Women's Art: Women's Visions Exhibit at the Josephy Center

March is designated as National Women’s History Month to ensure that the history of American women will be recognized and celebrated in schools, workplaces, and communities throughout the country. The Josephy Center for Arts and Culture is honored to present an exhibit entitled, Women’s Art: Women’s Vision, in honor of Women’s History Month, opening March 1 with a reception at 7:00. Financial support has been provided by the Oregon Arts Commission and the local chapter of AAUW.  In addition to an art exhibit featuring the works of local and regional women artists, we have programs that range from a Collage Art Workshop to a conversation about Title IX at our Brown Bag Lunch and a Tea with local pianist Gail Swart. The Center will also host a variety of events including films, musical performances, lectures, readings and discussion groups.
 
Executive Director and curator for the show, Cheryl Coughlan said, “After a year of excellent exhibits, it was time for the Josephy Center and the community to celebrate women in the arts, and women in history.  The month of March honors the extraordinary and often unrecognized determination and tenacity of women. They have demonstrated their character, courage and commitment as mothers, educators, institution builders, business, labor, political and community leaders, and CEOs. Their lives and their work inspire girls and women to achieve their full potential and encourage boys and men to respect the diversity and depth of women’s experience. Women have made great progress in the later part of 20^th Century but there is still some growth and success women can achieve. This community has an abundance of women artists who have committed their vision to an artistic purpose but haven’t had the opportunity to share it with the community.”
 
More than 25 artists from the Northwest will be included in the art exhibit.  Some of the exhibiting artists are professional and some have committing their life to their artwork.  Here are a few artists participating:  Kathy Drake, Jennifer Klimsza, Shelley Curtiss (local Joseph bronze artist), Leah Johnson (local Joseph painter), Ashley Stoddard (painter, raised in Wallowa County, lives in Ogden, Utah), Kim Morris (fiber artist from Wallowa), Leslie LeViner (Joseph painter), etc.