Judith Ekaterina Harper
Born in Bradford,Yorkshire, at the end of WWII, Judith grew up in London and was educated at the French Lycee. She left UK on a volunteer wind, to help clean up in Florence after the flood of November 1966 and stayed becoming a licensed guide in several languages. She returned to Colchester, UK with her son in 1995 but still returns to Florence twice a year to reconnect with the city she loves and a daughter she sorely misses.
Before dedicating herself fully to art, she worked as a tour guide and tour manager across Europe, an adventurous career that once included a hospital stay in Moscow and a memorable flight to Kiev beside a basket of squawking chickens.
She often says she has lived what the Chinese call “an interesting life,” and her artwork carries the richness of those experiences.
Judith Harper, or Judy as she is known by friends, is an artist whose practice is rooted in a lifelong love of drawing, from the soft graphite of HB and 2B pencils to the expressive flow of Staedtler brush pens.
After living in Florence for nearly three decades, she developed a deep sensitivity to the city’s narrow streets, tower houses and shifting dusk light, especially the haunting beauty of Via dei Malcontenti, a place she has returned to again and again in her work.
Her recent explorations turn toward the quiet magic of flowers, plants and the English landscape. Judith has created a vibrant series of coloured sketches capturing the character of Suffolk cottages and churches, with Grundisburg and Dedham holding a special place in her imagination.
Before dedicating herself fully to art, she worked as a tour guide and tour manager across Europe, an adventurous career that once included a hospital stay in Moscow and a memorable flight to Kiev beside a basket of squawking chickens.
She often says she has lived what the Chinese call “an interesting life,” and her artwork carries the richness of those experiences.
Judith Harper, or Judy as she is known by friends, is an artist whose practice is rooted in a lifelong love of drawing, from the soft graphite of HB and 2B pencils to the expressive flow of Staedtler brush pens.
After living in Florence for nearly three decades, she developed a deep sensitivity to the city’s narrow streets, tower houses and shifting dusk light, especially the haunting beauty of Via dei Malcontenti, a place she has returned to again and again in her work.
Her recent explorations turn toward the quiet magic of flowers, plants and the English landscape. Judith has created a vibrant series of coloured sketches capturing the character of Suffolk cottages and churches, with Grundisburg and Dedham holding a special place in her imagination.
A young Judy portrait taken in Warsaw 1968
judyharperart.com
Judy creates artwork filled with memory, sensitivity and the quiet beauty of places she has loved—Florence’s shadowed streets, Suffolk’s cottages and gardens, and the landscapes that have shaped her life. Every piece reflects decades of experience, craftsmanship and a deep devotion to drawing. Today, Judith continues her artistic practice from her council flat in Felixstowe, working with the same passion that has guided her since childhood. Purchasing her artwork is a meaningful way to support an artist who has spent a lifetime enriching others through culture, storytelling and creativity.
By choosing one of her drawings or coloured sketches, you are not only bringing home a unique work of art-you are helping Judith continue creating with joy, purpose and independence. Her art carries history. Your support carries her forward.