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.