View Some of the Extraordinary Art from the “HerStory” 2026 Exhibition
May 14 – July 14, 2026
This Exhibition Featured More than 60 Artists
About Our “HerStory” Exhibitions: Since the year 2000 Manhattan Arts International has been promoting outstanding artists from around the world in our online exhibitions and our members online gallery. Our annual “HerStory” exhibition is devoted to promoting extraordinary women artists.
For centuries, women artists have inspired, enlightened and informed us with their enormous talent, vision and commitment. Many have served as creative trailblazers. Unfortunately, many of their contributions have gone under-recognized. The purpose of “HerStory” is to contribute to achieving greater equality in the art world.
“HerStory” 2026 is dedicated to the memory of my sister whose unconditional love, courage and talent were among her many admirable qualities. ~ Renee Phillips, Curator, Founder and Director of Manhattan Arts International
Banner Image: Art by Denisa Prochazka, Rajul Shah, Karen Bognar Khan and Sandra Belitza-Vazquez
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Denisa Prochazka
Divine Play, Aqua-resin and Hydrostone wall relief, 54” x 40” x 10”
“Divine Play’ was inspired by my vision of a female protector when the Ukraine-Russian war first broke out. This artwork symbolizes the divine feminine healer and guardian of the world, an expression of love, strength and empowerment; healing, nurturing and protection of our sacred lives.
denisa-sculpture.com
Kathy Linden
Floral Fantasy, acrylic, 36″ x 36″
I was feeling so much chaos and simply wanted to be immersed in the beauty and scent of florals.
kathyLstudio.net
Barbara Brown
Black Stone of the Void, pastel on paper, 15″ x 19.5″
“Back Stone of the Void” is a rather intriguing mystery to me. During a guided meditation I was gifted this black stone. Feeling like it had come from a far galaxy to reach me, looking into it I could see the whole of the universe. I was looking into ‘the void’—into the nothingness and the all-that-is.
barbarabrownart.com
Karen Bognar Khan
Nebula Dreams Two, oil, 43″ × 35″
A reference photo that I took inspired this piece. I also fell in love with another reference photo of the Cliffs of Carina Nebula now in the back ground. This figure is a shaman archetype who sleep walks past a descending arc of green fabric. The snake like shape and shimmer of this fabric is a magical veil of consciousness. Two vibrational humming birds commune with her as galactic stars lead the way.
karenbognarkhanpaintings.com
Nancy Reyner
Sea, Mist & Birds, acrylic on panel, 44″ x 36″
Nature has always been my muse, and the sea speaks to me of freedom and transcendence. I painted this imaginary seascape as one of my “exotic versions of heaven” — a place both turbulent and luminous. The two gold birds rising above the waves embody that longing we carry to lift above the chaos and find beauty in the light.
nancyreyner.com
Sandra Belitza-Vazquez
Resplendent, photography, available in several sizes
I recently visited the Art in Bloom exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh to see over fifty floral arrangements by designers and florists. The exhibit combined color and design into resplendent displays like these Asiatic lilies and a lone rose, which caught my attention, for being truly “resplendent.”
sbvaz.com
Lori Horowitz
Sitting in the Shadows, aluminum black wire mesh and shadow, 36″ x 24″ x 24″
“Sitting in the Shadows” was inspired by the social impact of recent global events, including quarantine and economic and political displacement. The work focuses on how isolation affects people’s sense of home, identity, and community, with particular attention to how women often experience these pressures through caregiving roles, safety concerns, and reduced visibility. The transparent figure allows viewers to see these effects clearly, while the shadow mirrors the black wire sculpture, reinforcing the connection between physical form and lived experience.
lorihorowitz.com
Yvonne Welman
Hans, acrylic on canvas, 24” x 24”
I had to cope with my husband’s death. I did it by painting him and all that he loved in his life. Looking at this moment I see that I forgot to add myself.
yvonne-welman.com
Paula Prentice
Interrupted, graphite pencil, 7.6” x 7.8”
For me, drawing is an all-consuming process where focus is paramount and the sense of time is lost. During a period of persistent demands, I was inspired to portray the look of an artist interrupted in their work. I wanted to capture that moment when focus is broken and the reality of here and now comes rushing back.
paradoxisart.webador.com
Karen Johnston
Out of the Blue, acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 36″ x 36″
This was a study in blue, one that played with the notion of choice and chance. In that search for truth and from the depths of blind creation, when I stepped back for a first look, as would a viewer, I simply marveled at all that emerged from that ocean of possibility.
studiokarenjohnston.com
Bren Sibilsky
Ebb And Flow, clay for bronze, 15” x 26” x 7”
She’s unfolding to rhythmic forces of natural cycles. Consciousness aligning with nature’s sacred feminine. She rises and falls to the tides of her being. She creates life. Her depth is without borders, she travels through spaces, shadow to light, moving outward, inward, renewing, resilient, cleansing, authentically in beautiful power. She is the Ebb and Flow of her true inner knowing.
brensculpture.com
Rajul Shah
ReEmergence, acrylic on canvas, 30″ x 36″
Leaving the Lunar New Year of the Snake, I shed my “old” skin to enter the Year of the Horse, re-emerging with momentum to fulfill my potential as a woman with multiple roles. My work fuses the art of Kintsugi with chakric symbolism. Orange and Red reflect chakras of my entire self; layered over kintsugi lines that denote challenges overcome.
rajulshahart.com
Anne Morrison Rabe
Spring Amaryllis, Limited edition photography, sized to order
The gestation of this amazing bloom took almost four months. I watched it with hope but had almost given up when the soft, luminous white Amaryllis blooms edged in delicate crimson finally emerged. Their petals unfurled with quiet elegance, layered in gentle translucence. The flowers evoke a feminine grace suggesting tenderness, refinement, and the subtle strength of radiant beauty.
annemorrisonrabe.photography
Karen H. Salup
My Monet, mixed media, 36″ x 36″
By observing the lines and shapes of any subject, I try to create from an intuitive use of expressive color, drawing that transforms images into representations on canvas or paper supports. I enjoy creating forms dancing around the canvas. The application of building of layers with additional media reconstructs the work into abstraction.
karenhs.com
Leah Poller
Steam Punk Girl, two views, bronze 36″ x 28″ x 11″
If I could capture my first born grandchild… so petite… but so powerful… an original… so emblematic of our times. Sexy but straight laced, cocky but vulnerable. In disguise.
leahpoller.com
Sandra Duran Wilson
A Stitch in Time, Mixed Media, 8 x 8
I am teaching in Ireland, and this view in the painting comes from my window looking out over the land. I have added the stitched curtains to convey what women’s work used to be and the stone textures to symbolize the land. A painting is more than the imagery; it is the feeling I have while creating it.
sandraduranwilson.com
Nancy Staub Laughlin
The Blooming of Froth, pastel on paper, photograph, 28″ x 38″
The Blooming of Froth is a continuation of my fascination with the uniqueness of nature. I combine their similarities and individual natures and have the viewer open their eyes to see the phenomena that I have captured. I unite these moments of sheer beauty and radiance. My inspirations are the simple pleasures of what surrounds us.
nancystaublaughlin.com
Sujata Tibrewala
Plastic Surgery, watercolor on paper , 11” x 14”
Perturbed by my daughters wish to fix her nose as soon as she became an adult , I dove into the dark market of plastic surgery only to realise women of color are disproportionately affected by it and hence this painting.
sujatapratibimba.com
Heather Stivison
Time, pencil and ink wash on paper. 18″ x 23.5″
I was inspired to draw this image after reading Sylvia Plath’s sonnet “To Time.” I found myself reflecting on the quiet, unstoppable movement of time and the power it wields over all life. No mater how we try, we are trapped in the struggle to bring meaning to our lives, while time holds us in its all-powerful grasp.
heatherstivisonart.com
Kirsty Wain
Azul Olive II, acrylic on canvas, 38″ x 51″
Since moving from the UK to Spain in 2014, I’ve spent twelve years observing ancient olive trees, evolving my style into a neo-fauvist, semi-abstract language. Azul Olive II conveys a dreamlike, spiritual existence through surreal color and pattern. By rendering these gnarled forms in electric indigos, I seek to communicate a vibrant interior world that transcends the subject itself.
kirstywaingallery.com
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Thank You for Viewing Some of the Art
from “HerStory” ~ May 14-July 14, 2026
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Enjoy More About Women Artists
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Art by Georgia O’Keeffe, Frida Kahlo and Sonia Delaunay are a few of the artists featured in this article and quiz about famous women artists
Women Artists in the Age of Impressionism
Legendary Impressionist artist Mary Cassatt created Mother Combing Her Child’s Hair, pastel painting. Photo: Public Domain.
Organizations That Serve Women in the World of Visual Art
This photo is from the exhibition “Reflections on Progress: 100 Years of the New York Society of Women Artists”. This organization is one of many important organizations that bring equality to the world of art. Read about this organization and many more.
Read Interviews and Articles About Important Women in The Art World
Installation view: Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, October 12, 2018–April 23, 2019. Photo: David Heald.
Read Praise Received for Manhattan Arts International “HerStory” Exhibitions
Learn More About Our Exhibitions ~ Past and Future
Thank you, Renee for including my work in this amazing collection of very talented women! History has been harsh to women in the arts and it is refreshing to see exhibitions created solely for the “underexposed” artists.
Sharon, it is an honor to include your painting “Beauty and the Beast” in “HerStory”. Your powerful use of symbolism and vital message are essential in today’s current climate.
I am always deeply honored to be part of this wonderful all female artists exhibition. It’s truly soul nourishing, to see women of our time given the green light to freely express, create and be seen. Thank you, Renee Phillips for all your support and dedication to making the art world a better place.
Denisa, it is always an honor to feature your art in any of our exhibitions. Thank YOU for making the world a better place by creating art with heart.
Thank you, Renee. I feel very honoured to be part of this wonderful exhibition. To have women’s artwork showcased in this way is so important. Your contribution is very much appreciated.
Leora
You’re very welcome Leora. Thank you for creating “Manitoba” which represents your inimitable talent for combining mixed media and expressing a unique visual language.
Thank you, Renee, for including my work in this inspiring and eclectic exhibition. I’m honoured and humbled to be alongside such amazing artists.
Thank YOU Paula for participating in this exhibition. Your drawing “Interrupted” is a powerful, emotive and masterful work of art.
Renee, once again you’ve curated an inspiring collection of compelling artworks. And in turn, these pieces are curating a vast world of forms, colours, ideas, and emotions. As always, I’m truly honoured to see my own work among such vibrant company.
Carole, I appreciate your comment. It means so much to know you enjoy viewing the exhibition. And, thank you again for creating your “What Was…” It is an important work of art. It urges us to take time to look within, to declutter our minds.
Thank you for including my work in this amazing and purposeful show, Renee! Every single work you selected pulls me in and leads me to another world. Well done! Congrats to all the artists!!
Karen, thank you so very much for your comment. I feel honored as always to include your art in this important exhibition. Your art lifts our spirits!