National Association of Women Artists

I was at the Fall inauguration of new members and was taken with the joy, pride, honor, and quality of work expressed by the new members. The quality of work is outstanding and new members saw each other’s work projected on a large screen when they were called up to receive their certificates. New members said how much they enjoyed seeing each others’ work and taking part in the New Members’ Exhibition in the NAWA Gallery.

A total of 93 new members were accepted into NAWA in 2016. It is the highest total amount of new members accepted into NAWA since I have been working with membership in 2005.

Professional women artists are welcome to apply for membership to NAWA and the deadline for applications is September 15 and March 15. For details, please visit, https://thenawa.org or send email to: office@thenawa.org

Some history about NAWA: On January 31, 1889, five innovative women, Anita C. Ashley, Adele Frances Bedell, Elizabeth S. Cheever, Grace Fitz-Randolph and Edith Mitchel Prellwitz met to discuss the formation of a women’s art organization. This was a time when women artists were associated primarily with crafts and decorative arts. The founders of the National Association of Women Artist (NAWA) envisioned an organization that would promote higher standards for women artists and provide them with the opportunity to exhibit their work. The annual exhibitions of the women’s Art Club were a great success, attracting the participation of women artists such as Mary Cassatt, Suzanne Valadon, Rosa Bonheur and Cecelia Beaux. As the organization grew, its membership included prominent artists like Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney who established the Whitney Museum of Art in New York City and Anna Hyatt Huntington who created the sculpture museum Brookgreen Gardens/ in South Carolina.

Many members have exhibited in major museums and have taken their rightful place among the recognized artists of their time: Louise Nevelson, Malvina Hoffman, Cleo Hartwog, Minna Citron, Nell Blaine, Dorothy Dehner, Alice Neel, Marisol, Pat Adams, Judy Chicago, Miriam Schapiro, Janet Fish and Audrey Flack. These women and additional contemporary artists joined the organization making NAWA valid force. NAWA members represent all areas of the visual arts including painting, sculpture, encaustic photography, printmaking, video art, installations and mixed media. The benefits of membership are many, including a substantial awards program, the opportunity to display artwork throughout the U.S. in the exhibitions program, and inclusion in NAWA’s Annual Catalog.

By Cornelia Seckel/February 23, 2017