Members Interview
In this Women in Arts Network interview, Milwaukee-based painter Taylor Katzman, also known as Art Compulsions, talks about capturing the language of the body, balancing family life with studio work, and why she creates portraits that hold space for what isn’t always spoken. She shares her process, her materials, and the turning points that shaped her path from sketching in the margins to building a career in painting.
What do birds mean to you? Are they symbols of freedom, fragile companions, or messengers between worlds? Our international bird-themed exhibition invites artists to explore these questions — and the submissions we’ve received so far are breathtaking. From quiet moments of a single perched bird to sweeping visions of migration across continents, each artwork tells a story of memory, longing, resilience, and hope. Together, they form a living archive — wings of color, form, and emotion that remind us how birds connect us to the sky, to each other, and to…
In conversation with our women in arts network, Morag Webster talks about the many directions her career has taken, from painting portraits to building film sets. She shares how her grandmother’s guidance and a lifelong curiosity led her to work in a wide range of mediums, and why nature remains central to her practice. Morag also opens up about balancing family life with her career, and what it means to create work that draws attention to both the beauty and the impact of human activity on the environment.
Ever catch yourself staring at your own work and thinking, “Is this even good enough?” Yeah, that little whisper isn’t imaginary. It’s self-doubt, and for women artists, it tends to crash the studio like an uninvited guest. You’ve probably tried ignoring it, scrolling past it, or telling yourself, “Just focus on the art.” But it sticks. And the more you push, the louder it gets. Here’s the twist, self-doubt doesn’t mean you’re failing. It’s more like a foggy mirror that makes you question what’s already right in front of you. That…
Most women creatives start their days with a mental juggling act: deadlines, family, social commitments, self-care, and that little voice whispering, “Am I making enough art?” Sound familiar? That feeling of stretching yourself in a million directions isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s just the reality of living in a world that still underestimates the bandwidth women carry. The word “balance” often gets thrown around like a magic solution, but let’s be honest, it rarely feels magical. More often, it feels impossible. Here’s the thing: balance isn’t about dividing hours evenly…
Ever catch yourself thinking, “Maybe my ideas are too loud for the gallery?” If so, welcome to the club, but here’s the twist: your bold ideas are exactly why you belong. For women artists, the art world can feel like a room full of invisible “Do’s and Don’ts,” mostly written by someone else. But those rules? They don’t apply to your voice. Finding your voice isn’t about matching someone else’s idea of success. It’s about noticing the patterns in your thoughts, the sparks that make you uncomfortable and excited at the…
In this interview for the Women in Arts Network, Kira Bayliss talks about her journey from childhood creativity to wearable art. She shares how clothing can become a living canvas, why she collaborates with her mother, and how she balances her life as an artist, chef, and mother. Her story shows how fashion and art come together as a language of expression, storytelling, and connection.
From painting on roller skates to transforming everyday materials into works of art, Elena Schertler brings play, movement, and intuition to everything she creates. Growing up in the small village of Hittisau, Elena first discovered art through spontaneous moments of creativity with her cousin sewing, painting, and experimenting freely. Today, her practice blends painting, drawing, and mixed media, often incorporating threads, wax, and found objects to turn her canvases into tactile experiences. Her unique process sometimes literally in motion captures vitality, freedom, and the beauty of following intuition. Elena’s journey has…
So here’s the thing: starting an art career as a woman comes with a whole manual of unspoken rules that no one bothers to hand you. Professors might talk about composition and critiques, but they rarely cover what to do when a gallery offers you “exposure” instead of a paycheck, or when you realise your male peers are charging double for work that’s the same size as yours. It’s not that women artists aren’t talented or driven; it’s that the system comes with invisible speed bumps you only notice once you’ve…
What do birds mean to you freedom, resilience, fragility, or hope? For centuries, they have carried stories across skies and cultures, symbols of journeys both seen and unseen. Now, the Women in Arts Network invites women-identifying and non-binary artists from around the world to share their own interpretations in our upcoming international virtual exhibition. Let your creativity take flight, add your voice to this global dialogue, and show the world what birds mean through your art. Submit now.