Judith Godwin (February 5, 1930 – May 29, 2021) was an American abstract painter, associated with the Abstract Expressionist movement. Early life and education Judith Godwin was born in Suffolk, Virginia, in 1930 to a father who was interested in architecture and landscape gardening. His interests created an environment that inspired and encouraged Judith to pursue painting. She attended Mary Baldwin College in 1948 for two years. It was there that she met Martha Graham, who performed there in 1950. Godwin transferred to Richmond Professional Institute (RPI), now Virginia Commonwealth University, where she completed her degree in 1952. While there, she studied with Maurice Bond, Jewett Campbell, and Theresa Pollak. At the time, women were required to wear a skirt in the cafeteria; Godwin wore jeans after rushing from a studio class and was reported to the dean of the school, Margaret Johnson, who then met with her and changed the rule to allow women to wear jeans. While at RPI, she was in classes and close friends with Richard Carlyon. She also attended the Art Students League of New York, where she studied with artists Will Barnet, Harry Sternberg, and Vaclav Vytlacil. During this time she also attended the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts, and met artists such as Jackson Pollock, Franz Kline, Willem de Kooning, and Marcel Duchamp. She lived in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, but as a native Virginian, remained a member of the Jamestowne Society. Her papers are held at the Archives of American Art. Career Godwin's first solo exhibition was in 1950 at Mountcastle's in Suffolk, Virginia. At the suggestion of her RPI college instructor Jewett Campbell, she moved to New York City in 1953 to attend the Art Students League and study under Hans Hofmann, who influenced her work heavily. She studied with Hofmann in his studio on 8th Street, and noted his wife Miz as another important influence. Godwin said that... "I think the main thing with Hofmann was that I felt completely free to do whatever I wanted to do." Godwin's notable classmates during this era included Will Barnet, Harry Sternberg, and Vaclav Vytlacil. Godwin credited Hofmann with making her feel at home after moving to New York, as well as with challenging her conservative color palette and technique. Hofmann also helped Godwin move away from the influence of cubism and towards abstract expressionism. In 1958, James Brooks invited her to participate