B i o g r a p h y

Judith Koeleman was born in Ontario and lived the life of an army brat overseas and in parts of Canada before her family settled in B.C.

A resident of Campbell River on Vancouver Island since the 80’s, she revels in the beauty of her natural surroundings.

After a spirited career as a celebrated hairstylist, designer and entrepreneur she returned to school to further expand her creative drive and means of personal expression. At North Island College Judith received an intensive apprenticeship in printmaking, drawing, painting, sculpture and art history. In 2004 she graduated with honours from the Fine Arts Program, receiving the prized Deans Honour Roll pin.

That same year she installed her first piece of public art when a panel of jurors selected her metal sculpture “Efendi” to stand in front of the Shadbolt Art Studio at the Courtenay Campus of North Island College. Standing 7 ½’ tall and constructed of 3” metal pipe, the sculpture is a calligraphic, shadow-casting representation of the continuous development of self through learning, wherever and however that learning might take place. The work embodies Judith’s deep respect towards self-process, learning and risk-taking. Judith also has a serigraph print “Overshadowed” on permanent collection at the campus. She has numerous works, primarily paintings & sculpture, in exhibitions and private collections.

Judith’s paintings combine flat, vivid fields with marvelously articulated and heavily textured subjects in the abstract. She also integrates a wide variety of other media, including text fragments, into her paintings. Sculpturally, Judith loves to hammer forged steel or carve soapstone.

Koeleman is currently preparing for the launch of her major solo show, “Stages”, at the Campbell River Gallery in 2006. This ambitious and provocative series of paintings, sculpture, text and sound is an exploration and interpretation of the stages of grieving.

If you are interested in any of Judith's work please email the Judith Koeleman Gallery.