Short Video: Judith Joseph’s presentation about her work to the North Shore Affiliates of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago

Biographical Information

Judith Joseph is a Chicago based artist whose work is exhibited internationally. Her work is idea-driven, and she works across media: woodblock prints, painting and installation. Her conceptual art practice is paired with work as a calligrapher and illustrator, and her specialty is the Ketubah. Recent and upcoming exhibitions include ARC Gallery, Chicago; the Springfield, Illinois Art Association; the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. and the Dr. Bernard Heller Museum at Hebrew Union College, New York, NY.

Joseph’s work is in many public and private collections, including the University of Illinois, the Chicago Public Library, the Milwaukee Public Museum, Hillel-Milwaukee and numerous synagogues. Numerous solo and two-person exhibitions include the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Kraft Center at Columbia University, ARC Gallery, Chicago and the Illinois Arts Council Gallery in Chicago. Residencies and fellowships include the University of Illinois Presidential Initiative in the Arts and Humanities Residency Program (2022), the Amen Institute Fellowship (2021), the Spertus Institute Fellowship (2015) and Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Awards in 1998 and 2004.

She is an active member of the Jewish Art Salon, an international group, and participates regularly in JAS group exhibitions in New York and internationally. She is co-curator and moderator of the JAS Open Studios online series.

Joseph's work has been featured in several books about art and many newspaper and magazine articles, academic journals, zines and radio features. She has received numerous awards, including the Illinois Arts Council Artists' Fellowship Award (1998 and 2004). She is on the faculty of the Chicago Botanic Garden, where she teaches watercolor and drawing.

Video: Judith speaking about her art (starts at 16:58)

My Story

William Kentridge said it best: “All children draw. I just forgot to stop.”

From a very early age, I loved art. I spent hours drawing, making origami figures, cutting shapes and gluing everything together. My attraction to art was tied to my love of books and illustration. My mother brought me art supplies, and shared her huge collection of art books. My father, a doctor, taught me about the intricate systems of the body, awakening in me a spiritual connection to biology and natural forms and systems.

I fell in love with the medieval illuminated manuscripts I found in my mother’s books. I learned calligraphy and began to play with words and border designs. Then, I discovered beautiful manuscripts from my own Jewish tradition, written in Hebrew rather than Latin. I taught myself Hebrew calligraphy and at the age of 17, I made my first ketubah (hand-written, illustrated Jewish marriage contract, a traditional folk art.)

I was off and running with the ketubah. I made them for commissions while I was in art school, and upon graduation, I went backpacking across Europe, seeking out ancient manuscripts in museum collections and making sketches in my notebook.

In my art practice, I create and exhibit paintings and woodblock prints, as well as commissioned ketubahs and calligraphic works. The intricate, detailed style of the ketubah may be seen in my prints and paintings.

My work expresses the love of stories I felt as a child, looking at beautifully illustrated storybooks. I bring this love of story to my paintings and woodblock prints, to my ketubahs, and even to my teaching. Increasingly, my work is about social justice.

In my art, I hope to spark insight, joy and discovery for myself and others. I always hope that my work resonates with people; that they find their own story in it.