The Women Painters of Washington is a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

based in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

. The group was formed on October 6, 1930, by six female artists who met while attending a portrait class sponsored by the Art Institute of Seattle, which was a predecessor to the

Seattle Art Museum The Seattle Art Museum (commonly known as SAM) is an art museum located in Seattle, Washington, United States. It operates three major facilities: its main museum in downtown Seattle; the Seattle Asian Art Museum (SAAM) in Volunteer Park on Cap ...

. The women joined together in order to overcome the limitations they faced as female artists and to stimulate their artistic growth through fellowship. Founding members were Elizabeth Warhanik, Dorothy Dolph Jensen, Lily Norling Hardwick, Myra Albert Wiggins, Anna B. Stone and Helen Bebb. Originally called the Women Artists of Washington, their first exhibition was held at the Women's Century Club on

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

's Capitol Hill. Subsequent annual exhibitions were usually held at the Frederick & Nelson department store in downtown Seattle. In 1936 the name was changed to Women Painters of Washington.Martin, David F. (2005). An Enduring Legacy: Women Painters of Washington, 1930 - 2005. pp 15-16; WPW/University of Washington Press. Other notable members of the group include Ebba Rapp, Yvonne Twining Humber, Z. Vanessa Helder, and

Doris Totten Chase Doris Totten Chase (29 April 1923 – 13 December 2008) was an American painter, teacher, and sculptor. She was a member of the Northwest School. Chase had a substantial career as a painter and sculptor before she set off for New York, where sh ...

. The group continues to meet at the Seattle Art Museum.

References

External links

Women Painters of Washington
(official website) Organizations based in Washington (state) Washington (state) culture American women painters 1930 establishments in Washington (state) History of women in Washington (state) {{Washington-stub