Judy Watson is a highly respected artist whose practice has both local and international reach and significance. The spirit of much of Watson’s work stems from the Waanyi homelands of her grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother in north-west Queensland’s Gulf country.

The artist refers to her research-driven practice as ‘rattling the bones of the museum’, exposing dark histories from her perspective as an Aboriginal woman.

Watson has been active in teaching art over many decades. In 1983, she was appointed printmaking lecturer teaching lithography and drawing in Townsville, North Queensland. In 1986, she assisted in establishing printmaking workshops at Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts, an arts organisation and gallery that still operates today. In 1990 she set up a lithography workshop at STUDIO ONE in Canberra. Watson also taught at Canberra School of Art, Australian National University in 1991. In 1993, she travelled around Queensland with Flying Arts Alliance to deliver workshops across regional and remote communities, including in Burketown, Mount Isa, Winton, Longreach, Cooktown, Doomadgee, Injinoo and Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait). In that year she also ran art workshops for First Nations' men through the Jumbunna Program at Parklea Prison, Parklea, in New South Wales. From 1998 to 1999 she taught at the Northern Territory University in Darwin. During her career, Watson has maintained an educational focus through mentoring, residencies, workshops and artwork collaborations that have benefited countless artists and arts workers.

Judy Watson’s contributions have been recognised by Griffith University, Brisbane, with an Adjunct Professorship, and by The University of Queensland, Brisbane, with a Doctor of Art History honoris causa. Born in Mundubbera, Queensland, the artist lives and works in Brisbane.