New york society of women artists

Founded in 1920 by 23 female painters and sculptors with a commitment to promoting avant-garde women artists, it was an early women's art association in America. The NYSWA was a rebellion against the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, considered to be nothing more than 'Sunday Painters'. Among the original group were Henrietta Shore, Bena Frank Meyer, Lucy L'Engle and Minna Harkavy; Marguerite Zorach served as the first President. An "ARTnews" critic, praising an early exhibition, described the Society as a "battalion of Amazons that is surely unbeatable." The group is still active with some exhibitions being at Lever House on West 57th Street. Sources: http://www.anny.org/2/orgs/0188/002p0188.htm; http://www.anny.org/2/orgs/0188/nywa.htm; AskART biography of Lucy L'Engle