Howland Public Library Announces March Exhibit In Honor Of Women’s History Month

To celebrate Women's History Month, The Howland Public Library presents Balance, a group show. The exhibit will be on view in The Community Room Exhibit Space from March 11th - April 1st, 2023. An Artists' Reception will be held on Saturday, March 11th, from 5pm - 7 pm.

The show is the seventh annual exhibit from the group CoMFY, a collective of women artists from the Beacon area. For this show the group chose the theme of Balance. The notion of balance was one of the founding principles when Kat Stoutenborough and Jennifer Blakeslee founded the women’s group back in 2011. Blakeslee recalls that the initial discussion focused on: “How do we, as women artists, balance everyday responsibilities (jobs, parenting, families, etc.) with being an artist? How can we create a space for ourselves where making art can exist alongside those other needs demanding our attention?”

The women came together to share strategies, bounce ideas, and encourage each other. Their one rule was that they could only talk about those other competing priorities in the context of how they impacted their artistic endeavors. “That focus made it possible for us not just to seek that balance, but find it and put it into practice.”

New members are always welcome to join this informal group. Stop by the exhibit to learn more. 

The Howland Public Library is located at 313 Main Street, Beacon NY 12508. The Community Room Exhibit Space is open during regular library hours. Please note the gallery may not be accessible during some library programs.

Jean Noack

COMFY stephanie fogarty

COMFY Jennifer Blakeslee

Donna Mikkelsen

Erica Hauser

COMFY Anna West