The exhibition opens today in the McGregor Gallery with an opening reception, 6-7:30 p.m. led by guest curator Christine Fowler Shearer and several of the artists whose work is featured.
Shearer created the exhibit in 2020 and suggested it to museum officials, who were receptive with trying to feature challenging exhibits and guest curators to offer different perspectives, backgrounds and stories.
“Women in art history and society have often been underrepresented. There are a lot of challenges women have today as a lot have left the workforce and a lot are trying to do several roles along with having a career and how do you balance these,” said Elizabeth Wetterstroem, the museum’s collections and exhibitions manager.
All of the artists are contemporary, with several from Ohio, Virginia, Florida and Wisconsin among them and working in various mediums with more than 50 works.
Artists and their mediums include Erin Holscher Almazan, printmaking; Julie Blackmon, photography; Alicia Brown, painting; Jessica Calderwood, ceramics; Kristen Cliffel, ceramics; Rebecca Cross, textiles; Lalla Essaydi, photography; Jessica Gardner, ceramics; Marcella Hackbardt, photography; Mabi Ponce de Leon, mixed media; Bellamy Printz, printmaking; Stephanie Rond, mixed media; Margo Selski, painting; and Babette Wainwright, ceramics.
“These artists have significant careers, so it’s unique for us to have so many in one exhibition,” said Wetterstroem.
The reception will include a cash bar, light refreshments and curator remarks will be at 6:30 p.m. Admission is required for non-museum members.
“Mirror, Mirror” will run through March 19, 2023 and is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Other current Springfield museum exhibitions include “Wild & Tenacious” by Beth Edwards; “Lake Valley” by Rachel Rose; “Radical Imagination”; and “Unconventional: Self-Taught Artists of the Permanent Collection.”
The art museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 12:30-4:30 p.m. Sundays. For more information, go to www.springfieldart.net/.
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