The Women's Art Club of Hamilton looks ahead to its gallery openings in February 2023.
New Views is a dual venue art show featuring the work of The Women’s Art Club of Hamilton and is supported by The Fitton Center and Strauss Gallery. The newly formed Women’s Art Club of Hamilton (WACH) has grown steadily since the first meeting in May, 2022. Comprised of a diverse group of women, the club’s monthly meetings have included artists’ talks, instructional art technique demos, plein air sketching / painting, and tours of nearby art studios. The support from members, the Hamilton community, and specifically The Strauss Gallery and Fitton Center has culminated in the upcoming exhibit.
"Our very first exhibit under the name Strauss Gallery, now five years ago, was titled ‘We Art Every Woman’. Since that time, we regularly celebrate and showcase women artists using a variety of mediums. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to do so again with the New Views exhibit by the Women's Art Club of Hamilton. It is shaping up to be something truly special and, as ever, we are also excited to work jointly with the Fitton Center," noted Dr David Stark, Director of the Strauss Gallery & Gift Shop at Artspace Hamilton.
Elizabeth Rohrbaugh, painter, creative educator, and founder of WACH, enrolled Lindsey Hurst, then a senior at Miami University Hamilton, in the spring of 2022 to begin building this society of artistic women in Hamilton. Together they conducted surveys and spoke with local women artists and key community members about the possibility of forming an art club for women. They were met with an overwhelmingly positive response.
This club has exceeded expectations in such a short time! Women artists can experience some unique challenges in their work and this group provides a rich environment for like-minded community and encouragement that you can’t find anywhere else. And the support from Fitton and Strauss Galleries has been tremendous in offering meeting spaces as well as championing the upcoming exhibition.
The club’s mission is to use art as a common denominator that connects community members, encourage growth in artistic appreciation, craft and conception, and artistically enrich our community. So far, it has done just that. To deepen the connection in the community, whenever possible the members choose to meet at local Hamilton businesses or patronize before or after a meeting.
February 2023 will be female focused in these two Hamilton galleries. Women artists 18 years and older, living within a 50 mile radius of Hamilton are welcome to join the group as well as participate in the upcoming exhibition. The show will include a wide range of media, including fiber art, ceramics, mosaics, paintings and sketches, sculpture, and more. The exhibit opening will be celebrated at both The Fitton Center and Strauss Galleries the evening of February 4, 2023 (see poster for details). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month of February, and there are auxiliary WACH events being planned in the galleries to highlight the work and further connect with the community.
“I have enjoyed the Women’s Art Club of Hamilton because of the mix of talents in the group,” noted member Ann Lanham. “The women I have met are so caring, open, and talented. Everyone encourages each other to move to the next level of their talents. Each meeting is an adventure!”
Art brings people together. Community is found in making art, in viewing it, in discussing it, and art has played an enormous role in the revitalization of Hamilton.
The support from distinct members of the community has also been instrumental in getting this initiative off the ground. While not an artist herself, Kathy Klink, 17 Strong board member and recent recipient of the David L. Belew Legacy Award, is an art enthusiast and long-standing supporter of the arts in Hamilton. During the ideation stage, Kathy worked behind the scenes in building connections and support for this club. “What a unique opportunity to showcase women artists in our area. The February exhibition at the Strauss Gallery and the Fitton Center will be an exciting addition to the art scene in Hamilton.”
A stalwart in the Hamilton arts scene, the Fitton Center has helped paved the way for this group as they’ve experienced such quick growth.
‘The Fitton Center is so excited about this exhibition introducing the Women’s Art Club of Hamilton! Our Community Gallery space is all about collaboration and interaction, so we’re thrilled to partner with Strauss Gallery to jointly feature strong works by this new group of women artists in the region” stated Cathy Mayhugh, Director of Exhibitions, Fitton Center for Creative Arts.
Be sure to visit both galleries on opening night, February 4, 2023!
If you’d like to learn more about the Women’s Art Club of Hamilton or the upcoming exhibit New Views, email Elizabeth at womensartclubofhamilton@gmail.com or follow their page on Facebook and Instagram.