by Samar Hussaini, Exhibitions Committee Chair
Inside the creative world of exhibitions by the National Association of Women Artists (NAWA), art shows stretch boundaries and connect audiences with talented women artists across the country. NAWA’s Exhibition Committee, a dedicated group of Signature Member volunteers are at the heart of this sisterhood, making sure the shows feel fresh, vibrant, and deeply meaningful at every turn.
The first half of 2026 has proven to be a powerful season for NAWA Signature Members. Through a series of national exhibitions across the country and online, the National Association of Women Artists continues to expand its reach while reinforcing its commitment to professional excellence, visibility, and opportunity for women artists nationwide.
The year began on the West Coast with Pacific Influence at the Sasse Museum of Art in Pomona, California. This exhibition explored how geography, atmosphere, and cultural landscape shape artistic expression. The setting provided an expansive backdrop for work reflecting movement, light, and the layered experience of place. While rooted in regional inspiration, the exhibition resonated nationally, underscoring how NAWA Signature Members transform the environment into compelling visual language. NAWA thanks Signature Member Jeni Bate for coordinating and serving as NAWA’s point of contact, ensuring a seamless partnership and strong institutional exchange.
Across the country, in Norwalk, Connecticut, Natalia Kropf coordinated Im-Press-ive Women at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking. Celebrating printmaking, the exhibition highlighted both technical rigor and bold experimentation, showcasing the range and relevance of contemporary print practices. From intricate traditional processes to innovative approaches that push material boundaries, NAWA Signature Members demonstrated the expressive depth of the medium and affirmed their leadership within the field. affirming a leadership position in the field.
NAWA’s national presence extends through the Winter Small Works Open Call, an ongoing online exhibition open to both members and non-members. Small in scale yet significant in impact, the 15×15” and under exhibiting works invited broad participation and thoughtful engagement from artists across creative boundaries. The exhibition reinforces that artistic power lies not in size but in clarity of vision and strength of execution.
In New Rochelle, New York, Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories, held for the third year in a row in partnership with the Vanda Gallery, honored artists whose work shapes and preserves cultural memory. Through diverse media and perspectives, the exhibition highlighted the vital role artists play as visual storytellers who document lived experience, challenge assumptions, and reframe history.
Meanwhile, in New York City, In Full Bloom transformed the Williamsburg and Manhattan Park Avenue South branches of Flushing Bank into vibrant showcases of renewal and creative momentum. Reflecting themes of growth and flourishing, the exhibition captured the confidence and forward energy of NAWA Signature Members. Luminous palettes and dynamic compositions embodied a season of expansion. Together, these exhibitions in the first half of 2026 demonstrate NAWA’s strategic growth and national presence. From California to Connecticut, from Westchester to New York City, and online across the country, NAWA Signature Members continue to shine on established and emerging platforms alike. Through thoughtful partnerships and carefully coordinated efforts, NAWA ensures that its members remain visible, celebrated, and at the forefront of the national arts conversation.
