With the first show, in August of 2023, being a huge success we wanted to open our doors again during the Women’s History Month for another art show with art works created by women and all the female identifying people, from different walks of life, using various mediums, photography, painting, sculpture, storytelling etc.
We are excited to announce that 32 female artists will participate. Stay tuned as all the Bios are in the process of being updated.
The show will be open to public March 1st - March 8th.
Hours: March 1st 6pm-10pm, March 2nd & 3rd 1pm - 7pm, March 4th to March 8th 6pm - 9pm
Below are the participating artists and a short statement in their own words.
Gail M Boykewich: (paintings)
studied painting and sculpture at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She was drawn to traditional portrait painting, magic realism, and folk art. Gail’s meticulously detailed work is driven by her love of flora and fauna, and the importance of human symbiosis. She strives to highlight the beauty of the natural world and the significance of environmental conservation using fictitious characters and unique plants and animals. Her themes have been described as whimsical, tender, melancholic and sometimes humorous. Www.GailMBoykewich.com
Cynthia Zeman: (collage)
Cynthia Zeman recently received her MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She majored in film production as an undergraduate at New York University, and her experimental film, Phoenix, was bought by Warner Brothers and taken on tour as an opening act by the band King Crimson. It also won best Experimental film at the Houston International Film Festival. Her paintings are held in collections in New York and Spain. http://www.cynthiazeman.com/
Yulia K: (gel prints)
Embodied Impressions (series)
In "Embodied Impressions," Yulia delves into the intricate tapestry of the human form, creating a visceral and intimate exploration of the body's beauty and complexity. Her prints are a celebration of diversity and an ode to the journey of self-acceptance and love.
The viewer is invited to explore the nuances of pleasure, pain, and vulnerability embedded in each print. Through this collection, Yulia opens a dialogue on body positivity, breaking societal norms, and embracing one's unique self.
"Embodied Impressions" is a journey into the realms of self-love and acceptance, an exploration of the human body, where vulnerability is strength, and beauty lies in embracing the authentic self.
Lori Sarver: (photography)
Art is subjective. How you seize or interpret. Messy, clean, colorful, or black and white. Graceful in its unbiased nature, Art is Art. For me, a photograph must evoke feelings. It must tell a story in a way that is different from each who sees it. Often complex in its meaning, a picture worth a thousand words is soulfully intrinsic to the photography medium. Connections develop by removing unwarranted space, allowing trust to set in, which is why I stand close to whomever I photograph. When energy enters, the story unfolds.
Using digital and analog formats while seeking texture lighting elements, my monochromatic style blends fine art and portraiture. I strive for my work to convey emotion while mindfully approaching each composition with the utmost creative respect, understanding that our stories are ever-changing, whether we are all different or all the same. Pictures are mysterious in darkness yet timeless when lacking color. My intentional use of grainy shadows and highlights artfully reflects that life is an ageless novel through which we must believe what we dream and create. www.lorisarver.com
Luna Wroblewski: (Installation)
The Tranny Posters
"Luna is a photographic based artist currently working in Philadelphia PA. Her focus is on the lives that we live and the interactions we have with each other. Trying to use photography as both a documentation tool as well as a medium for transformative work to reach people from all walks of life. Luna has previously lived and worked in the New York Metro area, and the Kansai region of Japan. She is currently a student at Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia and teaches high school photography classes." lunachrome.tiff on insta
Nancy J Ori: (photography)
South West series
Nancy, owner of New Jersey Media Center, LLC in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, is respected internationally as an industrial photographer and video producer for over three decades. She also enjoys teaching photography and painting workshops each year throughout the United States and Europe. Nancy was affiliated for many years with the Ansel Adams Workshop in California and in New Jersey is currently on the faculty of numerous museums and art centers as well as teaches privately. www.nancyorifineart.com
Liz Kendig: (cyanotypes)
Liz created a home studio practice focused on intertwining photographic and traditional printmaking methods. Her photographic practice is currently focused on cyanotypes, and has created works such as Greyhound in Daisies, a traditional approach to the light-sensitive dye, while also exploring photographic printing on fabric and wearable items. Using a press, Liz also creates linocut prints using the reduction method. Liz is interested in creative intentionality and reducing environmental impacts by locally sourcing materials as much as possible and by using plant-based fabrics when necessary. She grows and dries her own flowers for cyanotypes to reduce the environmental impact bringing live plants into her artistic practice. www.ek-printstudio.com
Sienna: (photography)
Currently based in Lisbon, Portugal, Sienna has built a reputation for her evocative work in the realm of artistic nudes and kink photography. Body positive and passionate about diluting the overwhelming dominance of the male gaze within the nude photography space Sienna uses her work to tell the story behind the body she is photographing.
Through her lens, Sienna aims to demystify and celebrate the diverse spectrum of human desires, inviting viewers to question preconceived notions and embrace their own unique truths. Her work delves into the realm of kink and BDSM, exploring themes of trust, power dynamics, and the nuances of human connection. By presenting these subjects with respect, compassion, and a discerning eye, she opens up dialogues surrounding consent, agency, and the exploration of personal boundaries. www.sienna-s-umbra.com
Olya Golovko: (AI)
Olya Golovko is a multidisciplinary artist based in Riga, Latvia, currently engaged in AI art.
Published poetic-photographic collages in magazines such as 'Daugava,' 'Novye Oblaka,' 'Plough,' on the 'Orbita' website, '1/4 Satori,' 'Textonly,' and others. Longlisted for the “Literaryrentgen 2010” Award.
As AI art creator exhibited in Czech Republic, Latvia and USA. during the summer of 2023, representing Latvia.
Primarily working in Midjourney, Olya explores the potential of neural networks, experimenting with new forms and ideas, pushing the boundaries of art. babka_robot
Rebecca Garcia: (paintings)
Rebecca Garcia is a Seattle-based, self-taught artist and musician who delights in themes of sensuality, kink, nature’s allure, and the timeless beauty of diverse human forms. Two years ago, Rebecca made the life-changing leap from the corporate world and now devotes herself full-time to her artistic calling, never looking back. The confluence of art and music are a font of joy, excitement, and trepidation, heavily spiced by profound and meaningful connections. https://rngarcia.com/
Kelly Lawler: (mixed media)
I am a seeker, a healer and a maker, contemplating the energy that connects us. With a love of both process and color, my practice is one of repetition and long expanses of color, which is a gift to myself of a meditative experience and a deep flow state.
Chakra Dream
We try so hard to simplify what we do and how we arrive. My work reflects that, I paint to heal myself, open my heart and be. These paintings are beautiful, with bright colors and abstract forms, much like ourselves. I then enjoy the paintings, on a wall, in photos, spending time with their beauty, at some point, it is time for a change, for growth. Then cutting them into strips, weaving them, sewing them. And again, cutting them into strips, weaving them and sewing them. Each transition is beautiful, and as I meet each transition, I have a choice to be fearful, or to go forward knowing what I create will become, and evolve into something more amazing, much like ourselves. And they arrive. With many hidden layers, and so much beauty. Much like ourselves. www.kellylawlerart.com
Jo Lin (she/they) (installation)
Jo is an artist and consummate cat mom who had to say goodbye to her furbaby Sylvester on December 12, 2023. With only memories left of their time/love together, she has been meditating on the nature of memories and how they feel indistinguishable from dreams, visions, fantasies. What is real vs what is imagined - is their connection still real, or is it only imagined? And does it matter? Making art/meaning in the aftermath of a major loss, Jo invites you to honor and memorialize your lost loves.
Cara Lee Wade: (photography)
Legacy: Alzheimer’s Stories
My Grandmothers (Gram and Granny) were both diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1999 within months of one another. They lost the battle in 2004, again within months of one another. As a result, I have become obsessed with absorbing my Grandmothers’ and consequently my own past. As they struggled to retain their identity and their memories, I am now determined to gather them and add them to my own.
Collected items and locations belonging to and inspired by my Grandmothers are the heart of this work, alongside my physical and emotional inheritance. Using myself and these everyday things, along with my memories, those given to me by family, and a vast collection of family photographs, I build narratives within the frame. Through the years and through the course of creating, some of the narratives have strayed, becoming a clear reflection of my current self.
This work was initially sparked as a reactionary coping mechanism, a way to deal with loss. I add images to the series every couple of years, often when I learn something new about my family or when a dusty object in an antique store speaks to me of my familial history. All images are captured with a 1947 4x5 Graflex Press camera and archivally printed 16x20 or 18x24, in editions of 25. https://caraleewade.com/
Alyson Vega: (fiber artist)
For the What Women Create - Daydream, I present three pieces. Ancient Love Song - was made after experiencing my 20th wedding anniversary with two broken wrists. When my husband had to give me a shower, not a pleasant experience, I thought about all the ways love can be expressed. When A Tree Calls In The Forest… - is my wondering what trees tell each other through their fungal network. Finding A View - is photos on fabric including one of my former student holding a camera. I also used prints of photos I created from my favorite place in the world, Grace Bay on an island in the Caribbean Sea.
Alyson Vega is a Puerto Rican fiber artists who taught herself to sew and quilt at a young age. Born in New York City in 1962, she received her AB in Japanese Folklore and Mythology from Harvard University. After teaching math for over 20 years, a brain injury ended her career. At the same time she developed an urgency to make things. No longer able to follow a pattern, she created assemblages with whatever materials she found. Using a wide variety of materials and techniques Alyson’s pieces reflect the beauty and order she preceives in a chaotic world. Alyson Vega
Naomi Hart: (paintings)
I grew up in a family that transitioned from conventional living to a remote homestead in Northern Minnesota. There I was influenced by the two storytelling cultures that surrounded my childhood; the Jewish narrative of my Father, and the Indigenous American culture of the reservation we lived on.
I learned the story of humanity embedded within the history of the natural world, and was awakened to its potential to guide and nurture. Understanding this relationship served as a tremendous resource when, many years later, I began to search for a meditative practice through trauma healing and recovery. This is the narrative of my healing journey which feeds my artistic practice.
I use the history of storytelling and a love for the natural world to depict my ongoing personal journey of transformation in my artwork. By using broadly recognized images from nature that are rooted in every culture’s history of storytelling like moths who are our ancestors and affirm our footsteps, butterflies who present lessons of transformation, or birds who are a conduit between mankind and the gods I can bridge the viewers story with mine.
My studio practice involves an Encaustic Mixed Media process I have developed which layers my etchings and detailed drawings with other materials all embedded within many layers of hot beeswax. This create a surrealist distortion of the sharply rendered imagery. The wax's translucency adds history and depth to each piece, softening and creating approachability. www.naomi4art.com
Eccentric Circle (EC): (sculpture)
Eccentric Circle (EC) started as a dream. She was on the bus heading to her witchy cottage and pulled for her stop on Eccentric Circle. An odd ball with narcolepsy and autism, many of her artistic pursuits have been inspired by sleepy insights, whether in subject or in trying to root a fantasy in material reality. As such, EC does not work in any specific medium and might be more dreamer than artist.
Emma Radulski: (paintings)
Emma is a Philadelphia based mixed-media abstract artist. She was born and raised in Newark, Delaware and has been engulfed in both visual and performing arts for over 22 years. Inspired by the ever-shifting landscape of the human psyche, her paintings are meant to convey the power of dormant emotions. Through abstract expressionism, she pulls at the fringes of human existence as a way to unveil hidden personas, to access the uncharted territories of the mind and to give back a voice to the words left unsaid. Her pieces employ opposing textures and stark contrasts, juxtaposing light and shadow as they forever exist in tandem. She hopes her art may stand as an invitation to confront the darkness in life, to revel in the dissonance, and to find your own solace in the midst of a chaotic world. e.rad.art on insta
Kelly Sturhahn: (textile painting)
My work explores the possibilities of perception and experience through an investigative, process-oriented approach. I work in a variety of media, often combining traditional painting and drawing techniques with fiber arts to create tactile paintings, installations, and works on paper. My practice is a journey of connecting, discovering, and evolving. I take inspiration from a variety of art movements such as Pattern and Decoration, Romanticism, and Op Art, as well as my own sensory experience with light, shadow, color, pattern, and texture in my surroundings, both natural and man-made.
In my recent fabric paintings, meticulously hand-painted stripes in bright, sunset colored paint peeks through black and white striped fabric that has been variously altered by cutting, tearing, draping, and painting processes. The perpetuity of the original pattern is disrupted revealing optical movement and shifting color. Through experimentation and intuition, patterns and imagery cycle through refinement, distortion, and reinvention. My interactive installations display intricate craftwork on a grand scale. In Along the Hudson, a large, reflective floor piece maps an aerial view of a section of the Hudson River in New York that seems to flow under the walls, into the next room. Black lace strands extend from ceiling to floor defining and activating space. Dappled with hand-sewn sequins, the strands may recall the reflection of tree branches on water appearing deep below and high above the mirrored surface. Through interaction, the viewer is reflected and surrounded by soft textiles, becoming part of the work. www.kellysturhahn.com
Linda Friedman Schmidt: (paintings with discarded clothing)
I have learned from enlightened beings that we are the creators of our reality and ourselves. We are dreaming this life into experience and so we might as well start dreaming it the way we want it to be.
Discarded clothing is my paint. I give second chances, new life, and a fresh start to the worn, the damaged, the devalued, the mistreated, the abandoned, the unwanted, and to myself. Transformation is central to my process. I transform the old into new, anxiety into serenity, the ordinary into the extraordinary. It is not just the materials that are changed, but also the maker and the viewer.
I hand cut, assemble, arrange, rearrange, and join together fragments of my own clothing and others’ clothing, pieces in all colors, patterns, and textures to create a harmonious new whole. I am piecing together and repairing the fabric of my life in order to become the real me, the person I dreamed I could be. www.lindafriedmanschmidt.com
Lauren Fiasconaro: (cyanotype)
My work explores the complex relationships of humans and nature from an ecocentric point of view. It is often driven by concerns with climate change and environmental degradation. Focusing on alternative and analog photographic processes, I continually seek to evolve my practice by using sustainable materials and minimizing waste. My small scale pieces evoke the dichotomies of beauty and darkness, power and fragility, eternity and transience within a warming world. www.laurenfiasconaro.com
Jen Hintz Eggers: (paintings)
As a painter, I explore themes of spirituality and motherhood through use of sacred geometric patterns and biomorphic shapes. My process is deeply meditative, embracing the calming rhythm of drafting patterns using grids and interlocking circles. The symbols I create within these patterns are influenced by Christian and Wiccan traditions. I choose them carefully to add to the overall concept of a painting while providing a foundation that creates visual harmony with my more organic imagery. The transparency of oil paint allows me to build depth and capture the passage of time. I include recurring motifs - such as the moon, flora, and color palettes inspired by my memories and experiences. My work serves as part of my spiritual practice rooted in Nature and celebrating my role as Creatrix - the Female creator. www.theartofhintz.com
Olga Barkar: (photography, mixed media)
Olga is an artistic and creative photographer with a profound passion for the human body. Her unique approach involves looking incredibly close to her subjects, both literally and figuratively, as she seeks to capture the intricate details that make each individual special. For Olga, creating a visual emotional story and capturing the essence of her subjects is the ultimate goal. As a hopeless optimist, she firmly believes in finding beauty in everything around her, and this optimistic outlook shines through in her captivating and evocative photography. Olga Barkar's work is a testament to her dedication to showcasing the inherent beauty that exists in the world. fineartamerica.com/profiles/olga-barkar
Aimme Bungard: (line drawings)
I am an herbalist, wild crafter, doula and diagnosed with Chronic Migraine Disease, all of which heavily influence my work. https://www.aimeebungardart.com/
Kristin Stevenson: (paintings)
Kristin is intrigued by how we understand and express our evolving selves, and how this development is reflected in the things we make and do. She paints with cold wax and oils to produce abstract layered pictures that are meditations on experience. Through her work she explores the negotiation of self with the non-self, the internal with the external.
Working in cold wax, her process is one of building up and excavating layers and elements until an image reveals itself. She uses materials such as ink, textiles, marble dust, powdered pigments, and ashes to create multi-dimensional works with a unique history. Kristin has shown her work in the US and abroad in both solo and group exhibitions, and in regional and national juried shows. Her paintings have been featured in publications and are held in numerous private collections around the world. Kristin has lived in the UK, Italy, and on both coasts of the US, but has finally settled with her family in Upstate New York, where she is inspired daily by the beauty of the area in all seasons. kristinstevenson.net
Abby Fenn: (mixed media)
My work arises from the textiles, patterns, and photographs that I grew up with and around. A quilt made by a grandmother, a crossword completed by a grandfather, pins collected by a sister: all are meaningful frameworks that I build from through the process of making. Focusing on the nuances of these and other collected items, my experimental studio practice centers around materiality, memory, and play. Throughout the process, memories become the material. The associations I have with specific objects and patterns help me decide how to transform materials, allowing me to be more inventive with my medium selection. I reminisce as I work; each substance, process, or subject echoing a moment, person, or feeling from childhood. As a result, the works become indirect collaborations with family members and a past self. They allow me to reflect as I search through archives for something missed.
“Megan’s Pins: Sulley,” is from an ongoing series of cast and carved relief works created using my sister’s childhood pin collection and crayon wax. The process of working with the crayons reminds me of when Megan and I decided to ‘inventory” our large collection of miscellaneous crayons because of their amusing names (Tickle Me Pink, Fuzzy Wuzzy Brown, and Macaroni and Cheese). We sat at the table and swatched each one. Now I stand over the stove and watch the colors form as the crayons melt before pouring them into the prepared mold. The mold is made from Model Magic; I take one of the pins and press it into the clay, creating a pattern with its basic shape. The mold is then filled with layers of wax and later the Model Magic is peeled off in pieces. The result is a low relief motif of Megan’s pin that I then build on with paint to bring out features of the original pin and carve into to reveal the layers of colored wax.. @afenn_art on insta
Emma, the Founder of Sparkle Arts Studio: (mixed media)
Based in Philadelphia, Emma infuses her artwork with the dynamic essence of New York City, her hometown. Specializing in mixed media pieces on wood, Emma employs acrylic paint, meticulously placing each accent to craft singular works of art. Her mission is clear: to infuse vibrancy and radiance into the lives of others. With her genuine approach and uplifting creations, Emma’s art captivates viewers, leaving a mark on all fortunate enough to behold its brilliance and sparkle. For those seeking distinctive and captivating art, Sparkle Arts Studio is your destination. @sparkleartsstudio on insta
Rebecca Ledbetter: (paintings)
Words contextualize the world we live in, but colors provide an avenue to examine and interpret these perspectives. I am an abstract oil painter who focuses on color, texture, shadows, light, and tone in my work to construct colorful, abstract worlds to question accepted realities, such as relationships, communication, beauty, and love. I often feel a profound connection to words and their deeper meanings, and use those narratives as a release to paint a new world. The abstract breaks down the walls of understanding the subject immediately, allowing the space to breathe and envelope you.
Relationships, connections, and interactions between people, both in written words and in life, serve as a constant source of inspiration for my work. I am fascinated by the complexities of human relationships and the ways in which they shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Through my paintings, I challenge conventional notions of love, beauty, and communication, encouraging viewers to question their own perceptions and re-examine these fundamental aspects of human existence.
In the words of Edward Hopper, "If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint." My paintings embody this sentiment, providing a visual language that transcends the limitations of words and invites viewers to engage in a profound exploration of human experience. rebeccaledbetter.com
Meg Wolensky: (paintings)
I'm a still-life painter pulling together clusters of objects documenting queer life in the every day and throughout human history. In the same space, I hold the reality of emotional, cultural, economic, and political systemic devastation of the queer community as it stands as opposed to the risk of freedom: life lived out loud. Inspired by Fragments of Sappho, this work reveals some, but not all, displaying fragments of archival queer literature and resistance publications woven amongst personal narratives, memories, myths, dreams, and relationships. Assembled through chromatic cross-sections and color chasms, I portray affirming ephemera and analyze the contrasting systemic violence beneath the surface. Through this language of cultural lineage and self-preservation, I rebuild a home where my whole identity is welcome and celebrated. Through these multi-year observations, I show that queer people are here now. We have been here throughout all of time. www.megwolensky.com
Kristina Bivona: (books//zines)
Kristina Bivona is a woman who adopted her single mothers maiden name. Raised poor and stigmatized, Kristina knew her mother was a good woman who never left but probably should have. As the eldest child of three girls she saved the food bank pork until the end of the month. Today, she prefers using dollar store lotion for her prints which weep when left on the wall.
Kristina has worked with her hands since childhood and she confronts a society that has no problem objectifying women but criminalizes women who profit from their objectification. kristinabivona.com/Art
Maggie: (photography)
a lifelong creative, gamer, CrossFit enthusiast making her art show debut. While she’s always had a curiosity for photography, it’s her recent introduction into light painting that truly sparks her imagination. Drawing inspiration from her love for VR and the fantasy realms she often loses herself in, Maggie’s works capture the magic of digital and natural worlds. Dive in, and see where the light takes you.
Jess: (photography)
While on our honeymoon, my husband and I were graciously lent our friend’s dslr camera to take with us. My husband had learned photography a few years prior. For me, it was only my second time shooting. As we strolled the resort, we came across a jumbo chess set by the beach. The pieces were scattered on the board echoing the chaos of the waves crashing behind it. I had to capture it. My instinct had me get on the ground, hold the camera at an angle and start clicking away. “What are you doing?” an unfamiliar voice startled my focus. It was another guest who we later found out was a photographer after we bumped into him again at the bar. I apparently looked pretty silly and he couldn’t figure out what I was trying to capture. I sat there during the conversation questioning my choices for they weren’t traditional. But, when I returned home and looked through my images, I kept finding myself asking, “did I actually make that”? I kept going back to the chess photo. It wasn’t my best shot. But, it struck me. I liked the different angle. It felt like I found my voice.
I continue to search for what inspires me: pops of color, lighting, texture and feeling. All while finding new angles to look at things.
I think my photography journey is a lot like my journey as a woman. Constantly having others try to fit me into a mold. Constantly trying to fit myself into a mold. And then finding the freedom in being distinctly me.
Marigold Nix: (photography)
Culture of Domesticity (series of photographs) is a collection of ordinary moments with everyday objects that are living near or about the habitations of humans. These pictures are not staged or altered. They are kismet, instances of synchronistic aesthetic pleasure. That appeared at random in my life at home. These images encourage us to see the beauty in an unexceptional day. They are apparitions of the elegance that lives beyond appearances, deeper than the veneer of cleanliness and order. They shatter the day dreams of perfection and showcase the sublime qualities of chaotic reality
A lifelong poet, water nymph, and visual artist currently working primarily in photography. I am inspired by the world around us, natural and manmade. I am passionate about finding beauty that has been over looked, and encouraging others to see this beauty as well. My work has always incorporated found objects from the plastic jewellery I was repurposing as a child, to the everyday household and nature items that frequently appear in my current work. I have a BFA in Visual Arts and was born in the last quarter of the past century. Currently living in a land of ice and snow, waiting for it to melt so I can commune with the river again. marigold.nix on insta.
For further details and updates on this art show follow us on instagram and facebook or please contact us prismartsphiladelphia@gmail.com