Celebrating Women in Art History

Creative Clay’s Women in Art History exhibit celebrating Women’s History Month, features the women artists of Creative Clay.

Creative Clay artists, working in teams and individually, created art inspired by women artists in art history.

“The creative process began with the contemporary artist learning the story of their chosen artist in the past,” says Jody Bikoff, Creative Clay Director of Exhibitions. “This included studying a life story, looking at images of artwork, and delving into research where often a past woman artist was under-recognized.

“It was exciting to see how the artists approached their work. Sometimes, one piece of the past artist’s artwork became the inspiration for the contemporary artist’s new work. And for others, inspiration came from the entirety of the past artist’s work and life story.”

Creative Clay Teaching Artist Coral Walden partnered with Member Artist Hanna V. to pay tribute to painter, writer, speaker, mixed media sculptor and performance artist Faith Ringgold through their collaboration.

“I’ve always been inspired by Ringgold’s activism and versatility as an artist,” says Walden. “She opened doors for Black artists, women artists, and folk artists simultaneously, and dissolved the barriers between fine art and political protest.”

Member Artist Hanna’s V.’s connection to Ringgold lies in the parallels between their artistic styles. Hanna’s two-dimensional figures and use of bold pattern and color are reminiscent of Ringgold’s Impressionist style.

“Hanna is especially drawn to Ringgold’s narrative quilts, which combine Hanna’s passions for painting and fabric art,” says Walden.

Other artists represented in this exhibit include the groundbreaking abstract artist Hilma af Klimt, photomontage and Dada artist Hannah Höch, pop art pioneer Pauline Boty, celebrated Korean painter Kyeong Ja Cheon, wide-ranging installation artist Yayoi Kusama, and revered Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

“The intention of this exhibit is to honor and elevate the women artists of our time – as well as the women artists of the past – who have often been under-recognized and marginalized,” says Bikoff.

Creative Clay Teaching Artist Emily Turnage partnered with Member Artist Ivy J. to create music and digital media inspired by funk singer, songwriter and producer Betty Davis, a woman ahead of her time whose talents went overlooked or underappreciated in her day. “I was drawn to Betty Davis because of her ‘I am who I am and I don’t care what you think’ outlook on life. I find that inspiring and thought Ivy may too,” says Emily.

“I chose Betty Davis because we researched her and she has a really nice genre of music that she does. She does funk and I had a lot of fun making that song, collaborating on that,” explains Ivy J.  Their song, titled ‘Authentically Me,’ can be played by scanning the QR code above.

Creative Clay Teaching Artist Jung In Kang partnered with Member Artist Shasta G. to pay tribute to Chun Kyung-ja through their collaboration – a Korean painter known for her bold and vividly colorful paintings depicting mainly female figures, flowers and animals.

“Shasta likes painting portraits of women and flowers,” says Jung In. “Chun Kyung-ja’s style and colors are kind of like Frida Kahlo and Matisse, and her themes are women and flowers, not just in an Asian art style.  Shasta liked her painting style and was inspired.”

Artist teams include

Coral Walden and Hanna V.
Emily Turnage and Ivy J. and Stephanie P.
Lisa Glaser and Lindsay J.
Jung In Kang and Shasta G.
Summer Kluytman and Carla L.
Julie Price and Grace P.

Women in Art History may be viewed at Creative Clay’s Good Folk Gallery from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and in its virtual gallery on Creative Clay’s website. Art in Creative Clay’s Good Folk Gallery and its virtual gallery is available for purchase. Artists receive 50% commission on all works sold.
. . .

creativeclay.org