Judith Copeland grew up in Sarasota, Fla., and spent her college years at USF in Tampa, Lake Forest College in Illinois, and Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. Copeland has been carving wood as her sculptural medium since 1976. She and her husband now live in Melbourne Beach, Florida, where she works from a studio at their home.

“As soon as I attempted a sculpture in wood, I knew that this would be my life’s work”. At least a couple of hours of Copeland’s day are devoted to some aspect of carving. She carves the wood by using a hand mallet and a variety of chisels. The sanding is electrical with a random orbital sander and a Foredom tool. The sanding takes just as long as the carving. The final sanding is done by hand using 600 grit sandpaper. Finally Danish Watco Oil is applied in many applications to penetrate the wood for protection and shine. This same oil should be applied on an annual basis to keep the sculpture in its best condition.

Biography • Artworks