Godwin is an artist who lives and works in New York City and grew up in Harlem and East Harlem. She received her BFA from the School of Visual Arts in 1983, and an MFA in printmaking from City College in 2002. In the 2012 and 2014, she was an artist-in-residence at Soaring Gardens. Godwin writes about her work: "Since I am always around trees and concrete, it created this duality in the art I make reflecting the people, objects and natural forms I encounter. I take these images and develop a story using printmaking or ceramics, creating pieces that a person would use in everyday life."