History Fort Lauderdale is proud to present “Visions of Women,” its first ever fine art exhibition from the National League of American Pen Women Fort Lauderdale Branch (NLAPW). This new exhibition will feature art from NLAPW award-winning artists/members Claudia Hafner, Judy Nunno, Phoenix, Donna Sallee, and Tammy Seymour, from April 4 – 30. A meet and greet with the artists will take place on opening day, Thursday, April 4, from 6 – 8 p.m. at the New River Inn Museum of History building on History Fort Lauderdale’s campus.
“We are delighted to showcase the National League of American Pen Women Fort Lauderdale Branch’s creative contributions that empower and inspire,” said Patricia Zeiler, executive director of History Fort Lauderdale. “We are honored to have been chosen to present the phenomenal talents of these brilliant artists and this exhibition is a perfect complement to our in-house Women Trailblazers exhibit highlighting influential female role models in our community.”
“Visions of Women” will feature a collection of artworks joined by the theme of “empowering women” and the subjects and causes that inspire them to motivate others. According to Phoenix, president of NLAPW, the conceptual basis for this exhibition was the 100th anniversary of the formal adoption of the 19th Amendment into the U.S. Constitution. This landmark victory granted women the constitutional right to vote. For Pen Women this has extra significance. Its organization was founded in 1897 by Marian Longfellow Donoghue (niece of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) to empower professional women journalists who were discriminated against and excluded by major publications. The original intent of Pen Women founders to find “mutual aid, advice, future development” for professional women artists still resonates.
“Today, while our organization is primarily a community of visual professional artists, we believe in the power of art to illuminate the human experience, fire the imagination and nurture the soul,” said Tammy Seymour, NLAPW’s art chair. “To that end, by exhibiting at History Fort Lauderdale, Pen Women can further showcase the talents of our members while inspiring and educating the community with the strength and creativity of accomplished local women artists.”
