Judy Thompson is an award-winning watercolor and mixed media artist living and working in Spirit Lake, Iowa. Her contemporary paintings explore the landscapes, heritage, and enduring spirit of the American West and Great Plains, drawing inspiration from rural life, the land, and the stories that shape our sense of place and identity.

Thompson received the Art of the West Award at the 2025 Women Artists of the West National Exhibition. She is a Signature Member of the Iowa Watercolor Society and an Associate Member of Women Artists of the West. Her artistic practice has been shaped by residencies at Badlands National Park, Custer State Park, and Homestead National Historical Park.

Her notable projects include creating cover art for the acclaimed Pioneer Girl series published by the South Dakota Historical Society Press and developing the Homestead Series, a body of work that toured the Midwest in recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Homestead Act.



Thompson’s work is represented in the permanent collections of the National Park Service, the Center for Western Studies, Northwestern College, the State of South Dakota, and Avera and Sanford Health.

Available ARTWork