The Women Painters of Washington are on display in our Ancillary gallery with their incredible Provincetown White Line printing style! A contemporary example of print art in Washington, the WPW has been contributing to the history of Northwest art since 1930. All of the prints on display are available for purchase.
Women Painters of Washington has been in existence since the summer of 1930 when six female artists met while attending a portrait class sponsored by the Art Institute of Seattle, a predecessor to the Seattle Art Museum. Exhibitions sponsored by WPW have been occurring for 75 years. The founding members–Elizabeth Warhanik, Dorothy Dolph Jensen, Lily Norling Hardwick, Myra Albert Wiggins, Anna B. Stone and Helen Bebb joined together to overcome the limitations they faced as female artists and to stimulate artistic growth through fellowship.
Yvonne Twining Humber was a nationally known painter. She was president of WPW in 1947 and 1948. Ms. Humber worked for the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and became known for her urban and rural landscapes.
In the 1980’s Iris Nichols took WPW in a new direction. It was the start of cultural exchanges and international exhibits. The first was with Japan. Women Painters exhibited in both Kobe and Tokyo. WPW arranged for Japanese artists to show at the Frederick and Nelson Gallery in Seattle. Since then WPW has also had shows in Germany and Kuwait. Starting in 1999 and going through the fall of 2000 Women Painters had both exhibitions and exchanges with Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This led to a residency for 35 artists from Washington State and Ireland at Centrum Arts Center in Port Townsend, Washington.
As our horizons have broadened WPW has also seen the need to expand its commitment to the community. The group has supported food banks and donated art supplies to womens shelters (currently the Street Life Gallery and the Angeline Center, both in Seattle). WPW has had a continuous exhibit at the University of Washington’s Women’s Clinic since 1989.
October 5, 2017 – November 19, 2017