Women in the Arts Fall 2020

Fall 2020

CHAMPION WOMEN THROUGH THE ARTS dear members and friends,

During the ongoing pandemic, we are grateful to be able to share moments of normalcy and pleasure, such as the museum’s reopening in August. We are welcoming visitors—with enhanced health, safety, and operations procedures—and I am glad that our doors are open once again.

On view for the reopening, the installation Return to Nature features photographs from the museum’s collection that capture the natural world. These images by historical and contemporary women artists offer a window into the respite, beauty, and outdoor adventure that many are seeking right now. As I look out on a beautiful crepe myrtle in my garden today, I appreciate more than ever all that nature offers us.

This fall, we are pleased to present Paper Routes, the sixth installment of the museum’s Women to Watch exhibition series, a collaboration with our national and international committees. Our unique committee network engages people around the world in the museum’s mission. The groups highlight women artists in their home regions, and they support the museum in Washington, with a special focus on Women to Watch exhibitions. In organizing the exhibition, participating committees worked with curators in their areas to create shortlists of contemporary artists working with the medium of paper. From these lists, NMWA curators selected the artists whose work is on view.

Each Women to Watch exhibition involves a wide web of partners around the globe—artists and curators, collectors who loan works to be shared with the public, and enthusiastic committee members who support the project. This year, the exhibition was rescheduled amid pandemic-related closures.

We are truly grateful to the dedicated collaborators who helped us both to realize Paper Routes and to create online artist talks, interviews, and more that will help us share these works widely.

MUSEUM INFORMATION

WOMEN IN THE ARTS

1250 New York Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

Fall 2020 Volume 38, no. 3

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Women in the Arts is a publication of the National Museum of Women in the Arts®

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On the cover: Paola Podestá Martí, Vergara Palace Cornice (detail), 2010; Foam core, aquarelle paper, and stainless steel, 82 ⅝ x 118 in.; Courtesy of the artist; Photo by Calipsophotography Founder’s photo: © Michele Mattei

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Contents

“Paper allows for the element of transformation that is crucial to all that I make.”

—NATASHA BOWDOIN, PAGE 8

↑ 18

Julie Chen: True to Life

Book artist Chen creates introspective, sculptural works that require a reader’s touch to engage their texts. lynora williams

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FEATURES

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Paper Routes— Women to Watch 2020

Contemporary artists take innovative approaches using paper: they cut, fold, burn, pulp, collage, and emboss the medium to evoke a wide array of cultural and personal associations. virginia treanor and orin zahra

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Meet the Muralists

During summer protests for social justice, the museum commissioned two muralists to create works reflecting their hopes for the future. trap bob and quest skinner

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2 Arts News 4 Culture Watch 6 Education Report 7 Dedicated Donor: Michelle Howard 14 Calendar 22 Recent Acquisitions: Daisy Makeig-Jones 24 Museum News and Events 26 Supporting Roles 29 Museum Shop

Arts News 2

Left: One of Carrie Mae Weems’s designs for her project Resist COVID/Take 6!

opportunity to address the impact of social and economic inequality in real time.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY KOOS BREUKEL; © 2020 SUSAN ROTHENBERG / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), COURTESY OF SPERONE WESTWATER, NEW YORK

Resist COVID/Take 6!

In cities across the U.S., billboards, advertisements, and lawn signs have appeared as part of a campaign by renowned artist and activist Carrie Mae Weems to increase awareness about the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on people of color. For the project, Weems presents her photography along with bold texts encouraging the public to maintain social distancing at six feet apart— the distance recommended by the Centers for Disease Control—and to be mindful of the illness’s impact. The works have been posted in Dallas–Fort Worth, Detroit, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Savannah, Miami, Sarasota, Nashville, and Chicago, in partnership with museums and community organizations.

Weems says, “We’ve all been impacted by COVID-19. It’s an ecological health crisis of epic proportions. . . . And yet we have indisputable evidence that people of color have been disproportionately impacted. The death toll in these communities is staggering. This fact affords the nation an unprecedented

In Memoriam Susan Rothenberg, an artist known for gestural paintings often featuring horses, died on May 18 at age seventy-five.

Born in Buffalo, New York, Rothenberg earned her BFA from Cornell University. Her first solo exhibition in a New York City gallery took place in 1975, featuring paintings of horse silhouettes on monochromatic backgrounds. She gained critical renown for reintroducing figurative subjects during an era when the dominant approach to painting was Minimalist abstraction.

Rothenberg married artist Bruce Nauman in 1989 and shortly afterward moved to Galisteo, New Mexico, where she spent the remainder of her life. She found inspiration in the Southwestern landscape, and later works included colors and animals of the desert, as well as simplified, fragmented images of the human body. She continued to use an intuitive method with intense brushwork and spare subject matter. Her paintings, prints, and drawings have been exhibited and acquired by institutions worldwide.

Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument On August 26, the hundredth anniversary of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, the organization Monumental Women unveiled a statue in New York City’s Central Park depicting Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony. Created by sculptor Meredith Bergmann, the work is the first statue in the park to depict real historical women. It joins a wide variety of existing statuary in the park,

NYC PARKS / DANIEL AVILA

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COURTESY OF THE DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART

Below: Meredith Bergmann’s Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument, installed in Central Park

Below: Shareable art from PlanYourVote.org

Right: Heather Phillipson’s THE END, on view in Trafalgar Square

PLANYOURVOTE.ORG

PHOTO BY DAVID PARRY, PA WIRE

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Artists are lending their voices and creativity to PlanYourVote.org

including works representing twenty-three historical men, and others of Alice in Wonderland, Mother Goose, and symbolic female figures.

The organization termed this disparity “the bronze ceiling” and set out to expand the representation of women in public art.

Plan Your Vote Artists are lending their voices and creativity to PlanYourVote. org, a non-partisan project encouraging the public to share reminders to register, verify, and commit to vote in the November general election. The website holds a library of images that are freely available to the public

Winner’s Circle Maggie O’Farrell won the Women’s Prize for Fiction, one of the U.K.’s most prestigious

THE END During a time when many are reconsidering the role of public

statuary, the most recent addition to London’s Trafalgar Square—the rotating commission for the space’s empty fourth plinth—is a sinister and comical dessert by artist Heather Phillipson. The sculpture, titled THE END, takes the shape of a monumental flourish of whipped cream with a red cherry on top. Although it towers above the square, it seems to slowly collapse around the edges. An enormous fly perches on one side, and a functioning drone sits on the top, in a commentary on excess and surveillance. The sculpture will be in place until spring 2022.

Champion women through the arts with NMWA membership

WO M E N I N T H E A RTS

JOIN US!

to share on social media and advocate for voting. More than sixty artists, including Wangechi Mutu, Marilyn Minter, the Guerrilla Girls, Julie Mehretu, Jenny Holzer, and Laurie Simmons, have contributed work to the site. Check it out online—and plan your vote.

literary awards, for her novel Hamnet. Inspired by the reallife Hamnet, the son of William Shakespeare who died at age eleven and whose name was given to the play Hamlet, the book focuses on the perspective of Shakespeare’s wife, Agnes, and the bubonic plague threatening London. O’Farrell’s book beat acclaimed shortlisted works including Hilary Mantel’s The Mirror and the Light, Bernardine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other, and Jenny Offill’s Weather to win the £30,000 award.

Culture Watch //

EXHIBITIONS

COLORADO

Ledelle Moe: When

Kelly Akashi: Cultivator

MASS MoCA, North Adams Through January 3, 2021 https://massmoca.org

Aspen Art Museum Through March 14, 2021 www.aspenartmuseum.org This outdoor work features a larger-than-life bronze cast of Akashi’s hand overgrown with plants, reflecting on human interaction with nature.

A video tour and lesson plans are available online.

MASSACHUSETTS

Anila Quayyum Agha: All the Flowers Are for Me Peabody Essex Museum, Salem Through February 22, 2021 https://www.pem.org

Weathered, monolithic heads and figures by Moe evoke toppled statues or monumental relics of an ancient civilization. An exhibition guide is available online.

MINNESOTA

Rachel Breen: The Labor We Wear Minneapolis Institute of Art Through November 1, 2020 https://new.artsmia.org Breen’s installation of used clothing highlights the hazardous cycle of garment production and consumption. An online video shares the exhibition and the artist’s insight.

CANADA // Offsite: Sanaz Mazinani; On view at Vancouver Art Gallery

NEW YORK

OKLAHOMA

Cauleen Smith: Mutualities

Weaving History into Art: The Enduring Legacy of Shan Goshorn

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City Through January 31, 2021 https://whitney.org

Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa October 9, 2020–March 28, 2021 https://gilcrease.org

Smith’s film and installation work explores memory and Afro-diasporic histories through text and sound by women from different eras. Installation imagery is available online.

Archival documents and photographs are woven into Goshorn’s traditional Cherokee baskets to comment on historical and political issues. Videos and imagery are available online.

COURTESY OF THE MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ART

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PHOTO BY SCOT T MILLER

Agha’s sculptural chamber of light and shadow is inspired by Persian and Turkish architecture, textiles, and miniature paintings. Blog posts explore the work online.

PHOTO BY IAN LEFEBVRE, VANCOUVER ART GALLERY

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OKLAHOMA // Shan Goshorn, SQUAW, 2018; On loan from the Goshorn/Pendergraft family; On view at the Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa

MINNESOTA // Rachel Breen, The Labor We Wear, 2020; On view at the Minneapolis Institute of Art

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BOOKS

INTERNATIONAL

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CANADA

Offsite: Sanaz Mazinani Vancouver Art Gallery Through February 15, 2021 http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

GERMANY

Katharina Grosse: It Wasn’t Us Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Hamburger Bahnhof Through January 10, 2021 https://www.smb.museum Grosse’s installation transforms the museum’s historic hall and surrounding outdoor space into an expansive painting.

Online content includes a video, podcast, and exhibition imagery.

Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency

The Dragons, the Giant, the Women

“Can art do anything, especially during periods of crisis?” writer and critic Olivia Laing asks in Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency (W.W. Norton & Company, 2020). The answer— yes—unfurls subtly over this meandering collection’s essays on topics including alcoholic women writers, refugees, and the AIDS crisis; artist profiles; and Laing’s columns for Frieze magazine. Laing’s incisive, thoughtful writings about the lives and work of Agnes Martin, Derek Jarman, Georgia O’Keeffe, and nearly thirty others, reveal how art can be a catalyst for hope and empathy, resistance and repair.

However, with the exception of Jean-Michel Basquiat and brief mentions of poet Claudia Rankine and artist Ana Mendieta, no other artists of color appear in the book’s nearly 350 pages. This omission is hard to ignore given the art world’s own emergency— systemic marginalization of Black and Brown artists in galleries, museums, prizes, and the market. Laing could use her platform, acclaim, and true gift for seeing to bolster the discourse around artists outside of the white canon. Today, our many emergencies summon us to leave our comfort zones.

The stories of women are integral to Wayétu Moore’s moving, episodic memoir The Dragons, the Giant, the Women (Graywolf, 2020).

Moore—author of the acclaimed 2018 novel She Would Be King—describes fleeing the Liberian Civil War as an imaginative, sheltered five-year-old.

Her father, the “giant” of the book’s title, seeks to protect her and her two sisters from the horrors of war during an arduous escape. When she asks about the sound of gunfire, he quickly replies, “Drums…That’s a drum.” A section is written from the perspective of Moore’s mother, who is abroad when the crisis breaks outs, then urgently works to reunite their family.

Another significant presence in the book is Satta, a young rebel soldier who risks her own life to traffic people—including the author’s family—out of Liberia. They settle in the U.S., where Moore grapples with perceptions of Black American identity, questions of home, and the war’s legacy. Moore recalls of Satta, “She was smaller than other big people…but she walked in a bigger way than them, godlike with the certainty of her steps.”

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ALICIA GREGORY

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ELIZABETH LYNCH

Artemisia Gentileschi and Feminism in Early Modern Europe In Artemisia Gentileschi and Feminism in Early Modern Europe (Reaktion, 2020), Mary D. Garrard brings seventeenthcentury artist Artemisia Gentileschi and her paintings into conversation with the community of European women, including Moderata Fonte and Marie de’ Medici, who fueled the feminist literary battles of Gentileschi’s lifetime. Garrard’s conversational yet scrupulously researched account reveals that the “enormously ambitious” painter worked alongside her contemporaries to challenge the “masculine construction of femininity,” often delivering cleverly coded feminist messages to a male audience. With a “virtuosity [that] confounds traditional art-historical practice,” Gentileschi defied patriarchal values and left a complex visual legacy. Garrard delivers close readings of Gentileschi’s paintings as well as texts by women writers while allowing her conclusions flexibility. Above all, she reasserts Gentileschi’s deftness, agility, and superiority as a woman painter living in a European society that relentlessly insisted on women’s physical, mental, and emotional inferiority. //

EMMA WEISS

WO M E N I N T H E A RTS

In this outdoor work, Mazinani visualizes a dystopic future for the city of Vancouver— a climatic shift that will require fundamental changes in consumption, conservation, and infrastructure.

Education Report 6

Left: Book artist Colette Fu demonstrates a pop-up technique

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Below, left: During an art assignment from Sarah Urist Green, paired participants describe lovingly remembered childhood objects and re-create their partner’s object; Here, attendee Colette Jones shares “Ms. Bunny” for partner Deborah Rice

Educator Summer Camp Over the last six months, people in every facet of society have found ways to adapt and innovate; these are large tasks given the current stresses.

Perhaps the most resilient and creative among us are educators—including schoolteachers of students in pre-K through twelfth grade, adults who support student learning at home, and community-based educators like Girl Scout troop leaders and teaching artists.

Since the stay-at-home orders began, we have listened to educators, learning about the tools,

techniques, activities, resources, and partners that they seek to engage their learners virtually and in person.

In July, NMWA offered a free twelve-session online Educator Summer Camp to support educators everywhere during this challenging time. We took inspiration from NMWA’s Art, Books, and Creativity (ABC) arts-integration curriculum, past ABC Institutes, and our museum’s mission, while being mindful of the limitations of teaching and learning from home. Each hourlong live Zoom session was designed to address at least one of the following topics: step-by-step bookmaking, easy art-making at home, conversations about art, introductions to women artists, and discussing art with learners.

NMWA educators collaborated with talented instructors from around the country.

Book artists Carol Barton (based in Maryland), Colette Fu (Philadelphia), Carol Todaro (Miami), and Jennifer WhiteJohnson (Maryland) led stepby-step bookmaking lessons on a variety of book forms—from simple one-page books to complex pop-ups. Children’s

“It shows that you are rooting for the teachers; we are all in this together!”

—Educator Summer Camp participant

book author and illustrator Adjoa Burrowes (Maryland) shared simple watercolor and tempera paint techniques to create interesting textures and striking color saturation. Author and art historian Sarah Urist Green (Indianapolis) engaged participants in projects inspired by the work of contemporary women artists. Educator Abby Krolik (D.C.) modeled Harvard Project Zero thinking routines to foster perspective-taking. Artist Dafna Steinberg (Maryland) demonstrated collage and assemblage techniques and discussed issues of cultural appropriation and the gaze in these mediums. NMWA staff led lessons on Visual Thinking Strategies and underrepresented artists and ended the series with a “Can you name that woman artist?” trivia session.

This series enabled NMWA educators to forge new relationships and serve old friends, including many ABC Institute alumni. We were also able to collect data about gender parity in studio art and art history curricula. We reinforced our support by providing all participants with access to session recordings and a digital toolkit of resources they can access throughout the school year.

The camp’s twelve programs attracted a total of 598 attendees, many who returned for several sessions.

We proudly served U.S.-based educators from Washington, D.C., and twenty-two states, as well as international participants from Canada, England, Japan, Panama, and Poland.

Participants shared extremely positive feedback, and some even made donations to benefit future education programming.

As museums continue to grapple with their role in developing and sustaining communities through virtual programs, NMWA’s Educator Summer Camp will be a wonderful model moving forward.

Dedicated Donor 7

RETIRED U.S. NAVY ADMIRAL

Michelle Howard is passionate about gender equity and advancement—in all fields.

Throughout her thirty-fiveyear naval career, she was at the vanguard of changing laws that allowed women to advance in the military. She is also a longtime supporter of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, enjoying museum visits, celebrating the work of women artists, and sustaining the museum as a Circles-level donor.

Howard is a highly distinguished leader. She was the Navy’s first woman four-star admiral and the first African American woman to captain a naval ship. But, she says, “I was born in 1960, and if I’d been born in ’58, it would have been a completely different life.” The service academies were closed to women until 1976; she applied the next

“I thought, I serve to ensure the freedom of citizens.

And creativity— artistry—is one of the greatest expressions of freedom.”

year at age seventeen and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1982. The roles available to women expanded when a group of women sailors and naval officers won a lawsuit that allowed them to serve on support ships, such as hospital and logistics ships. The resulting change enabled Howard to serve at sea. After the Combat Exclusion Policy was repealed, she moved into amphibious forces, which led to her most prominent positions. In 2016, President Obama selected her to command naval forces in Europe and Africa.

She regards her “lucky” timing with humor and grace.

“The law can be the tool that creates a level playing field. If the law restricts citizens from doing certain things, then the opportunity is lost,” she says.

Howard describes certain missions as “truly gratifying.”

One was the relief effort following the 2004 tsunami that struck Indonesia—she was in command of three ships that were redirected to help. With food, building supplies, and tarps, they provided desperately needed humanitarian assistance. During another memorable mission, she was in charge of the counterpiracy task force off of Somalia and organized a rescue that was dramatized in the film Captain Phillips. Reflecting on these missions, she praised the people under her command, “the sailors and marines who are doing the work to perfection.” When teams come together well, she says, “That’s a great day at sea.”

Since her retirement from the Navy in 2017, she

has taught at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, been elected to IBM’s board of directors, and served on advisory panels for the U.S. Institute of Peace, among other endeavors.

During her travels around the world, how did Howard discover NMWA? “Accidentally!” she laughs. Whenever she was stationed in D.C., she loved exploring museums and cultural sites. She first came to visit in the mid-1990s after she noticed a sign for NMWA. “I thought it was a fantastic idea and became a supporter.

I thought, I serve to ensure the freedom of citizens. And creativity—artistry—is one of the greatest expressions of freedom. I personally believe that in many fields, women are overlooked, because the dominant power group is male.”

Howard has visited numerous times over the years; exhibitions featuring women silversmiths, Italian Renaissance painter Sofonisba Anguissola, and quiltmakers rank among her favorites. She appreciates the museum’s leadership in working with other institutions and serving as the standardbearer—“the flagship”—for women in the arts. Looking to the future, despite all of the unknowns for public institutions during the pandemic, she says, “Full steam ahead!”

NMWA Director Susan Fisher Sterling says, “It is a pleasure to count Admiral Michelle Howard among our supporters. She has done so much for our country and for the visibility and advancement of women in our world.”

WO M E N I N T H E A RTS

MICHELLE HOWARD

COURTESY OF MICHELLE HOWARD

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Natasha Bowdoin, Contrariwise, 2011; Pencil, gouache, and ink on cut paper, 96 x 96 x 2 in.; Courtesy of the artist and Talley Dunn Gallery

October 8, 2020 –January 18, 2021

WO M E N TO WATC H 2020

Virginia Treanor and Orin Zahra

The exhibition series Women to Watch, a collaboration with the museum’s national and international outreach committees, has been held every two to three years since 2008. Women to Watch is designed to increase the visibility of emerging and underrepresented artists working in the committees’ home regions, focusing each time on a particular medium or theme. This year, committees consulted with contemporary art curators in their areas, who nominated shortlists of innovative artists working with paper. From these nominations, NMWA curators selected one artist from each group to feature in Paper Routes—Women to Watch 2020.

Paper is a commonplace and accessible material, yet our uses for it are changing continuously amid the rapid increase of digital life. Paper art-making traditions exist in almost every culture, but what draws contemporary artists to this material?

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NMWA curators Virginia Treanor and Orin Zahra asked the selected artists to respond to questions about their artistic practices and use of this versatile medium. Their full statements are collected in the exhibition catalogue; these selected excerpts highlight the wide range of featured works and the artists’ distinctive visions.

One of paper’s primary uses is as a medium for communication through writing. Some artists in Paper Routes use paper repurposed from books, labels, or signs; others incorporate forms of communication into their methods. How does your work engage with this traditional use of paper?

Georgia Russell Whether in books, photography, or even cur-

rency, paper is used to communicate and exchange ideas.

My work titled Attachement (2013) comes from an ongoing

Annie Lopez, The Liberation of Glycerine, 2016; Cyanotype on tamale wrapper paper, thread, zipper, and metal buckle, 51 x 48 x 52 in.; Collection of Eric Jungermann

interest I have in sculpting books. The contrasting colors evoke a push/pull feeling, yet the sculpture is delicate and sensual.

Natasha Bowdoin Much of my work examines the intersection

of the literary and the visual. Contrariwise (2011) is built from a transcription of Tweedledum and Tweedledee’s dialogue in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass. In this piece, Carroll’s text dissolves and regenerates in the guise of twin chattering skulls, blurring the boundary between looking and reading. Paper allows for the element of transformation that is crucial to all that I make.

Rachel Farbiarz Each [collaged] element is extracted with a

knife from its own book-world. That this collection is contained in bits of paper allows me to feel like I am mining the stories that adhere to the scraps. Each is a readable, legible artifact.

Each has its own tooth and texture; its own inky pigment or gummy matte surface. As I stitch these scraps together with knife, glue, and pencil, I write them into a new paper world— unfurled in a new-old tableau of story, history, and memory.

Sa’dia Rehman I cut my stencils from a wide variety of papers—

newsprint, paper bags, magazine covers, cardboard, and watercolor paper. Paper is a surface that awakens the materials I bring into my work—charcoal, graphite, ink, and spray paint. Continuously smearing ink, smudging charcoal, and shredding paper evoke the circular and violent relationships between history, memory and storytelling, and the self.

The paper I use connects my art to my culture.

ANNIE LOPEZ

PHOTO BY KATIE JONES-WEINERT, TUCSON MUSEUM OF ART

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I transform photographs into origami scarab beetles—an ancient Egyptian symbol for death and transformation. //

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JOLI LIVAUDAIS

Joli Livaudais, All That I Love (detail), 2012–present; Photography on Kozo paper, aluminum, epoxy resin, and pins, dimensions variable; Courtesy of the artist

the support for a fundamental human activity: writing. The process of cutting and engraving paper and dedicating long hours of concentration to creating my works is like writing a diary. I tell my personal story, made of gestures and rituals, of the patient and anonymous work that unites us all, nourishing the life of every human being.

From wedding invitations to childhood collages and cut-paper snowflakes, to Japanese origami, papel picado in Mexico, and wycinanki in Poland, many cultural and personal associations are tied to paper. Does your work respond to any specific tradition or memory?

Annie Lopez The paper I use connects my art to my culture. I like to

relate to the materials I use in my art. I began as a photographer, printing on photo paper, but I wanted something different.

In the “Hispanic Foods” section of a grocery store, I found the paper used to wrap tamales. It held the photographic prints and, when stitched together, the paper created a sculptural form.

Echiko Ohira Paper has always been a part of my life. I grew

up in a traditional Japanese house where there were many Fusuma and Shoji screens that created space and made walls.

There were always beautiful hanging scrolls. Paper is a core material in Japanese architecture, as well as in every aspect of Japanese culture.

Joli Livaudais All That I Love (2012–present) is a personal form

of meditation. In this ongoing installation, I transform photographs, either my own or those created by close friends and family members, into origami scarab beetles—an ancient

Egyptian symbol for death and transformation. While they are creatures of hidden and dark places, they create new life from detritus and feces, and they can be gloriously colorful and vibrant.

Julia Goodman Waning & Waxing (2020), a deeply personal piece

about my experience as a grieving daughter and expecting mother twelve years apart, drew from a need to seek catharsis through transformation of physical materials via mimicry of a Jewish mourning ritual. In Jewish tradition, fabric on the chest is ripped at graveside, symbolic of exposing one’s heart in grief. At the conclusion of the mourning period, the rip is sewn and repaired, no longer raw, but leaving a visible scar.

By working with handmade paper, I invite contemplation of cycles of love and loss that mark our lives.

Paper has frequently been used as a support for art forms like drawing, photography, and printmaking, though historical and contemporary artists have also explored paper as a medium in and of itself. Works in this exhibition layer, pulp, collage, silhouette, and accrete this material. Does working in paper offer you something that another medium does not?

Mary Evans Paper as a medium is at once strong and fragile.

I often marvel at its durability and delicacy, which is reminiscent of the tenacity and vulnerability of all people, but in particular of African peoples and all that they have endured.

Mira Burack My works are intricate photography collages

made up of hundreds of layered photographs of bedding. The inherent qualities of paper—its flexibility, sheen, ability to

WO M E N I N T H E A RTS

Elisabetta Di Maggio Paper is a fragile material that is also

Hyeyoung Shin, Tide (detail), 2019–present; Cast Gampi paper, dimensions variable; Courtesy of the artist

the sand, I made a stone, and with the remaining paper I sewed a patchwork rug. The sandpaper thereby reverts to its initial components—the sand and the paper. By slowly dissecting industrial objects like sandpaper, a kind of artisanal process takes place, twisting the industrial back to the handmade.

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PHOTO BY AARON PADEN

Paper evokes such a wide variety of connections— personal, historical, and political—that can be accentuated through artists’ approaches. Can you tell us about your inspiration for your work featured in Paper Routes?

be cut and manipulated, bridging of two and three dimensions, and powerful history as a foundation for illusionary space—make it a primary and magnetic medium for this work.

Dolores Furtado In my works, which are accumulations

of paper pulp, I search for a raw materiality and a primitive form. The coarse, open grain of paper is an ideal channel for that purpose. Layer upon layer, as in nature, the material builds organically like sedimentary rock, creating rudimentary formations of solidified matter.

Elizabeth Alexander Cast paper sculpture, sculptural collage,

and altered objects are my methods for deconstructing domestic vignettes of traditional success and beauty. Laminate paper casting allows me to replicate objects as hollow and weightless counterfeits that can be assembled and reconfigured into an alien replica of what should be familiar.

Angela Glajcar After working with wood and steel, I found

out that paper met my particular requirements perfectly.

Initially, paper appears light and fragile, but it can also be heavy and resilient. Paper takes up a position halfway between natural and artificial, and it absorbs color. Paper can be processed without any tools—although this requires quite a bit of effort—and can easily be agitated. For me, no other medium offers such a wide range of possibilities.

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Dalila Gonçalves My work uses the processes of dissection as

a means to unfold different layers of an object and reveal its materiality. For Desgastar em Pedra (segundo ensaio) (To Wear in Stone (second test) [2018]), I asked several people to help me remove the sand from dozens of blue sandpaper sheets. From

Natalia Revilla “Quemados” [the series “Burned,” 2011] was

inspired by two series of images: images of political tension in Peru and family albums. I transfer the violence of the images onto the paper through burn holes. This reinforces the idea of an allegory that uncovers a void and establishes a parallel narrative.

Hyeyoung Shin Tide (2019) consists of more than sixty pairs

of feet cast in paper to create a theatrical installation of human movement. I want these pieces to inspire retrospective thoughts about our paths as we walk through current environmental, economic, social, and political issues.

Oasa DuVerney Working with the modest and portable materials

of graphite and paper, my practice as an artist is continuous with my life as a mother and woman of color. I create drawings continuously, and the physical process of mark-making serves as a meditative practice. In Black Power Wave: Drawing For Protest (2017), the singular overpowering subject is a crashing wave. . . . Mounted on boards and yardsticks, this drawing is prepared for political action, evoking pride in Black power and potential for this artwork to exist outside of gallery settings.

Virginia Treanor is the associate curator and Orin Zahra is the assistant curator at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. //

Natalia Revilla, Untitled, from the series “Quemados” (“Burned”), 2011; Mixed media on burned paper, 11 ⅜ x 11 ¾ in.; Private collection Opposite: Oasa DuVerney, Black Power Wave: Drawing for Protest, 2017; Graphite and neon ink on paper, dimensions variable; Courtesy of the artist

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PARTICIPATING OUTREACH COMMITTEES, CONSULTING CURATORS, AND SELECTED ARTISTS

Argentina Committee Artist: Dolores Furtado; Curator: Aimé Iglesias Lukin, Americas Society/Council of the Americas Arizona Committee Artist: Annie Lopez; Curators: Tricia Loscher, Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, and Julie Sasse, Tucson Museum of Art Arkansas Committee Artist: Joli Livaudais; Curator: Allison Glenn, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Canada Committee Artist: Jen Aitken; Curator: Kitty Scott, National Gallery of Canada (formerly of the Art Gallery of Ontario) Chile Committee Artist: Paola Podestá Martí; Curator: María Irene Alcalde, Museo de Artes Visuales Les Amis du NMWA (France) Artist: Georgia Russell; Curator: Constance Rubini,

Musée des Arts décoratifs et du Design Georgia Committee Artist: Lucha Rodríguez; Curators: Michael Rooks, High Museum of Art, and Carson Keith, the Momentary (formerly of the High Museum of Art) Germany Committee Artist: Angela Glajcar; Curator: Irina Hiebert Grun, Hamburger Bahnhof Museum für Gegenwart Gli Amici del NMWA (Italy) Artist: Elisabetta Di Maggio; Curator: Iolanda Ratti, Museo del Novecento Greater Kansas City Area Committee Artist: Hyeyoung Shin; Curator: Erin Dziedzic, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art Massachusetts State Committee Artist: Elizabeth Alexander; Curator: Lisa Tung, MassArt Art Museum

Mid-Atlantic Region Committee Artist: Rachel Farbiarz; Curator: Vesela Sretenović, Phillips Collection

San Francisco Advocacy for NMWA Artist: Julia Goodman; Curator: Claudia Schmuckli, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

New Mexico State Committee Artist: Mira Burack; Curator: Laura Addison, Museum of International Folk Art

Southern California Committee Artist: Echiko Ohira; Curator: Holly Jerger, Craft Contemporary

New York Committee Artist: Oasa DuVerney; Curator: Carmen Hermo, Brooklyn Museum Ohio Advisory Group Artist: Sa’dia Rehman; Curators: Matt Distel, The Carnegie, and Emily Liebert, Cleveland Museum of Art Peru Committee Artist: Natalia Revilla; Curator: Florencia Portocarrero, Proyecto AMIL

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Spain Committee Artist: Luisa Pastor; Curator: Amparo López Corral Texas State Committee Artist: Natasha Bowdoin; Curator: Katherine Brodbeck, Dallas Museum of Art U.K. Friends of NMWA Artist: Mary Evans; Curator: Natasha Howes, Manchester Art Gallery

Portugal Committee Artist: Dalila Gonçalves; Curator: Amparo López Corral

Paper Routes—Women to Watch 2020 is organized by the National Museum of Women in the Arts and sponsored by participating committees in Argentina, Arizona, Arkansas, Northern California, Southern California, Canada, Chile, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, the Greater Kansas City Area, Massachusetts, the Mid-Atlantic Region, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Texas, and the United Kingdom.

The exhibition is made possible by Northern Trust with additional funding provided by the Clara M. Lovett Emerging Artists Fund and the Sue J. Henry and Carter G. Phillips Exhibition Fund. Further support is provided by Bayer AG, the Council for Canadian American Relations, Luso-American Development Foundation, and the French-American Cultural Foundation.

Special thanks to the Mississippi State Committee and San Francisco Advocacy for NMWA for their support of the Paper Routes catalogue.

WO M E N I N T H E A RTS

PHOTO BY WELANCORA GALLERY

The museum extends appreciation to the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Embassy of Italy with the Italian Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C., and the Embassy of Peru in the U.S.

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EXHIBITIONS

Paper Routes—Women to Watch 2020 October 8, 2020– January 18, 2021 Photographs from the Collection: Return to Nature On view through January 3, 2021

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Daily / Weekly / Monthly

KEY

Due to health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, on-site programs including daily Conversation Pieces and weekly lunchtime gallery talks have been temporarily suspended.

F Free M

Free for members

R

Reservation required at https://nmwa.org

O

No reservations required

Free Community Days FIRST AND THIRD SUNDAYS THROUGH NOVEMBER 12–5 P.M. // F M R

E Exhibition-related program

The first and third Sundays of each month this fall, NMWA offers free admission to the public. Enjoy current exhibitions and the collection galleries. Please note: due to capacity restrictions, advance reservation of timed tickets is now required to guarantee admission.

V Virtual/online program

(Please note that the time zone for all online programs is Eastern Time)

Julie Chen: True to Life October 12, 2020–February 12, 2021, in the Betty Boyd Dettre Library and Research Center; Check online for current visiting information.

Art Chats @ Five MOST FRIDAYS 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R E V

Jump-start your weekend with art! Join NMWA educators for informal art chats about selected works from NMWA’s collection or exhibitions. Reserve online.

The Tea

RECLAMATION: Recipes, Remedies, and Rituals November 15, 2020–January 3, 2021; Interactive online exhibition.

FIRST FRIDAYS OF THE MONTH 12–1 P.M. // F M O V

In this new online series, women musicians perform original work via livestream on the museum’s social media channels. Followed by a short interview over a cup of tea.

New York Avenue Sculpture Project: Betsabeé Romero On view through May 2, 2021

NMWA Early Hours TUESDAYS 9–10 A.M. // M R

Reserved for guests age sixty-five and older and those with high-risk health conditions. Reserve online.

NMWA Late Hours

OCTOBER 2 AND NOVEMBER 16, 5–7 P.M. // M R Enjoy extended evening hours once a month through November. Reserve online.

Echiko Ohira, Untitled (red #1), 2018; Paper, acrylic, wire, and glue, 15 x 17 x 16 in.; Courtesy of the artist; On view in Paper Routes—Women to Watch 2020

BMA x NMWA Monthly Talk Show SECOND TUESDAYS OF THE MONTH 12–12:45 P.M. // F M O E V

Join educators from NMWA and the Baltimore Museum of Art as they talk about art, sometimes with artists and other special guests, in this lunchtime program.

October

10 / 2

Art Chat @ Five

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R V

/ 2 The 10

Tea: Tashera

FRI 12–1 P.M. // F M O V

PHOTO BY GENE OGAMI

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After discovering her love for harmony and songwriting, Tashera released the singles “Fall Alone” (2018) and “Get Up” (2019). She is working on the release of her first EP. / 4 Free 10

Community Day

SUN 12–5 P.M. // F M R

Visit https://nmwa.org for reservations, a complete calendar of events, and more information.

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PHOTO BY LEE STALSWORTH ; COURTESY MITCHELL-INNES & NASH, NEW YORK

Justine Kurland, Field Trip, 1999; Color print, 29 3/8 x 39 1/8 in.; NMWA, Gift of Heather and Tony Podesta Collection; On view in Return to Nature

10 / 6

Early Hours

/ 7 Member 10

/ 20 10

TUE 9–10 A.M. // M R

Preview Day: Paper Routes

WED 10 A.M.–5 P.M.

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MRE

Members and a guest receive special entry to Paper Routes before it opens to the public. Limited capacity; reserve timed tickets online. / 8 Exhibition 10

Opening Day: Paper Routes

THU 10 A.M.–5 P.M. // M R E

At the museum, Paper Routes—Women to Watch 2020 opens to the public, featuring art by twenty-two contemporary artists working in paper. Reserve timed tickets online. / 8 Artist 10

Visit the museum’s YouTube channel for a behindthe-scenes peek into Paper Routes. In recorded talks, featured artists share insights into their work.

/ 30 10

BMA x NMWA Monthly Talk Show: Power

Free Community Day

Art Chat @ Five: Paper Routes

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R E V

November / 1 Free 11

Community Day

SUN 12–5 P.M. // F M R

/ 3 Early 11

/ 6 Art 11

Chat @ Five: Paper Routes

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R E V

/ 6 The 11

Hours

TUE 9–10 A.M. // M R

Tea: Heidi Martin

FRI 12–1 P.M. // F M O V

Jazz vocalist and songwriter Martin was contributing composer for the PBS documentary Revolution ’67 by Jerome and Marylou Bongiorno. She has released two albums: Hide (2005) and See Hear, Love… (2011).

Art Chat @ Five: Paper Routes

SUN 12–5 P.M. // F M R

Early Hours

TUE 9–10 A.M. // M R

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R E V

/ 18 10

/ 27 10

Art Chat @ Five: Paper Routes

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R E V

TUE 12–12:45 P.M. // F M R E V

/ 16 10

Early Hours

TUE 9–10 A.M. // M R

/ 13 10

Chat @ Five: Paper Routes

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R E V

/ 13 10

/ 23 10

Late Hours

WED 5–7 P.M. // M R

Talk Release: Paper Routes

THU ALL DAY // F M R O E V

/ 9 Art 10

/ 21 10

Early Hours

TUE 9–10 A.M. // M R

/ 10 11

Early Hours

TUE 9–10 A.M. // M R

WO M E N I N T H E A RTS

/ 11 Art 12

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Chat @ Five

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R V

PHOTO BY KEVIN ALLEN

/ 11 NMWA 12

Book Club: Old in Art School

FRI 12–1 P.M. // F M R V

Join us for a deep dive into Nell Painter’s book Old in Art School: A Memoir of Starting Over (2018). This book explores the ambition and inspiration that drove a lauded scholar to start over and pursue her creative goals. //

/ 18 12

KEY

F Free

O

M

Free for members

E Exhibition-related program

R

Reservation required at https://nmwa.org

V Virtual/online program

Art Chat @ Five

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R V

No reservations required

January / 8 Art 1

/ 10 11

/ 13 11

Free Community Day

SUN 12–5 P.M. // F M R

/ 15 11

Art Chat @ Five: Paper Routes

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R E V

/ 15 11

BMA x NMWA Monthly Talk Show: Healing

TUE 12–12:45 P.M. // F M R V

Fresh Talk: Place and Power

SUN 4:30–6 P.M. // R V

To what degree are identities shaped by food exchanges?

In this virtual program, culinary historian Laura Shapiro and interdisciplinary artist Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz will discuss questions of global food access, gender, class, and labor. $10 general; $5 members, seniors, students. / 16 11

/ 17 11

Art Chat @ Five: Paper Routes

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R E V

/ 24 11

Early Hours

TUE 9–10 A.M. / / M R

/ 20 11

Late Hours

MON 5–7 P.M. // M R

Early Hours

TUE 9–10 A.M. // M R

1 / 12

BMA x NMWA Monthly Talk Show

TUE 12–12:45 P.M. // F M R V

/ 15 Art 1

Chat @ Five

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R V

/ 29 Art 1

Chat @ Five

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R V

/ 22 Art 1

Chat @ Five

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R V

Chat @ Five

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R V

// Education programming is made possible by the A. James & Alice

B. Clark Foundation, with additional support provided by the Marcia and Frank Carlucci Charitable Foundation, the Leo Rosner Foundation, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding is provided by the Harriet E. McNamee Youth Education Fund, William and Christine Leahy, the Nora Roberts Foundation, Sylvan C. Coleman Trust, and the Junior League of Washington.

The Women, Arts, and Social Change public programs initiative is made possible through leadership gifts from Denise Littlefield Sobel, the Davis/ Dauray Family Fund, the Revada Foundation of the Logan Family, and the Susan and Jim Swartz Public Programs Fund. Additional funding is provided by the Bernstein Family Foundation. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

December / 4 Art 12

Chat @ Five

FRI 5–5:45 P.M. // F M R V

/ 4 The 12

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Tea: VeVe Marley

FRI 12–1 P.M. // F M O V

PHOTO COURTESY OF VEVE MARLEY

D.C.-based singer/songwriter and guitarist Marley blends folk, Afrobeat, R&B, and hip-hop to create soulful vibes while speaking on issues of identity, spirituality, racism, and the Black experience. / 8 BMA 12

x NMWA Monthly Talk Show: America

TUE 12–12:45 P.M. // F M R V

VeVe Marley performs for NMWA audiences on December 4 via livestream

Murals by Trap Bob (center) and Quest Skinner (left and right) at NMWA, June 2020

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PHOTO BY MARA KURLANDSK Y, NMWA

See more images of the murals and hear more from the artists at https://nmwa. org/blog

Trap Bob and Quest Skinner Tenbeete Solomon, also known as Trap Bob, is a visual artist, illustrator, and animator.

Quest Skinner is a mixed-media artist, teacher, and community activist. During the museum’s closure over the summer, on a day when thousands of peaceful protestors gathered in support of Black lives, NMWA commissioned these Washington, D.C.-based artists to paint murals on plywood over the museum’s façade.

We spoke to them about their artistic practices in the time of COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement.

TRAP BOB

Q How does your personal, family, and cultural history

inform your practice?

A I’m a first-generation Ethiopian in this country, and my illustration style is rooted in Ethiopian Orthodox art. My work often humorously reflects the struggles and challenges I deal with as a Black woman, and also acts as representation in whatever space I work in.

Q How did your artistic practice change in the face of

COVID-19?

to work digitally with illustration and animation. I took the time to explore and experiment with ideas and mediums that I didn’t have time for before quarantine.

Q What inspired your mural for NMWA?

A I was reflecting on everything happening between the

pandemic and the protests, and I kept hearing people say they just want things to “go back to normal.” It made me think, do I want things to go back to normal? “Normal” was a lack of emphasis on healthcare and communities, “normal” was living with systematic and violent racism and discrimination.

That idea of “normal” is dead now, and I want to spread the message of change.

QUEST SKINNER

Q What is your dream for artists on the other side of this

pandemic and uprising?

A That we can learn from their stories. That we realize many artists/dancers/gig workers and their families were left out of the stimulus package. My dream is that we, as a country, find ways to support and fund our creatives better and with more urgency and intention.

Q What inspired your mural for NMWA?

A Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower! This novel seems

to be a premonition of what we are facing right now

Q How can art be a tool for change in this moment?

A Art can allow us to remember what has transpired. In

100 years maybe our creations will speak of our last dark age before our golden era. May our art be a reminder that we found our way out of a pandemic, out of racism, and into a dawning of new consciousness. Art can be a tool for cathartic healing for everyone . . . and a voice of change for us all.

WO M E N I N T H E A RTS

Meet the Muralists

A Because I practice so many mediums, I was able to continue

TRUE TO LIFE October 12, 2020 – February 12, 2021

Wayfinding, 2019; Letterpress on paper, 9 x 16 x 4 ½ in. (closed); Courtesy of the artist

Lynora Williams

Life under the specter of a pandemic has prompted people around the globe to engage in many forms and shapes of soul-searching.

We ask ourselves seemingly unanswerable questions that have puzzled writers and artists for centuries, and answers remain elusive.

Still, it seems, it sometimes helps simply to

know how others have framed the problem.

Julie Chen (b. 1963) creates introspective artist’s books, small sculptures of handmade papers and other materials crafted into innovative structures, that frequently tackle the unknowable. Once she has settled on a structure, she marries it to text to plumb the passage of time, forms of grief, the human quest for discovery, and other deeply personal concerns.

It comes as little surprise that as a young woman, Chen initially chose philosophy as her major field of study before turning to studio art.

PHOTO BY FLYING FISH PRESS; Š JULIE CHEN

How do we account for the passage of time when our lives are turned upside down?

How do we process grief?

Can we trust our memories?

“The artist’s book form is a built environment in miniature . . . using the same basic principles as in architecture.” // JULIE

CHEN

PHOTO BY FLYING FISH PRESS; © JULIE CHEN

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World Without End, 1999; Letterpress on paper, wood, and brass, 10 x 4 ¼ in.; Courtesy of Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University

throughout her long career, the internationally recognized artist and teacher has produced intricate, highly engineered works that require the touch of the reader to engage her texts. Chen creates elaborate books that call for readers to do more than simply turn pages to uncover her poetic reflections. Readers may be called upon to peer through a tunnel created by accordioned pages, follow a map, play a board game, or open a box of “candy” in order to read the text.

“The artist’s book form,” Chen has said, “is a built environment in miniature, conceptualized using the same basic principles as in architecture: How will a person navigate the space—in this case, the space of a book—and, most importantly, what kind of experience will the reader have?”

Julie Chen: True to Life will exhibit more than a dozen captivating works by Chen in NMWA’s Betty Boyd Dettre Library and Research Center (LRC) from October 12, 2020, until February 12, 2021. The exhibition includes works from the LRC’s collection of artists’ books, along with books loaned by the artist and by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Cabell Library Special Collections and Archives Department.

The featured works include those fully conceived, realized, and written by Chen, as well as those that are the fruits of collaborations. She presents Elizabeth McDevitt’s poem “Octopus” in a sculptural tunnel book with the same title;

other works on view were created in collaboration with book artists Ed Hutchins, Barbara Tetenbaum, and the late Nance O’Banion.

Raised in southern California, Chen says she has “always loved paper,” often engaging in origami and other paper crafts as a child. She discovered the art of the book when she visited—and later attended—Mills College in Oakland, California. There she found inspiration in the work of Claire Van Vliet, a groundbreaking book artist whose work is also represented in the museum’s collection.

Since creating her first artist’s book in 1987, Chen has made at least one new book each year. Most are produced in editions of 100 and issued through her press, Flying Fish Press. She has taught at her alma mater since 1996; prior to becoming a faculty member at Mills, she taught at California College of Arts and Crafts.

Chen uses fine handcrafted papers, often in muted, neutral colors, and creates her books using letterpress—the now specialty form of printing in which a press creates a relief imprint on the paper. She often uses a machine known as a Vandercook proof press, which, she says, “has become almost an extension of my own body.”

Chen comments, “Enclosures such as boxes, along with the corresponding concept of creating a world within a world,

Octopus, 1992; Letterpress on paper, 10 ¾ x 13 ½ in. (closed); NMWA, Purchased with grant funds provided by the United States Department of Education

also play a major role in the presentation of my book works.”

Wayfinding (2019), the newest of the works included in the LRC exhibition, was created after a three-year development period. Like most of her works, it is a complex construction of elements, including foldout three-dimensional “pages”— hinged, auditory boxes. The book also features paper pressed into three-dimensional, bas relief representations of flag semaphores. Three separate sections, “Abstract,” “Concrete,” and “Coalescent,” come together to form a book that “examines the relationship between physical and mental learning through the context of navigation through time and space.”

In the book True to Life (2004), Chen explores memory and the passage of time. It takes the form of a Venetian blind, in which the movement of slats reveals the text. This mirrors her belief that “things in books only get revealed over time.”

Its text appears, in part: …preserving the truth even as you reinvent the details one by one allow the story to replace your actual memories… the past, present and future collide and break apart more often than you realize with every passing moment the boundaries become more and more indistinct you cannot always differentiate between memory and imagination

Chen, lover of toys, candy, and maps, is at work on a new book responding to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The

PHOTO BY LEE STALSWORTH ; © JULIE CHEN

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experience of living through a pandemic prompts countless questions. Her readers, wondering how she has framed these questions, will wait eagerly until her 2020 book reveals itself.

Like the pandemic itself, she says, the work has grown more complicated as time has passed. // Lynora Williams is the director of the Betty Boyd Dettre Library

and Research Center at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Julie Chen: True to Life is on view in the LRC from October 12, 2020, to February 12, 2021. Email lrc@nmwa.org for an appointment to view the exhibition.

WO M E N I N T H E A RTS

PHOTO BY LEE STALSWORTH ; © JULIE CHEN

True to Life, 2004; Letterpress on paper, Plexiglas, and wood, 9 ¾ x 15 in.; NMWA, Gift of an anonymous donor

//

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RECENT ACQUISITIONS

Daisy Makeig-Jones // Virginia Treanor

Designing and Producing a Fairyland Makeig-Jones (whose given name was Susannah Margaretta) had a long career at Wedgwood. The images on her Fairyland Lusterware were her own invention, but she was heavily inspired by

PHOTO BY LEE STALSWORTH

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In 2015, to visitors’ delight, NMWA exhibited the colorful and fanciful pottery of Daisy Makeig-Jones (1881–1945). The thirty-eight pieces displayed in the Teresa Lozano Long Gallery included grand punch bowls, delicate trumpet vases, elegant cups, and more, all loaned from one extraordinary collection.

Over several decades, Dr. Arthur Eckstein and his late wife, Jeannie Rutenburg, amassed what is perhaps one of the largest private collections of works designed by MakeigJones in the United States. In recognizing NMWA’s dedication to the preservation and support of women artists, Eckstein recently donated nine pieces to the museum in honor of his late wife.

Most of the works in this generous gift exemplify MakeigJones’s signature “Fairyland Lusterware.” She worked for the well-known porcelain manufacturer Wedgwood, which had used the lustering process since 1810, but Makeig-Jones’s technical innovations pushed the boundaries of the medium to stunning effect.1 Well to-do customers adored MakeigJones’s whimsical designs and saturated colors. The popularity of her line propelled Wedgwood to the top of the ornamental ceramic market between 1915 and the early 1930s.

Beyond the beauty of Makeig-Jones’s works lies the fascinating story of women in the booming ceramic industry at the turn of the last century.

using a fine brush. After the underglaze painting was complete, the work went into the kiln to be fired. When the piece had cooled, it was dipped in a lead glaze and fired in a hotter kiln. Only then would a work be ready for lustering. The luster was applied with a large, soft brush in broad strokes, and the work fired, yet again, in a low temperature kiln. Depending on how many layers of underglaze, glaze, and luster were applied, a piece of lusterware could be fired up to five or six times. The final step was the application of gold to outline design elements such as figures, plants, and structures. Through this process, each piece of pottery layered jewel-tone colors, luminous luster, and glittering gold.

book illustrators Kay Nielsen (1886–1957) and Edmund Dulac (1882–1953), whose styles reflected the elongated, sinuous curves of Art Nouveau decoration. Makeig-Jones was also influenced by the Japonisme—the popularity of Asian aesthetics and pottery shapes—that was fashionable at the turn of the century. Her scenes are populated with imps, dragons, fairies, mermaids, and other mythological and fantastical characters. They inhabit elaborate landscapes with dense patterns and abstract elements. These ornate and whimsical objects captured the imagination of an audience that had survived the recent horrors of World War I. To create her works, MakiegJones first etched designs on copper plates and made proofs from a printing press in her office.2 The plates were then sent to the company’s engraving department, where the etched lines were deepened so that they could be transferred onto tissue paper. Once the design was printed on tissue, it was transferred onto a ceramic object using a process known as “hot printing.” The outline of the design would then be painted with an underglaze pigment

Women at Wedgwood Beyond the beauty of MakeigJones’s works lies the fascinating story of women in the booming ceramic industry at the turn of the last century. In Great Britain and the United States, women were employed at many levels. Some, like Makeig-Jones, were from the upper middle class—these women started as apprentice painters and eventually became designers, composing their own vignettes. Many more working-class women were employed as “paintresses” who dutifully transferred and hand-painted images that the designer created. Unfortunately, the identities of these women are largely unknown to us today, but their skill and labor enabled much of the production of decorated ceramics.

Makeig-Jones was employed for more than thirty years at Wedgwood. Founded in 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood

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in Staffordshire, England, this storied British company still exists today. Over its long history, Wedgwood has employed many women, yet only the names of designers are known to us. These include Lady Diana Beauclerk (1734–1808), Lady Elizabeth Templetown (1747–1823), Susie Cooper (1902–1995), Millicent Taplin (1902–1980), Cecily Stella Wedgwood (1905–1995), and Glenys Barton (b. 1944).

Gilty Pleasures Dedicated independent collectors like Eckstein and Rutenburg are instrumental in preserving the works and legacies of women artists across genres. It is thanks to such private collectors that the work of many women—historically

overlooked by museums and galleries—is known to us today.

NMWA’s collection is enriched through the representation of works by Makeig-Jones, whose bold and inventive vision left an indelible mark on her era. // Virginia Treanor is the associate

curator at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Notes: 1. Lusterware pottery is glazed with a thin film of metal that produces an iridescent effect. This technique originated in the caliphate of what is now the country of Iraq in the 9th century CE and spread throughout the Middle East to Egypt and, eventually, Europe.

2. For the explanation of this process, see Rodney Engen and Dulwich Picture Gallery, The Age of Enchantment: Beardsley, Dulac and Their Contemporaries, 1890–1930 (London: Scala, 2007).

WO M E N I N T H E A RTS

Square flower vase, ca. 1917–40; Bone china with underglaze, luster, and gilding, 5 ½ x 7 ¾ in.; NMWA, Gift of Arthur M. Eckstein and Jeannie Rutenburg

PHOTO BY LEE STALSWORTH

Trumpet Vase, ca. 1916–31; Bone china with underglaze, luster, and gilding, 7 ¾ x 3 ¾ in.; NMWA, Gift of Arthur M. Eckstein and Jeannie Rutenburg

Member News 24

Welcome-Back Spotlight: Return to Nature We were thrilled to open our doors to the public again in August, with new safety protocols including capacity-limited timed ticketing and enhanced cleaning schedules. Visitors were greeted by Return to Nature,

a new focus exhibition in the Teresa Lozano Long Gallery featuring photography from the collection. Curators were inspired by a collective urge to connect with the natural world after the onset of the pandemic. In the gallery, large contemporary prints of lush landscapes mingle

with exquisite vintage black-andwhite flower studies. Other photographs on view depict figures traversing beaches, deserts, rainforests, and the coastlines of rivers and lakes. The installation presents work by eleven artists who explore nature’s visual complexity and role as the wellspring for human experience.

Imogen Cunningham, Datura, ca. 1930; Gelatin silver print, 29 x 23 in.; NMWA, Gift from the Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art (Gift of Betsy Karel); On view in Return to Nature

PHOTO BY LEE STALSWORTH

Please remember the many advantageous ways to make a year-end gift to NMWA We Need You More Than Ever—Champion Women in the Arts With the end of 2020 approaching and NMWA’s annual Matching Gift Challenge right around the corner, please remember the many

advantageous ways to make a year-end gift to NMWA. • Donating appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual funds is quick and simple and may provide you with significant tax benefits.

• If you are 70 ½ or older, you can make cash gifts totaling up to $100,000 from your traditional or Roth IRA to NMWA. • Contribute through a donor advised fund (DAF), which can be established with entities including community foundations and financial services companies.

• Many companies offer a matching gift program to current employees and retirees that could double—or even triple—your generous contribution to NMWA. Visit https://nmwa.org/yearend or call 866-875-4627 for more information.

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Honoring Graciela Iturbide As you likely know, NMWA was unable to hold the 2020 Spring Gala, where we looked forward to honoring Graciela Iturbide with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in the Arts. NMWA presents this award to women artists who have shown tremendous growth and longevity in their disciplines, such as past honorees Isabel Allende, Annie Leibovitz, Julie Taymor, and Ursula von Rydingsvard.

During this tumultuous time, we have been bolstered by partners, especially presenting sponsor of our gala and the exhibition Graciela Iturbide’s Mexico, RBC Wealth Management and City National

Bank, an RBC Company. Their generosity fueled the museum as we adapted for the crisis— developing digital exhibitions and programs as well as extending the exhibition on-site for several weeks after the museum reopened on August 1—and they join us in honoring Iturbide.

We are glad to share a message from Amy Sturtevant, Senior Vice President-Branch Director at RBC Wealth Management: “As presenting sponsor of Graciela Iturbide’s Mexico and the 2020 Spring Gala, we are so pleased to honor Graciela Iturbide with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in the Arts. RBC Wealth Management and City National Bank are proud to

continue this partnership with NMWA for the third year. We were especially delighted to sponsor this important exhibition and help to bring greater recognition to Graciela, one of Mexico’s foremost photographers, through sharing her work in Washington, D.C. As a documentary photographer, Graciela transforms ordinary observation into powerful and provocative art, with unparalleled sensitivity.

Graciela, may you and your work continue to thrive and inspire in the years to come.”

Graciela Iturbide says, “I want to thank the National Museum of Women in the Arts for this distinction that they have given me. I very much admire the effort of this

PHOTO BY KEVIN ALLEN

Museum News

Graciela Iturbide, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in the Arts, at NMWA in February for the exhibition opening

museum in promoting the work of women artists, and I am very happy to receive this award.”

Committee News

• The Chile Committee, with the Museum of Visual Arts, brought together work by Chilean women artists— including the country’s Women to Watch nominees— for the exhibition Libre de Ácido (Acid Free). The committee also collaborated with CV Galería to organize an online exhibition of forty Chilean photographers.

• The New Mexico State Committee held Paper Routes: New Mexico Women to Watch 2020 and an artist talk at the Center for Contemporary Art Santa Fe. • The newly formed Arizona Committee organized an artist talk and presentation with their region’s nominees at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West.

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• The Georgia Committee opened Paper Routes: Georgia Women to Watch 2020 and organized an artist talk at the Museum of Contemporary Art Georgia.

• The Ohio Advisory Group, in collaboration with the Ohio Arts Council, opened Women to Watch Ohio—2020 at the Riffe Gallery in Columbus. The group also organized a virtual walkthrough featuring insights from the exhibition curators.

• The U.K. Friends of NMWA presented Women to Watch U.K.—Paper Work at Sotheby’s in London. At the reception, artist Mary Evans was notified of her selection to represent the U.K. at NMWA. • The Arkansas Committee is staging a traveling exhibition, Arkansas Women to Watch 2021: Paper, to tour at ten venues across the state in 2021.

Going Virtual: Reaching Further from a Distance In anticipation of the exhibition, NMWA curators Virginia Treanor and Orin Zahra moderated eighteen virtual studio tours with featured Paper Routes artists, creating an opportunity for the artists to discuss their work. Several committees also organized online programs or features:

In advance of Paper Routes—Women to Watch 2020, featured artists including Lucha Rodríguez, Mary Evans, and Elizabeth Alexander shared their art with committee members via virtual studio tours

• Les Amis du NMWA organized a virtual studio tour with Paper Routes artist Georgia Russell. With HEC au Féminin, the committee also organized a virtual exchange with women artists and entrepreneurs.

• Susan Cohen, trustee of the Massachusetts State Committee, created an email newsletter spotlighting one new Paper Routes artist each week. Her features offered thoughtful information about the artists’ practices and recent work.

• San Francisco Advocacy for NMWA organized virtual

tours with the five artists nominated from Northern California. Committee board secretary Robin Laub also published a blog series of interviews with the artists.

We are grateful to all of the committees, with special recognition to the Mississippi Committee and San Francisco Advocacy for supporting the Paper Routes catalogue, and for those who experienced postponements, cancellations, and other obstacles to their programming due to the effects of COVID-19 this year.

WO M E N I N T H E A RTS

Preparing for Paper Routes: Celebrating Women in Paper Around the Globe By championing women artists in their respective regions, NMWA’s twenty-three national and international committees promote the museum’s mission on a global scale. Women to Watch exhibitions begin with extensive regional preparation and collaboration, as committees work with regional curators to nominate artists in their areas working in the exhibition’s selected medium or theme.

NMWA curators then select from these shortlists the artists whose work will be shown at the museum.

In the months leading up to the exhibition at NMWA, many committees collaborated with museums and galleries in their regions to present local versions of Paper Routes and other advocacy programs. These events celebrate the nominated artists and connect local events to the exhibition in Washington, D.C. In 2020:

Supporting Roles 26

WITH THANKS

The National Museum of Women in the Arts is deeply grateful to the following donors who made contributions from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020. Your support enables NMWA to develop groundbreaking exhibitions, expand its education, library, and outreach programs, and offer other special events to the public. Your contributions are critical to the museum’s success!

Although we can only list donations of $500 and above due to space limitations, NMWA is thankful for all of its members and friends. Spring Gala sponsors and donors are included below. Gifts to the Legacy of Women in the Arts Endowment Campaign are listed separately on page 28.

Individuals and Organizations $1 million+ The Ann M. Farley Trust $500,000–$999,999 D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities $100,000–$499,999 A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, Davis/Dauray Family Fund, Jacqueline Badger Mars, National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs Program and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, RBC Wealth Management and City National Bank an RBC Company, Estate of Ann T. Simmons, Denise Littlefield Sobel, Sue Hostetler and Beau Wrigley Family Foundation, Christine Suppes, Mildred Weissman

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$50,000–$99,999 Alice L. Walton Foundation, Marcia Myers Carlucci, Betty Boyd and Rexford* Dettre, Martha Dippell and Daniel Korengold, Sue J. Henry and Carter G. Phillips, The Revada Foundation of the Logan Family, Clara M. Lovett, Marlene M. and Frederic V.* Malek, Rose Benté Lee Ostapenko*, Susan and Jim Swartz, MaryRoss Taylor, Estate of Susan Wisherd $25,000–$49,999 Anonymous, Bank of America, Grace and Morton Bender, Deborah G. Carstens, Rose and Paul Carter, Nancy and Marc Duber, FedEx/Gina Adams, Elva Ferrari-Graham, Winton and Hap Holladay, Leo Rosner Foundation, Inc., Fred M. Levin and Nancy Livingston*, Marcia MacArthur, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, The Northern Trust Company, Stephanie Sale, Share Fund, Tiffany & Co., Patricia and George White $15,000–$24,999 Shirley G. Adelman*, Bernstein Family Foundation, Charlotte and Michael

Buxton, Diane Casey-Landry and Brock Landry, Christian Dior Couture, Marcella and Neil Cohen, Jo Ann Crow Management Trust, Ashley Davis, Belinda de Gaudemar, The Francis & Kathleen Rooney Foundation, Susan Goldberg, Linda and Larry Mann, The Milton and Dorothy Sarnoff Raymond Foundation, The Mississippi State Committee of NMWA, The Honorable Mary V. Mochary, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Kristine Morris, The Honorable Katherine D. Ortega, The San Francisco Advisory Group of NMWA, Sheila and Richard Shaffer, Alice W. and Gordon T.* West, Jr. $10,000–$14,999 The Arizona State Committee of NMWA, The Arkansas State Committee of NMWA, Gail D. Bassin, Bayer AG, The Bernstein Companies, The Canada Committee of NMWA, Carl M. Freeman Foundation, Council for Canadian American Relations, Alexis Deutsch-Adler, Lisa Claudy Fleischman, The France Committee of NMWA, Lee Anne and William Geiger, The Georgia Committee of NMWA, German Committee of NMWA, The Greater Kansas City Area Committee of NMWA, Agnes Gund, Cindy and Evan Jones, Ellen Kreighbaum, LaVerna Hahn Charitable Trust, The Hayes Foundation, Lucas Kaempfer Foundation, Inc, The Massachusetts State Committee of NMWA, Dee Ann McIntyre, The National Advisory Board Mid-Atlantic Committee, The New Mexico State Committee of NMWA, The New York Committee of NMWA, Elizabeth Robinson, Alejandra and Enrique Segura, Dasha Shenkman OBE, Geri Skirkanich, The Southern California State Committee of NMWA, Patti Amanda and Bruce Spivey, Kathleen Elizabeth Springhorn, Susan Fisher Sterling and Scott Sterling, Cheryl S. Tague, Judy S. Tate, The Texas State Committee of NMWA, Viacom, Inc., Paula S. Wallace/Savannah College of Art and Design, Carol and Michael Winer $5,000–$9,999 Anonymous (2), Argentina Committee of NMWA, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Margaret C. Boyce Brown, The Chile Committee of NMWA, Paul T. Clark, Robyn D. Collins, Linda L. and John* Comstock, Lizette Corro, Lisa and Porter Dawson, Diageo North America, Gerry Ehrlich, Government of the District of Columbia, Lois Lehrman Grass, Robin and Jay Hammer, Heather and Robert Keane Family Foundation, Inc., Pamela C. Johnson and Wesley King, Sally and Christopher H. Jones, Alice D. Kaplan, Dr. Sachiko Kuno, Kristen and George Lund, Dr. Kathleen A. Maloy and Ms.

Heather L. Burns, Adrienne B. Mars, Marshall B. Coyne Foundation, Inc., Maria Luisa Martin McLean, Juliana and Richard E.* May, Bonnie McElveenHunter and Bynum Hunter*, The Mill Foundation, LTD, Deborah E. Myers, Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation, Nancy Ann Neal, The Nora Roberts Foundation, Marjorie and Philip Odeen, The Ohio Advisory Group of NMWA, Pamela J. Parizek, PECO Foundation, Jacqueline L. Quillen, Jean Hall and Thomas D. Rutherfoord, Jr., Dr. Cynthia M. Shewan, Kathy Sierra, Dot Snyder, Karen and William Sonneborn, Jessica S. Sterchi, Nancy N. and Roger Stevenson, Jr., Liezel Strauss, Joanne C. Stringer, Mahinder and Sharad Tak, Lucretia D. and William H.* Tanner, Brooke and Heyward Taylor, Debra Therit, Through the Flower, Annie S. Totah, Frances Usher, Marichu Valencia, Laurie Weckel, Amy Weiss, The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, Mark Zettl $2,000–$4,999 Noreen M. Ackerman, Janice L. and Harold L. Adams, Mark and Kathe Albrecht, Sunny Scully Alsup and William Alsup, Linda C. Barclay, Jo Ann Barefoot, Arlene Begelman, Sue Ann and Ken Berlin, Catherine Bert and Arthur Bert, M.D., Regina Bilotta, Joyce Blalock, Susan A. Block, Susan Borkin, Melissa and Jason Burnett, Jane and Calvin Cafritz, Dr. Mary A. Carnell and Dr. Agnes Guyon, Rebecca Chang, The Clarence B. Coleman and Joan Coleman Foundation, Barbara L. Cohen, Marian Cohen, Elinor Coleman and David Sparkman, Elizabeth Crane, Byron Croker, Lynn Finesilver Crystal, Sara and Philip Davis, Katy Graham Debost, Susan and Frank Dunlevy, Kenneth P. Dutter, EastCoast Entertainment, Augustus and Anne Edwards, Christine Edwards, Barbara L. Elky, Hanna G. Evans, FACE Foundation, Stephanie Fein, Barbara L. Francis and Robert Musser, Mary M. Free, Anita Friedt, Elizabeth and Michael Galvin, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Barbara S. Goldfarb, Sally Gries, Michelle Guillermin, Jeffrey Stein Gutman, Pamela Gwaltney, Nora Harlow, Laurie Sands Harrison, Marilyn J. and Philip Hayes, Mary Heiss, Florencia Helbling, Thomas R. Hill, Michelle Howard, Mareen Hughes, Jan V. Jessup, JoAnne and Jim Johnson, Ann Kaplan, Audrey and Sheldon Katz, Paulette Kessler, Susan W. Klaveness, Arlene Fine Klepper and Martin Klepper, Doris Kloster, W. Bruce Krebs, Kay Lachter, Sandra W. and James Langdon, Jr., Anne M. Larner, Mary Ann Lassiter, Sandy Liotta, Gladys K. and James W.* Lisanby,

Sarah H. Lisanby, M.D., Bonnie Loeb, The Louis J. Kuriansky Foundation, Inc., Patricia Macintyre, Cynthia Madden Leitner and Roger Leitner, Susan A. Mars, Priscilla and Joe R. Martin, Maria Teresa Martínez, Ellen Stirn Mavec, Cynthia McKee, Mellor Family Foundation, Mexican Cultural Institute, Claudia Pensotti Mosca, Ann and Patrick Murphy, The NAMASTE Foundation, Melanie and Larry Nussdorf, Mary B. Olch, Carol J. Olson, Monica T. O’Neill, Donna Paolino Coia and Arthur Coia, Anna Parisi-Trone and Robert Trone, Nancy B. Parker, Margaret H. and Jim Perkins, The Peru Committee of NMWA, Amanda and Curtis Polk, Jean Porto, Toni Ratner Miller, Elizabeth S. Ray, Helena Ribe, Barbara Richter, Tara Rudman, Robert Satran, Mary A. Severson, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Dennis Siegner, Ann L. Simon, Joan Simon, Judy W. Soley, Alice and Kenneth Starr, Sara Steinfeld, Lisa Cannon and Charles Edison Taylor, Sarah Bucknell Treco, The United Kingdom Committee of NMWA, Sara and Michelle Vance Waddell, Harriet L. Warm, Krystyna Wasserman, Carolyn Weller, Karen Wilson, Betty Bentsen Winn, World Bank Community Connections Fund $1,000–$1,999 Anonymous (6), Douglas Abel, Robin M. Andrews, Richard Andrus, Diane Azzolin, V. J. and Bruce Bade, Danielle C. Beach, Esq., Mr. and Mrs. John T. Beaty, Jr., Sharon K. Bigot, Katherine and David Bradley, Bobbe J. Bridge, Jean B. Brown, Yolanda Bruno, Buffy Cafritz, Dolores Cakebread, Lynda Camalier, Charlotte Anne Cameron, Brenda Daley Carr, Casey and Jack Carsten, Meredith Childers and Dimitris C. Varlamis, Mary and James Clark, Kittie B. Clarke, Elaine and Kenneth W. Cole, Michael L. Crane, Julie Crosswell, Cynthia G. Daniels, Joan Danziger, Pam Del Duca, K. Dempsey, Barbara Denrich, Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation, Regina and Martin Donnelly, Barbara Douglas, Claire Dwoskin, Sarah G. Epstein and Donald A. Collins, Mary Evans, Sarah Farr, Jean Fishbeck, Gail Frances, Constance S. and Joseph P.* Franklin, Susan S. French, Virginia Elkin Fuller, Jo Anne and Benjamin Ginsberg, Marguerite F. Godbold, Leslie F. Gold, Jim Goldschmidt, Emily B. Grigsby, Sheila and Patrick Gross, Mary and Robert Haft, Susan Hairston, Michele Hazel, Pat and Fred Henning, Lilo A. Hester, Shelley and Allan Holt, Steven B. Hopping, M.D., Diane M. Jacobs, James R. Meadows, Jr. Foundation, Dr. Deborah M. Winn and Dr. Allan Jaworski, Madelyn Jennings,

$500–$900 Anonymous (6), Diane Abeloff, Diane Adam, Dharini Agganwal, Ghada Al-Bahar, Ms. Margery Al-Chalabi,

Ruth Altheim, Francesca Anderson, Carrie Ann Ashcom, Patricia Baig, Eileen Bakke, Linda Ballinger, Sharon Balzer, Rosamond A. Barber, Kathy and Thom Barclay, Rebecca A. Barclay, Sarah Bareau, Carole Barham, Gary Barranger, Marie A. Barton, Leslie B. Belzberg, Janet and Robert Benson, Mary Ellen Bergeron, Terrence Bogard, Gaylyn N. Boone and James Dorcy, Ginger and James Bowen, Mary Boylan, Anne E. Branch, Rita Braver, Gwen Brewer, Leonie M. and John R. Brinkema, Moyra Byrne, Phyllis Cairns, Kathleen Carey, Sylvia K. Carlson, Marie P. Carr, Ann Castiglione-Cat, Vicki E. Chessin, Shelley Cohn, Anna Weatherly and George Contis, Mary Lee Cooper and Robert D’Annucci, Elizabeth Cushman, Doloras E. Davison, Carol A. Delany, Janet L. Denlinger, Karen R. Detweiler, Eileen Duggan, Doug and Joyce Eagles, Eastern Design Tile and Marble, Inc, Patrice Emrie, Deborah and Philip English, Judith W. Ennis, Valerie Facey, Eric Fairbanks, Shirley B. Familian, Jill Ferrera, Joyce Itkin Figel and Brad Figel, James M. Figetakis and Patricia Langan, Denise J. Fiore, Don Fitch, Sara A. and Michael Friedman, Cary Frieze, Kathryn Fritzdixon, N. Fulton, Lynn Gagnon, Pauline Garcia, Linda Garden, Joseph L. Gastwirth, Piet Gauchat, E. Glennon, Ruth Goldstein, Grace K. Gorlitz, Paula K. Graham, Catherine A. Green, Kathleen A. Guinn, June Hajjar, Marjorie Halstead, Sandi and Larry Hammonds, Nadine S. Hardin, Kathleen Hart, Carla Hay, Margaret Healy, Delphine Hedtke, Jo M. Hendrickson, Charles T. Hendrix, Madge Henry, Jennefer A. Hirschberg, Ann C. Holmes, Shawn Hughes, Karen Humphrey, Marissa A. and James Huttinger, Nancy Insprucker, Derek Jackson, H. Martha Johns, Anne and Clay Johnson, Grace Kaelin, Caroline Kaplan and Douglas Clark, Dee Ann Keip, Patricia A. Kenney, Cookie Kerxton, Cheryl Kiddoo, Katherine Kiehn and Alexis Lane Jensen, Kay and Sandy Walker, Caroline Klemp, Krysia Kolodziej, Barbara J. Kraft and Peter Winkler, Lynne S. Kraus, Lisa L. Lahrman, Emmanuelle and Brieuc Le Bigre, Betty Lee, Ruth and Edward Legum, Canice K. Levin, Bari R. and Keith D. Levingston, Claudette S. Leyden, Elizabeth and Jan Lodal, Liz Minyard Lokey, Janina Longtine, Marcena Love, Lisa Lubliner, Anne H. Magoun, Elizabeth Marchut-Michalski, Sherron Marquina, Richard E. and Nancy Marriott, Marsha Mateyka, Sally Mayer, Jane McAllister, Sara McDaniel, Thomas McEvily, Tracy B. McGillivary, Ann M. McGraw, Nancy McKimens, Terri McKnight, Kelly McLeod, Laurie E.

McNeil and Patrick W. Wallace, Gail B. Meyers, Nancy Milstein, Dr. Diane A. Mitchell, Donna Moniz, Patricia Carr Morgan, Richard Moylan, Carol Muchin, Carolynne Myall, Linda Myers, Richard and Constance Neel, Nonna Noto, Glenda Oakley, Jane Oberwager, O’Kane Enterprises LTD, Cormac O’Malley, Jill Over, Zoe H. Parker, Lois M. Pausch, Mary Ann Pemberton, Rebecca Penick, Marta M. Pereyma, Ruth Perkins, Denise Pernick, Sheryl A. Pesce, Lisa Peterson, Susan Phifer, Elizabeth Baldwin Phillips, Maria Pia Ruffilli, Elicia Pierno, Griselda Pollock, Karen Primack, Barbara Rankin, Janis S. Reed, Susan Resnik, Lucy Rhame, Theron Rinehart, Diane C. Robertson, Janessa Robinson, Pamela A. Roby, Stephanie Russo, Josephine Sacabo, Donna Z. Saffir, Sarah Salomon, Louise S. Sams, Tresa E. Sauthier, Ph.D., Elizabeth Sayman, Gretchen Schnabel, Timothy P. Schoettle, Anikó G. Schott, Mary Schriber, Karen Schwartz, Ann Ford and Anthony Scialli, Dorothy Scott, William R. Seabrook, Carol M. Seaman, Deb Sedlacek, Sarah Shlesinger, Barbara Shutt, Doris G. Simonis, Don and Tina Slater, F. Louise and Wayne Smith, Virginia Smith, Marian S. Sofaer, Elizabeth Stahl, Pegge M Steele, Holly G. Stone, Carol A. S. Straumanis, Douglas K. Struck, M. Elizabeth Swope, William R. Terry, The Italy Committee of NMWA, Debra L. Tillery, Donna Turlinski, Carol Tveit, Marta Van Loan, Rosa Ines Vera and Joseph Carey, Anne L. Von Rosenberg, Patricia Wagner, Velda Warner, Christine M. Waters, Linda Weber Kiousis, Elizabeth Weitzman, Kathryn Williams, Lucy and Scott Wilson, Christopher With, Wanda C. Wood, Ret., Mary Zaks, Anne B. Zill, Donald Zucker

THE LEGACY SOCIETY OF THE

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NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS

We extend sincere thanks to the following donors who have informed the museum of their commitment to support us through planned giving.

Donors whose planned gifts are designated for the Legacy of Women in the Arts endowment campaign are listed separately on page 28.

Anonymous (4), Marlene J. Adrian and Denise R. Duarte, Sunny Alsup, Alyssa H. Arute, Renée Bash, Ms. Kimberley L. Boyd, Beth B. Buehlmann, Jan S. Carr, Kenneth P. Dutter, Margaret Dzwilewski, Sylvia B. Fatzer, Michele Garside, PhD, Barbara Gurwitz and William Hall, Ms. Alice Haddix, Margaret Hayes, Tamora Ilasat, Alice D. Kaplan, Charleen Kavleski, Rita Marie Kepner, PhD & John Matthiesen in memory of Lisa T. Painter, Stuart and Barbara Kreisberg, Sally G. Lefler, Debra Light, Marcia MacArthur, Melody Marks, Janet Meister, Mme. Gail B. Meyers, Kristine Morris, Diane E. Mularz, Yvonne S. Olson, Roseanne Marie Peters, Anthony Podesta, Joyce D. Portnoy, Markley Roberts in memory of Jeanne Addison Roberts, Synthia Saint James, Michelle and Jonathan Sales, Sandra Sider, Linda Watkins Sorkin, Shirley A. Sparr, Jessica Tava, Sandra Gleichman Thompson, Barbara Burnett Vater, Harriet L. Warm, Margot Lurie Zimmerman

*Deceased NMWA strives to ensure the accuracy of donor information.

We apologize for any errors or omissions. Contact 866-875-4627 with changes or questions.

WO M E N I N T H E A RTS

The John and Sarah Freeman Foundation, Inc., The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Pamela Johnson, Margaret M. Johnston, Julie Karcis, Louis King, Elizabeth P. Kirchner, Kathleen Knepper, Carol Denise and Martin Paul Kolsky, Yvette Kraft, M. Leanne Lachman, Julia M. Ladner, Mary Lamont, Mary Lou Laprade, Linda Lasater, Robin Rosa Laub, Amy Kaster and Dale Leibowitz, Charlotte Leighton, James H. Lemon, Jr., Lynn Montz and John Leubsdorf, Lori Leveen, Bryce Lingo, Joanne Lyman, Maryann Lynch, Svitlana Martynjuk, Marcia Mau and Frank Moy, Susan McCaskill, Debra McLeod, Michelle Mercer, Lorna Meyer Calas and Dennis Calas, Joyce Henderson Mims, Leila W. Mischer, MJ Valet, Mary Mocas, Sharon Moody and Kenneth Kent, Nancy Moorman, Sherrill A. Mulhern, Helen Mulkeen, Ms. Mary Murphy and Mr. Bill Lynn, Susan Neely, Eva Neumann, Lynn Nicoletta, Heidi Nitze, Bu Nygrens, Susan O’Brien, M.D., Kay W. Olson, Nancy B. Ordway, Jeanne Paparazzo, Carol Parker, Catherine Pendola Tringali*, Sarah Perot, Burnley T. Perrin*, Tenley Peterson and Jeffrey Munns, Anna Gunnarsson Pfeiffer, Robin Phillips, Dr. Michael and Mrs. Mahy Polymeropoulos, Olwen and Don Pongrace, K. Shelly Porges and Rich Wilhelm, Maddie L. Preston, Timothy M. Price, Sarah M Pritchard, Martha A. Prumers, Marjorie B. Rachlin, Christine P. Rales, Niosha Razi, Elizabeth Richter, Jean W. Roach, Mary Anne and Jim Rogers, The Rosenstiel Foundation, Marion and Robert Rosenthal, Bonnie and Thomas Rosse, Irene Roth and Vicken Poochikian, Mary Rynd, Julie and Captain David Sapone, Christopher S. Sargent, Joyce E. Scafe, Mary Schmidt and Russell Libby, The Shearing Fund, Sandra Simon, Esther Simplot, Beverly Hall and Kurt Smith, Kristin Smith, Marsha S. Soffer, Linda Watkins Sorkin, Susan Kahn Sovel, Dorothy W. Stapleton, Dr. Marjorie L. Stein, Jan W. Stevenson, Kim and Sarah Baldwin Swig, Carol F. Tasca, Nancy Taylor Bubes and Alan Bubes, Sharen A. Thomas, Patt Trama, Elzbieta Vande Sande, Sarah Vradenburg, Mary Walls, Candace King Weir, Jo Weiss, Carolyn L. Wheeler, Pamela and George Willeford, Jean and Donald Wolf, Dorothy and Kenneth Woodcock, Rhett D. Workman, Mei Xu, Soon-Young Yoon, Suzanne and Glenn Youngkin, Susan Zawel

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

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Wilhelmina Cole Holladay— Chair of the Board, Winton S. Holladay—Vice-Chair of the Board, Martha Dippell—President, Gina F. Adams—First Vice President, Susan Goldberg—Second Vice President, Sheila Shaffer—Treasurer and Finance Chair, Rose Carter—Secretary, Pamela Parizek—Audit Chair, Marcia Myers Carlucci—Building Chair, Amy Weiss—Communications Chair, Ashley Davis—Government Relations Chair, Nancy Duber—Nominations Chair, Nancy Nelson Stevenson—Works of Art Chair, Susan Fisher Sterling—Alice West Director**, Janice Lindhurst Adams, Charlotte Clay Buxton, Diane Casey-Landry, Lizette Corro, Betty Boyd Dettre, Deborah I. Dingell, Susan Dunlevy, Anjali Gupta, Pam Gwaltney, Cindy Jones, Sally L. Jones, Marlene Malek, Jacqueline Badger Mars, Juliana E. May, Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Mary V. Mochary, Jackie Quillen, Stephanie Sale, Julie Sapone**, Kathleen Elizabeth Springhorn, Jessica H. Sterchi, Mahinder Tak, Annie S. Totah, Sarah Bucknell Treco**, Ruthanna Maxwell Weber, Alice West, Patti White ** Ex-Officio

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NMWA ADVISORY BOARD

Sarah Bucknell Treco—Chair, Noreen Ackerman, Kathe Hicks Albrecht, Sunny Scully Alsup, Jo Ann Barefoot, Gail Bassin, Arlene Begelman, Sue Ann Berlin, Catherine Little Bert, Brenda Bertholf, Susan A. Block, Margaret C. Boyce Brown, Deborah G. Carstens, Rebecca Chang, Paul T. Clark, Amb. Maria Eugenia Chiozza, Elizabeth Christopher, Barbara Cohen, Marcella Cohen, Marian Cohen, Robyn D. Collins, Donna Paolino Coia, Linda Comstock, Elizabeth Crane, Prof.

Byron Croker, M.D., Lynn Finesilver Crystal, Elizabeth Cullen, Verónica de Ferrero, Belinda de Gaudemar, Kitty de Isola, Katy Graham Debost, Betty B. Dettre, Alexis Deutsch, Kenneth P. Dutter, Christine Edwards, Anne N. Edwards, Gerry E. Ehrlich, Elva FerrariGraham, Lisa Claudy Fleischman, Anita Forsyth, Lucrecia Forsyth, Rosemarie C. Forsythe, Anita Friedt, Claudia Fritsche, Barbara S. Goldfarb, Sally Gries, Michelle Guillermin, Anjali Gupta, Pamela Gwaltney, Florencia Helbling, Sue J. Henry, Jan Jessup, Alice Kaplan, Paulette Kessler, Janece Smoot Kleban, Arlene Fine Klepper, Doris Kloster, Malinda Krantz, Nelleke Langhout-Nix, Robin Leeds, Cynthia Madden Leitner, Gladys Lisanby, Sarah H. Lisanby, M.D., Fred M. Levin, Bonnie Loeb, Clara M. Lovett, Joanne Ludovici, Patricia Macintyre, Linda Mann, Maria Teresa Martínez, C. Raymond Marvin, Ellen Stirn Mavec, Pat McCall, Dee Ann McIntyre, Cynthia

McKee, Fatima McKinley, Constance C. McPhee, Suzanne Mellor, Morgan Miller, Milica Mitrovich, Claudia Pensotti Mosca, Deborah E. Myers, Jeannette T. Nichols, Kay Woodward Olson, Monica T. O’Neill, Katherine D. Ortega, Margaret Perkins, Sarah (Patti) Pyle, Drina Rendic, Helena Ribe, Barbara Richter, Elizabeth Robinson, Tara Rudman, Elizabeth A. Sackler, Stephanie Sale, Consuelo Salinas de Pareja, Steven Scott, Marsha Brody Shiff, Kathy Sierra, Ann Simon, Geri Skirkanich, Dot Snyder, Denise Littlefield Sobel, Patti Amanda Spivey, Kathleen Elizabeth Springhorn, Sara Steinfeld, Jo Stribling, Susan Swartz, Cheryl S. Tague, Judy Spence Tate, Lisa Cannon Taylor, MaryRoss Taylor, Brooke Taylor, Debra Therit, Deborah Dunklin Tipton, Sarah Bucknell Treco, Marichu Valencia, Sara M. Vance Waddell, Paula S. Wallace, Harriet L. Warm, Krystyna Wasserman, Patti White, Carol Winer, Betty Bentsen Winn, Rhett D. Workman LEGACY OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN

Endowment Foundation Trustee ($1 million+) Anonymous, Betty B. and Rexford* Dettre, Estate of Grace A. George, Wilhelmina C. and Wallace F.* Holladay, Sr., Carol and Climis Lascaris, Estate of Evelyn B. Metzger*, The Honorable Mary V. Mochary, Rose Benté Lee Ostapenko*, The Madeleine Rast Charitable Remainder Trust*, The Walton Family Foundation Endowment Foundation Governor ($500,000–$999,999) Noreen M. Ackerman, P. Frederick Albee and Barbara E. Albee*, Catherine L. and Arthur A. Bert, M.D., J.W. Kaempfer, Jr., Nelleke LanghoutNix, Joe R. and Teresa L. Long, James R. and Suzanne S. Mellor, National Endowment for the Humanities, Drs. A. Jess and Ben Shenson*, MaryRoss Taylor, Alice W. and Gordon T. West, Jr. Endowment Foundation Fellow ($200,000–$499,999) Catharina B. and Livingston L. Biddle, Jr.*, Marcia and Frank* Carlucci Charitable Foundation, Costa del Sol Cruise, Kenneth P. Dutter, Estate of E. Louise Gaudet, Lorraine G. Grace*, William Randolph Hearst Foundation, Estate of Eleanor Heller*, Fred M. Levin and Nancy Livingston*/ The Shenson Foundation, in memory of Drs. Ben and A. Jess Shenson, Dorothy S. Lyddon*/Seven Springs Foundation, Marlene McArthur and Frederic V.* Malek, Victoria J. Mastrobuono*, Sea Goddess I and II Trips, Alejandra and Enrique Segura, Sheila and Richard Shaffer, Clarice Smith

Endowment Foundation Counselor ($100,000–$199,999) Gina and Eugene Adams, Janice L. and Harold L. Adams, Nunda and Prakash Ambegaonkar, Carol C. Ballard, Baltic Cruise, Charlotte Clay Buxton, Eleanor and Nicholas D. Chabraja, Clark Charitable Foundation, Hilda and William B. Clayman, Julia B. and Michael M. Connors, Martha Lyn Dippell and Daniel Lynn Korengold, Gerry E. and S. Paul* Ehrlich, Jr., Enterprise Rent-A-Car, FedEx Corporation, The Geiger Family Foundation, Barbara A. Gurwitz and William D. Hall, Caroline Rose Hunt*/ The Sands Foundation, Cindy and Evan Jones, Alice D. Kaplan, Dorothy* and Raymond LeBlanc, Lucia Woods Lindley, Gladys K. and James W.* Lisanby, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Adrienne B. and John F. Mars, Juliana and Richard E.* May, Bonnie McElveenHunter, Irene Natividad, The Miller and Jeanette Nichols Foundation/ Jeannette T. Nichols, Nancy O’Malley*, Lady Pearman, Reinsch Pierce Family Foundation/Lola C. Reinsch and J. Almont Pierce, Julia Sevilla Somoza, Marsha Brody Shiff, Ann Simmons*, June Speight*, Kathleen Elizabeth Springhorn, Mahinder K. and Sharad Tak, Sami and Annie Totah Family Foundation, Elzbieta Chlopecka Vande Sande Endowment Circle ($50,000–$99,999) Linda Able Choice*, George* and Ursula Andreas, Arkansas Fifty, Lulu H. Auger*, Virginia Mitchell Bailey*, Sondra D. and Howard M. Bender*/The Bender Foundation, Inc., Patti Cadby Birch*, Laura Lee and Jack S. Blanton, Sr.*/Scurlock Foundation, Anne R. Bord*, Caroline Boutté , BP Foundation, Inc., M. A. Ruda* and Peter J. P. Brickfield, Margaret C. Boyce Brown, Martha Buchanan, Sandra and Miles Childers, Mary and Armeane Choksi, Donna Paolino Coia and Arthur Coia, Margaret and David Cole/The Cole Family Foundation, Holland H. Coors*, Porter and Lisa Dawson, Courtenay Eversole, Suzy Finesilver*/The Hertzel and Suzy Finesilver Charitable Foundation, Karen Dixon Fuller, Alan Glen Family Trust, Peter and Wendy Gowdey, Laura L. Guarisco, Jolynda H. and David M. Halinski, Janie Hathoot, Hap and Winton Holladay, I. Michael and Beth Kasser, William R. and Christine M. Leahy, Louise C. Mino Trust, Zoe H. and James H. Moshovitis, Joan and Lucio A. Noto, Marjorie H. and Philip Odeen, Nancy Bradford Ordway, Katherine D. Ortega, Margaret H. and Jim Perkins, Ramsay D. Potts*, in honor of Veronica R. Potts, Elizabeth Pruet*, Edward Rawson, Jane S. Schwartz Trust, Jack and Dana* Snyder, Judith Zee Steinberg and Paul J. Hoenmans, Susan and Scott Sterling, Nancy N. and Roger

Stevenson, Jr., Jo and Thomas Stribling, Susan and Jim Swartz, Elizabeth Stafford Hutchinson Endowed Internship—Texas State Committee of NMWA, Frances and William* Usher, Stuart and Chancy West, Betty Bentsen Winn and Susan Winn Lowry, Yeni Wong Endowment Patron ($25,000–$49,999) Micheline and Sean Connery, Stephanie Fein, Sheila ffolliott, Georgia State Committee of NMWA, New York Trip, Mississippi State Committee of NMWA, Northern Trust, Estate of Mary Marvin, Breckinridge Patterson, Chris Petteys*, Lisa and Robert Pumphrey*, Elizabeth A. Sackler, Estate of Madoline W. Shreve*, Patti Amanda and Bruce Spivey, Sahil Tak/ST Paper, LLC, In honor of Alice West, Jean and Donald M. Wolf, The Women’s Committee of NMWA Endowment Sponsor ($15,000–$24,999) Deborah G. Carstens, Martha and Homer Gudelsky*, Sally L. Jones, Louise H. Matthews Fund, Lily Y. Tanaka, Liz and Jim Underhill, Elizabeth Welles, Dian Woodner Endowment Friend ($10,000–$14,999) Carol A. Anderson, Julia and George L. Argyros, Mrs. Joseph T. Beardwood, III, Catherine Bennett and Fred Frailey, Susan G. Berk, Mary Kay Blake, Booz Allen Hamilton, Lynne V. and Richard Cheney, Esther Coopersmith, Darby Foundation, Juliet De Laricheliere*, Jack J. Dreyfus, Jr.*, Patricia M. and Clifford J. Ehrlich, Mary Page and Thomas B. Evans, Lois Lehrman Grass, Anna Stapleton Henson, Alexine C. and Aaron G.* Jackson, Jan Jessup, Pamela Johnson and Wesley King, Helga and Peter-Hans Keilbach, Howard and Michelle Kessler, Ellen U. and Alfred A. King*, Jacqueline Badger Mars, C. Raymond Marvin, Clyde and Pat Dean McCall, Edwina H. and Charles P. Milner, Evelyn V. and Robert M.* Moore, Harriet Newbill, Estate of Edythe Bates Old, PepsiCo., Inc., Anne and Chris Reyes, Savannah Trip, Mary Anne B. Stewart, Paula Wallace/Savannah College of Art and Design, Marjorie Nohowel Wasilewski, Jean S. and Gordon T. Wells

* Deceased (all lists as of August 15, 2020)

Museum Shop

Shop NMWA online at https://shop.nmwa.org or call toll-free 877-226-5294 29

Jaguar Shot Glass This shot glass is hand made from food-safe natural clay and hand-painted with acrylic paint and varnish. Holds approx.

1.5 ounces. Not recommended for dishwasher. $18/Member $16.20 (Item #31114) Paper Routes—Women to Watch 2020 This fully illustrated catalogue features personal statements by the exhibition’s twenty-two featured artists, who turn paper into innovative, complex works of art. Softcover, 92 pages. $21.95/Member $19.76 (Item #1450)

Mirror, Mirror: The Prints of Alison Saar This volume collects the vast body of prints by artist Alison Saar over the past thirty-five years—lithographs, etchings, and woodblocks that address issues of race, gender, and spirituality. Hardcover, 128 pages. $49.95/Member $44.95 (Item #1359)

Antiracist Baby From National Book Awardwinning author Ibram X. Kendi and illustrator Ashley Lukashevsky, this thoughtful and playful board book empowers parents and children to uproot racism in our society and ourselves. Hardcover, 24 pages. $8.99/Member $8.09 (Item #3497)

Virgin of Guadalupe Enamel Pin This pin features an illustration of Mexico’s famed, blessed queen. Metal with enamel paint and black rubber clutch backing.

Approx. 1.25 in. high. $12/ Member $10.80 (Item #29650)

Lucky Llama Cat This ceramic llama cat, with its endless wave, will bring happiness and luck to your home. AA batteries not included.

16 x 9 x 9 in. $32/Member $28.80 (Item #31101)

Tarot Puzzle The whimsical tarot cards on this 500-piece jigsaw puzzle will bring feelings of good fortune. Illustration by Claire Shadomy. Completed puzzle: 18 x 24 in. Recycled board with eco-friendly inks. $22/Member $19.80 (Item #29914)

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This is What I Know About Art Part of the Pocket Change Collective, a series of small books with big ideas, this volume by arts writer Kimberly Drew illustrates links between art and protest. Softcover, 64 pages. $8.99/Member $8.09 (Item #4335)

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COMING SOON

Sonya Clark Tatter, Bristle, and Mend

© SONYA Y.S. CLARK; PHOTO BY LEE STALSWORTH

March 3–May 31, 2021

Textile and social practice artist Sonya Clark (b. 1967) is renowned for her mixed-media works that address race and class, celebrate Blackness, and reimagine history. This midcareer survey includes the artist’s well-known sculptures made from black pocket combs, human hair, and thread as well as works made from flags, currency, beads, sugar, cotton plants, pencils, books, a typewriter, and a hair salon

chair. The artist transmutes these objects through her application of a vast range of fiber-art techniques: Clark weaves, stitches, folds, braids, dyes, pulls, twists, presses, snips, or ties within each work.

By stitching black thread cornrows and Bantu knots onto fabrics, rolling human hair into necklaces, and stringing a violin bow with a dreadlock, Clark manifests ancestral bonds and reasserts the Black presence in

histories from which it has been pointedly omitted. // Sonya Clark: Tatter, Bristle, and

Mend is organized by the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The exhibition is made possible by The Coby Foundation, Ltd., with additional funding provided by Share Fund, Clara M. Lovett, the Sue J. Henry and Carter G. Phillips Exhibition Fund, and the Lenore G. Tawney Foundation.

Sonya Clark, Afro Abe II, 2012; Five-dollar bill and hand-embroidered thread, 4 x 6 in.; NMWA, Gift of Heather and Tony Podesta Collection