Finding Her Way: American Women Artists Working Before 1945

Despite evident talent and success, most American women artists before 1945 worked in general obscurity, unable to clear the gender-based barriers that persisted across the country — New York City included. So how did they find their way? This is the story behind those female artists and their paintings, which reveal what life was historically like for urban women in NYC and beyond.

Join New York Adventure Club as we celebrate Women’s History Month with an art-centric lecture and presentation surrounding American women artists working before 1945, a period of radical change for women and New York City.

Led by Rena Tobey, American Art Historian and Professor at NYU’s School for Professional Studies, our digital showcase and art salon inside the Church of Sweden’s hidden midtown chapel will include:

• An overview of women artists from the mid-19th century to the Great Depression, who collectively painted a picture of urban women’s lives
• A discussion around the challenges women artists faced in a changing America, and how they navigated societal expectations of women’s domestic roles with their drive to be professionals
• A close look at select paintings that tell the story of the difficult choices women artists had to make during this time period, such as the decision to sacrifice their personal lives for their art career
• A conversation around how the perception of women artists evolved between 1850-1945

About Rena Tobey

Rena Tobey is an American art historian whose passion centers on making art accessible, insightful, and fun. She conducts lively, interactive tours of museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New-York Historical Society, and the American Folk Art Museum. Rena’s research and writing centers on American women artists working before 1945, with particular interest in the challenges they faced in bucking societal norms.

$15

Church of Sweden
5 East 48th Street
New York, NY 10017