News 2017: “Making Her Mark” CVPA student capstone exhibition highlights 19th century women artists

Show opens April 12 at the main campus art gallery with reception and gallery talk

Making Her Mark, running April 19th -29th at the UMass Dartmouth main campus art gallery, will highlight late nineteenth-century paintings, illustrations, books and sculptures by Rhode Island women artists and their contributions to the modernity narrative.

The exhibition focuses on a group of women artists who were instrumental in the establishment of one of the first American art club, Providence Art Club, that excepted women as equal members, as active board members and as artistic colleagues. Over the course of later half of nineteenth century women artists, such as, Rosa Peckham, Emily McGary Selinger, Helen Watson Phelps, Emma Swan, Charlotte Gilman, Mary C. Wheeler & Sophia Pitman, along with other female artists, worked, travelled, and exhibited alongside their male contemporaries. Many of these women pursue opportunities to show their artworks in salons and galleries in both the United States and abroad, including Paris and London. These remarkable women, artists, suffragettes, art instructors, authors and community leaders help form and contribute to the regional and national artistic and cultural conversation. The exhibition celebrates these women artists and recognizes their struggles as well as their accomplishments to the American history.

The exhibition is part of the capstone experience during which students work in teams and apply their academic and professional knowledge to a real-world experience. This is the sixth6th year that art history professors Anna Dempsey and Allison J. Cywin have directed a group of upperclassmen to execute a professional museum quality exhibition and publication. This student-run exhibition explores the definition of modernity and focuses on feminine artistic communities in Providence. This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of the Providence Art Club.

The exhibition runs from April 12 thru April 29, 2017 at the Main Campus Art Gallery located in the College of Visual & Performing Arts, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Road, adjacent to parking lot 9, Dartmouth, Massachusetts. The public is invited to attend the opening reception and gallery talk on Wednesday, April 12 from 4pm -6pm. The public exhibition hours are Monday – Saturday 10a.m. -4 p.m.

For more information, please contact, Dr. Anna Dempsey, adempsey@umassd.edu and Allison J. Cywin, acywin@umassd.edu. You can also call the gallery at 508-999-8550.