Judy McReynolds Bowman

Judy Bowman is a mixed-media collage and fine art print artist who was born in 1952 and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Her art practice centers on exalting America’s Black culture that move beyond institutional racism and disparaged perspectives of the Black experience. Considering herself a visual griot, she pays tribute to personal memories from of her coming-of-age in Detroit’s Eastside and Black Bottom neighborhoods. 

For their permanent collections Bowman’s work has recently been acquired by the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition, Sarasota, Florida; Georgetown University Library, Washington DC; US Department of State, Art Bank Program, Washington, DC; Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, Michigan and others, plus private collections across the United States.

Artist Statement 

Art has given me the space and freedom to reframe narratives about African American people and culture. My art is not an imagined existence, it is one rooted in scenes that have nurtured my upbringing in Detroit’s Eastside community and Black Bottom neighborhood. It is the narratives of my family, friends, and the everyday people in the community and how we loved each other. It is one founded on the vision to uplift humanity and leave a legacy that highlights the beauty and dignity of Black people.

Working primarily in figurative collage, my technique style is intuitive. After finding the right papers, colors, and textures to create moments in time that give off a feel-good elixir reminiscent of Black Bottom and the Harlem Renaissance era, I begin with the eyes and allow my subconscious to connect with a rhythm and freely let the story play out on the canvas. I have been working in this style over the last five years.

I am often told my collage work recalls the style of Romare Bearden’s photomontage compositions. I see my collages in the traditions of Kerry James Marshall and his use of black skin tones and a focus on details and emotion in my work. I am also inspired by the aesthetic and talents of Charles White, Gordon Parks, Elizabeth Catlett, and Benny Andrews. Like their works, my collages and fine art prints serve as archives of Black life and resilience; style and pride; music and spirituality. I envision myself as a visual griot. My work is created to tell the story of how I see my people, how we lived and the power of our being.

Through my artistry, I aspire to leave a legacy for my children and grandchildren that paints our rich and complex history. I want my art to serve as a gift of joy from me to the universe and continue to make an impact long after I am gone.

Judy Bowman on Mom On Seneca

Mom On Seneca depicts my home on the Eastside of Detroit in the early 1960s. It was not rare to see the adults enjoying a competitive and lively game of cards, while us kids were off watching television and finding our own mischief in the den – a cultural scene in the fabric of many Black homes and traditions. Laughter mixed with trash talking filled the atmosphere and music played in the background. With this piece, I was influenced by the artworks of Kerry James Marshall who uses black skin tones for his people and inserts familiar items and details throughout the background. As with my 2020 fine art print edition, Mom in Harlem, this 2021 companion edition, Mom On Seneca, fuses activity, style and a sense of familiarity and home.  

Judy Bowman, February 2021

Judy Bowman on Mom On Belle Isle

Belle Isle beach on a hot summer day in Detroit was another love language for my family. The best times were impromptu. Mom would pack leftover fried chicken, grab snacks, blankets, and a thermos filled with sweet red Kool-Aid and we’d head down to the historic island park located in the middle of the Detroit River between Canada and the United States. The second our toes touched the sand, we knew it was going to be a good day. Whether we had proper bathing suits or not didn’t matter–parents encouraged us to jump in the water wearing our undergarments. Mom on Belle Isle illustrates one of those spontaneous Saturdays in the mid-1950s. Mom looks elegant while taking a photo of me and my big cousin in the water; my brother plays in the sand, and Dad is in high spirits on a beautiful day. Belle Isle is an island where the warmth of community envelops you and memories are made.

Mom On Belle Isle is the third in my fine art print series with Stewart & Stewart including earlier editions, Mom in Harlem (2020) and Mom On Seneca (2021).

Judy Bowman, August 2022