Judith White

Judith White studied fine art at Washburn University, with an emphasis on painting. She created her first mural on Washburn’s campus in 2003. From 1999 to 2004, she worked at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, and between 2002 and 2003, she taught elementary art through the Mulvane Museum.

Since 2004, Judith has owned Looking Glass Tattoo & Gallery in Topeka, where she tattoos and sells artwork alongside three other artists. She also founded the Inky Quills Coalition, a small group of local artists who occasionally collaborate on projects and art shows. The group’s membership evolves over time as people travel and move forward in life; current members include Danny White (carpenter), Anna Smith, Lacey Gregory, and Klayton Edwards.

Judith and her team recently completed a mural she designed at 10th and Kansas for the Greater Topeka Partnership. They are currently working on a mural project at the Topeka Yoga Network.

She has found that mural design shares many similarities with tattoo design—both often tell specific stories through imagery that must be universally understood and easily read from a distance. Judith favors bold colors and high contrast, frequently incorporating patterns and textures into her work. Her designs often juxtapose realism and organic elegance with ornamental or geometric elements. She especially enjoys using gold leaf in her murals, adding a distinctive touch that can endure outdoors for up to 30 years.

A passionate researcher, Judith loves diving into the subject matter of her projects to ensure a respectful, engaging, and thoughtful approach to every piece she creates.

Beyond viewing the artwork, Judith White is happy to provide community discussions about the process and symbolism in the artwork. She has several ideas for how the community could get involved with the actual painting of the projects without creating the chaos that often goes along with community design. She previously worked as an elementary art educator through the Mulvane Museum, so she has a lot of experience leading group projects and discussions.

Judith White can educate students on both the technical and design aspects of mural making. She believes discussions about catering to a client’s wants versus satisfying the general community versus creating a strong design are essential for young designers. She feels that these conversations often focus more on technical execution and less on design strategy. While she can certainly provide technical information and historical context, Judith offers a unique approach to design through storytelling and symbolism that can be especially helpful to aspiring artists.

She has lectured on contemporary tattooing in cultural anthropology classes at Washburn University, led talks on being an entrepreneur in the arts in Kansas for Topeka West High School, and created the event “Art & Image, Pinup vs. Virgin” for the Heartland Feminist Workshops in 2010. She has also led discussions about tattooing and safety at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library.

Judith White charges either a flat fee plus supplies—typically for smaller projects or small businesses with limited funds—or a rate per square foot that includes most supplies. If gold leaf or sealants such as anti-graffiti or UV protection are required, those costs are added. For projects exceeding 15 feet in height, there is an additional charge for scaffolding or an elevating work platform unless one is provided or a community donation can be arranged.

Her rate ranges from $10 to $20 per square foot (plus any applicable costs for sealants, gold leaf, scaffolding, or elevating platforms), depending on the complexity of the design.

As a business owner, Judith White requires advanced notice for travel, though she is happy to do so. For projects in Topeka, she typically works before and after regular hours, but with notice, she can adjust her schedule to complete a project more quickly. Her most recent mural project, which spans 200 square feet, took five weeks to complete. Without other obligations, the team could have finished in one to two weeks. That project also involved power washing and sealing an older surface.

Judith is married to carpenter Danny White, which allows them to ensure each project is well crafted using materials that withstand the elements and time. Occasionally, they are asked to replace older surfaces or add framing—services Danny provides, with associated costs added to the supply budget.

Serenata a la Ciudad Dorada
“Golden City Serenade” 10th and Kansas Ave, Topeka. (Meadowlark with olive branch) is Judith’s original design. They power washed and primed the older mural surface, then projected the design and painted it. They added gold leaf at the end and made sure to match some of the colors with the existing buildings awnings.

Abeja y flores
Bee & Flowers is still a work in progress. This one is inside a yoga studio. They sneak in after hours to work on it. This one they are able to do without scaffolding. They used some of the paint used to paint accent walls so the colors married well.

Pueblo Mediterráneo
The project with the Mediterranean village is indoor at a restaurant and is another artist’s design. Judith doesn’t often do designs she didn’t create but wanted to add it for craftsmanship. This one was tricky as she had to work around an opening business.

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