. Los Angeles. 1987 Otis/Parsons Gallery. Los Angeles. 1984 Amfac Plaza Gallery. Honolulu. 1984 Herbert Johnson Museum. Ithaca, New York. 1983 Columbia-Greene Community College. New York. 1983 Arnot Art Museum. Elmira, New York. 1983 Rockefeller Arts Center. Fredonia, New York. 1983 Schenectady Museum. New York. 1983 At Home, Long Beach Museum. California. 1983 Rutgers University Art Museum. New Brunswick, New Jersey . 1981 Traction Gallery. Los Angeles. 1981 Tompkins-Cortland Community College . New York . 1981 Arnot Museum. Elmira, New York . 1981 Zone Gallery. Springfield, Massachusetts. 1981 Womanworks Gallery . Buffalo, New York. 1981 Ithaca House Gallery . Ithaca, New York. 1981 Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art. 1979 Hinckley Foundation Museum . Ithaca, New York. 1979 AART Gallery. Oakland, California. 1979 State University of New York Art Gallery. Binghamton. 1978 Cornell University Art Gallery. Ithaca, New York . 1978 Lone Mountain College Art Gallery. San Francisco, California. 1977
Collections New York New York Public Library Special Collections Dr. Al Molvadan Meredith Tax Barbara Rochman Liza Norman Dr. Phyllis Silverman Janet Braun-Reinitz
Seattle University of Washington Rare Book Collection
Jerusalem Seth Althotz Dani and Deborah Kollin Rabbi Daniel Landes and Sheryl Robbin Timna Katz LSusan Schneider Eli and Miriam Avidan Drs. Jeff and Jane Kimchi Ephraim and Sigal Tabackman Rabbi Joel and Donna Zeff
Tel Aviv Dan and Penny Witties Dr. Jim and Diane Breivis Drs. Cody and Lucy Fisher Annette and Steve Hess
San Diego, California Noa Summerfield Jean Diamond Sargent
Los Angeles Midway Hospital Medical Center Hebrew Union College Skirball Museum UCLA Fine Arts Library Beverly Hills Fine Arts Library Uri Harkham Nancy Berman Robert J. Avrech James and Sonya Cummings Mark Carliner Michelle Rappaport Blossom Norman Dr. Robert and Peggy Sloves Phillip and Judith Miller Barbara Schuster Diane Isaacs Fink Abby Yasgar and Joey Lipner Adam Leipzig and Lori Zimmerman Drs. Suzanne and Moshe Spira Dr. Deborah Berger Drs. Donna Cooper-Matchett & Bill Matchett Lynn and Morton Moskowitz
Moscow Artist's House, Chilushskinskaya
Berkeley, California UC Berkeley Fine Arts Library
Boca Raton, Florida Arthur Jaffe Center for Rare Books
Baltimore John and Linda Haas
Ithaca, New York Tompkins County Hospital Fredrika and Bill Kaven Myra Malkin Catherine O'Neill Linda Myers Sandra Gittleman Robert and Corinne Stern Ira and Anne Brous Moorehead, Mn Minnesota State University
Faculty appointments, residencies and awards Coolidge Colloquium Research Fellowship; 2010 18th Street Arts Center, Santa Monica, CA; 2008, 2009 Hebrew Union College, Los Angeles, CA; 2008 Brandeis-Bardein College Institute (LA), Faculty; 1999-00 International Plein-Air Printmaking Grant, Chelushkinskaya, Russia (1996) International Plein-Air Printmaking Residency Grant, Fargo ND (1998) International Plein-Air, Artist-in-Residence; Morehead, MN; 1998 Brandeis-Bardein College Institute (LA), Faculty; 1997 Chomut, Christina, TODAY'S LOCAL NEWS, "Space Visions", January 30, 2005 International Plein-Air, Artist-in-Residence, Moscow; 1996 Arad Arts Project (Israel), Artist-in-Residence; 1993–94 Center for Jewish Culture and Creativity, Project Grant; 1993–94 UCLA Extension, Instructor, Drawing/Painting/Book design; 1990–93 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 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
References
External links Official web site Nashim: The Journal of Jewish Women's Studies and Gender Issues CommonGround2008 Bright Idea Books "Women of the Book" "Judith Margolis:The Yatir Collection" Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health