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february 2021
THE COMET
ARTBEATS: honoring the suffrage movement
Joyeux Femmes I by Marilyn Charlatan Dix
BY Lonnie Broadvalley I’ve been so whipped up and worn out by current events I almost forgot to celebrate anything last year. At the top of my ‘Overshadowed Celebrations’ list is the anniversary of the women’s right to vote in the U.S. The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center has dedicated the main floor gallery space to “Raising Our Voices” and “The Legacy Continues,” two complementary shows centered on empowering women. Curator of exhibits at WVMCC, Kasey Koski writes: “Women won their right to vote in the United States 100 years ago. Much has changed since then. This exhibit will both educate and celebrate women’s voices.
Our main gallery will feature a historic synopsis of women’s suffrage in the State along with the 90th anniversary show of Women Painters of Washington. We are honored to host this celebration of the female voice.” This savvy venue has adapted right along with changing health and safety requirements, adding interactive virtual tours, instructional videos, and a video series about social justice allowing anyone to explore and learn from home. Whether learning about the history of women’s suffrage with “Raising Our
Voices” online or in person, allow yourself a little time to read and explore the art associated with a powerful and important movement. North Central Regional Library volunteer, Diane McKenzie, even set up a turn of the century style reading nook with comfy seats and stacks of literature on empowerment, environment, sisterhood, the civil rights, labor, and suffrage movements to name a few. I think this component of the exhibit is especially important, connecting diverse perspectives on the broader struggle for human rights. (Resource lists for the reading nook are available for download when you visit virtually).
Juried by local artist Jan Evenhus, “The Legacy Continues: Empowering Women” is a group show featuring contemporary artists and members of Women Painters of Washington celebrating their 90th year as an organization. Bound together by theme, the exhibit includes the various styles and mediums from artists around the state. Many of the artists reference caretaking, farming, sisterhood, and a legacy of strong women as sources of inspiration and strength. It is so important to mark the milestones that honor and celebrate the hard work of those who came before us. It is also vi-
