Chelsea Exhibition Reviews: New York Society of Women Artists, Berry Campbell, Rosebud Contemporary and GoCA by Liam Otero from August 2025 White Hot Magazine /  by Maureen Renahan-Krinsley

“Maureen Renahan-Krinsley’s panoramic abstract mixed media paintings similarly engage with nature, albeit in a more ethereal format that gets at the heart of moods or energies that arise and the emotional effects they leave upon / within us.”

Maureen Renahan-Krinsley, Beyond Here, 2022, oil paint, cold wax paint, graphite, handmade papers, oil sticks, plastic particles on canvas. 72 x 24 in. 

 

Artist and President of NYSWA Lori Horowitz’s hanging mixed media sculpture Growing Up (2024) responds to the deleterious effects of extreme deforestation and land redevelopment in Upstate New York. The warped, distressed, and contorted form of the work is intended to recall a segment of woodland comprising an aged tree, fungi, and other flora as represented here with sculpted photos from the site, wood fungus, and encaustic wax. Pamela Casper, too, deals with the environment through her heroicized depictions of fungi and the role they wield in the natural cycle through a mystically idealized nocturnal landscape situated under a magnificent Aurora Borealis.

Lauren Gohara’s mostly abstract painting of a massively tilted golden yellow square over a white backdrop alongside a realistic leaf seems to have brought the aesthetics of Russian Suprematism to the climate change discourse as this work alludes to the 2023 Canadian wildfires and their impact on the New York air quality. Maureen Renahan-Krinsley’s panoramic abstract mixed media paintings similarly engage with nature, albeit in a more ethereal format that gets at the heart of moods or energies that arise and the emotional effects they leave upon / within us.

The celebration of female anatomy as metaphor for the inherent strength of womanhood is further explored by Italian-born Bruna d’Alessandro’s sculptural Breast Book, a representation of a book with a woman’s breast on its cover as a statement on the beauty, power, and symbolism ascribed to its existence. Sarah Katz’s Woman Screaming in the Shower delves more into the private sphere, as noted in its literal title, an artistic commiseration to the personal, professional, and social pressures foisted onto women and the subsequent need to vent as self-care. 

The centenary of NYSWA inspired certain artists to consider their own landmark creative moments. Take veteran sculptor Leah Poller’s Bedlam(b), the 100th iteration of her long-running bed sculpture series in which she materializes a concept into a bed-centric subject infused with art historical iconography and clever wordplay, such as her riff on the rhyming connection of bedlam / lamb.

88-year old Barbara Arum’s freestanding An Accord View is an older work from 2005 that was physically delivered to the gallery by the artist on the basis of her prolonged engagement with addressing both the sanctity of nature and reproductive rights. A different kind of bodily autonomy was addressed in Siena Gilliann Porta’s Ambiguous Selfie, Buddhist Nun, Chemo Patient …. that displays an upfront portrait of a woman without hair which leaves some room for interpretation as to why she appears this way while also alluding to the artist’s experience of living with cancer; this work came as a surprise as I seldom see a work so explicitly deal with cancer, a subject all too familiar following the passing of my mother in 2023. 

 The visual representation of subjects historically excluded from the fine arts space was another crucial theme, from Kelynn Z. Alder’s portraits of a Mexican mother & daughter who were forcibly separated by border control security or Lindsay Blanchard’s Lemuelthat serves as a “genuine portrait” in honoring the everyman subject. 

It is tempting for me to go on and on about each and every artist in this exhibition as the narratives conveyed, stories documented, and ideas expressed forth are timely, thought-provoking, and pertinent. Though the show may have ended, NYSWA’s activities persist, which is why one need stay in touch with the organization and its members’ forthcoming projects!

 

Below is the whole article from White Hot Magazine


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/lvwxgyioh99tat08qow81/7160.url?rlkey=hbg5tt1oil3mho06d4l7qpju0&st=xs1g6lth&dl=0

Ceres Gallery /  by Maureen Renahan-Krinsley

The New York Society of Women Artists (NYSWA) soars into its second century with Into the NOW – The Time of Our Lives, a powerful Centennial exhibition running June 24–July 19, 2025, at Ceres Gallery in Chelsea. Featuring bold and thought-provoking work from 49 women artists, the exhibition spans painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, and mixed media—each piece a vivid answer to a pressing question: Do we have equality in the arts NOW? 

Founded in 1925 by trailblazing women determined to claim space in a male-dominated art world, NYSWA’s roots run deep—from the Armory Show and the Whitney Studio Club to New Deal-era public works. A century later, the Society remains a potent creative force and an outspoken advocate for gender equity and artistic freedom.

 

Participating Artists:

Kelynn Z. Alder, Ellen Alt, Barbara Arum, Fran Beallor, Caroline Bergonzi, Lindy Blanchard, Pam Jane Brown, Nancy Bueti-Randall, Linda Butti, Pamela Casper, Bruna D'Alessandro, Rose Deler, Audrey Frank Anastasi, Diana Freedman Shea, Lynne Friedman, Natalie Giugni, Lauren Gohara, Carol Gromer, Elizabeth Hasegawa Agresta, Sheila Hecht, Betty Ann Hogan, Benice Horowitz, Lori Horowitz, Suejin Jo, Sarah Katz, Karen Kirshner, Sueim Koo, Sheila Kriemelman, Anna Kuchel Rabinowitz, Yumie Kusuda, Stephanie Lee, Yolène Legrand, Jacqueline Lorieo, Susan Markowitz Meredith, Cathy O'Keefe, Seema Lisa Pandya, Leah Poller, Siena Gillann Porta, Yupin Pramotepipop, Stephanie Rauschenbusch, Maureen Renahan-Krinsley, Alexi Rutsch Brock, Peggy Silverstein, Anne Stanner, Natsuki Takauji, Nitza Tufiño, Lea Weinberg, Rachelle Weisberger, and Lucy Wilner.

Renowned art critic Eleanor Heartney calls NYSWA “a vibrant force for innovation, advocacy, and artistic excellence” in the exhibition’s Centennial Catalogue. 

“This exhibition is a living manifesto,” says Lori Horowitz, NYSWA President. “It celebrates our past while demanding a future of equal opportunity and artistic visibility.” Advisory Chair, Natalie Giugni adds, “We’re amplifying voices across generations and cultures, united in the urgency of NOW.”

My Method of Working

A journey of transformation: my multimedia process

My artistic method is a dynamic exploration of form and color, intimately tied to my connection to nature and the environment. It begins with a hands-on investigation of collage and culminates in multi-layered, multi-media constructions. I initiate my creative journey by crafting collages, using handmade papers from Japan, India, and Mexico—chosen for their vibrant, inherent dyes. This foundational stage is driven by my desire to simplify natural forms and study harmonious color groupings on watercolor paper. As I engage with these materials, I often find myself entering a state of flow and meditation, a deep immersion that is central to my creative process. These initial compositions aren't static; I enrich them further with various acrylic paints and mediums, recognizing their potential to form expansive grid installations.

The process then transitions into the digital realm, where I photograph my collages and translate them onto my iPad. Utilizing programs like Photoshop and Procreate, I engage in digital studies, refining and expanding upon the visual concepts born in my collages. This digital phase allows for iterative experimentation, enabling me to explore permutations of my initial ideas. Even in this digital space, the sense of flow persists, guiding my decisions. Once satisfied with a digital image, I bring it back to the physical world by printing it onto watercolor paper.

The final, crucial stage involves an intensive hands-on revision of these printed images. I re-engage with a diverse array of art materials, including acrylic, cold wax, pencil, graphite, wax crayons, pastels and encaustic, working and reworking the surfaces until each piece reaches its completion. This phase often involves a recursive loop of re-photographing, altering perspective, redrawing, reprinting, and repainting. This iterative approach demonstrates my commitment to the evolution of my artwork, allowing each image to organically transform and grow into something entirely new, yet deeply connected to its origins. My method isn't merely about creating art, but about a continuous process of discovery, revision, and metamorphosis.

Inspiration /  by Maureen Renahan-Krinsley

Inspired by deep love for the outdoors, I endeavor to infuse my abstract paintings with energy and flow.  Through color, texture, and form, I aim to transport viewers to the varied landscapes that move me, evoking strong emotions and a sense of place. My artistic practice embraces the rich possibilities of materials such as cold wax, encaustic, oil paint, photos, and homemade paper, allowing me to create depth and movement while expressing my ideas and emotions. Ultimately, my work seeks to foster a deeper connection with nature and raise awareness of its beauty and the fragility of threatened ecosystems.