Judy has developed an unusually varied practice encompassing drawing, painting, collage, handmade and altered papers, and assemblage, using materials that include Crayola crayons, soft pastels and oil pastels. She moves freely between abstraction and recognizable imagery, often transforming ordinary materials and familiar forms through colour, line and invention. Across the work is a recurring sense of curiosity, wit and delight in creating.

Judy Dougherty received a B.A. in Spanish Literature and Language in 1972. Rather than pursuing employment in this field, she chose instead to follow a career in making art. She is a self-taught artist. Judy has been creating unique and sometimes provocative images since the late 1960s. She had her first solo show in Toronto in 1974. Over the years she has exhibited her work in Canada and the U.S. Her primary impetus is drawing although colour harmony is a standout feature of her work.