Promoting women working across creative disciplines
My first involvement with Art W Global came coincidentally: the organization’s founder, Marjorie Martay, was my boss. Art W was one of her passion projects, dedicated to helping women artists attain equal wall share in galleries and museums, by means of advocacy, education, and curation.
In the fall of 2013, Marjorie approached ArtMiami and offered to put together a roundtable and VIP tour of all the women artists showing in the fair—and their galleries. A small team of us mobilized to create a printed and interactive guide. Elizabeth Sackler keynoted our roundtable, which had dozens of artists participating, with an intimate group collectors.
And the impact was astounding, bringing about 85 collectors to 24 galleries’ booths, representing 103 individual women artists, and resulting in sales across the day. Years later, these artists remain readily available to these collectors and to Art W for salons and shows, having benefitted, even if merely by association, from this one morning. In 2016, Marjorie Martay moved to formalize Art W’s work in a global foundation, which I’m now proud to serve on the board of.
Women We Create
One board initiative that kicked off in the fall of 2020 was an experiential project called Women We Create, which takes a focused group of connoisseurs to destination cities around the world to meet the most important female makers, artists and creatives in their hometowns, honoring their work and contributions.
The inaugural trip set off for London and Somerset, England in September, and provided a week of extraordinary programs and adventures. Kicking off in Bruton, Somerset with two days at Hauser & Wirth’s art center, we immersed in a special show of works from Ursula Hauser’s personal collection, receiving a private tour and enjoying lunch with the head of education for the gallery, Debbie Hillyerd, who hosted us throughout the time there. Once in London, the group had a private lunch with chef Skye Gyngell at her Michelin-starred Spring restaurant; visited the studio of Anj Smith to talk about her process and view her works; shared a meal with Tali Pelman, producer of Tina! The Musical before taking in the show that night; and so much more. Women We Create sets off for Berlin next.
It’s been my honor to work with this organization on these and its many other projects.
