LI museums celebrate Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month, and there are lots of women artists on Long Island — a compelling combination. Dip your feet into seascapes and landscapes, dive into history, and find out how women share and inspire in exhibitions focused on the power of feminine creativity.

'BEYOND THE HORIZON'

Local vistas, crashing waves, pastel sunsets, and imaginary worlds fill several galleries in the Parrish Art Museum's "Beyond the Horizon: Interpretations of the Landscape From Women in the Permanent Collection," which runs through June 16 and features landscapes from 19th, 20th and 21st century Long Island artists. Some views are recognizable, some are abstracted, some completely imaginary. But all are the result of the creative vision of women.

Do women see the world differently? Is there such a thing as women's art? Yes, and no, according to Brianna Hernández, assistant curator at the Parrish and organizer of the exhibition. "Broadly speaking, there's just art," she said, "but, there are things that women are influenced by in their lives that end up in their work."

"I think there is a difference," said North Haven artist April Gornik, whose four large works anchor one of the galleries. "I find that women are more quick to relate to my work than men. I think there's something more permeable about women in the way that we interact with the world and that we see nature as being more part of us."

Gornik's landscapes are filled with light and shadow, lush and expansive. "They're big enough so there's room to wander in … You kind of fill up that space with your soul," she said, describing her paintings as an invitation for viewers to see something meaningful to her. "I want people to be moved by the work."

Hernández selected works that are about feelings and experience rather than direct representation, noting, "I really want visitors to feel that they're immersed in these spaces — not in the literal space of the landscape but the space that these artists have created for reflection."

WOMEN ARTISTS WORKING WITH MEN

"The Power of Two: Artist Couples of Long Island" at the Long Island Museum looks at local couples who lived, loved and created art together. "What I found across the 14 couples included, across many generations, is that there is no one-size-fits-all," said curator Nina Sangimino. "Some couldn't keep their big personalities and a marriage together, and some of them were really supportive of one another."

You'll see works by Jackson Pollock, whose stardom was largely due to the efforts of his wife, Lee Krasner. "She kind of made him," said Sangimino. "She consciously decided that his career was the one that needed to be promoted."

Also included are works by Judith and Gerson Leiber, who upended the norm. Judith Leiber handbags are displayed alongside art in museums. Gerson largely gave up painting while they built a business. "He recognized that she was the horse to back in the relationship, and he was OK with that," said Sangimino.

The list goes on; so do artist couples, up to the present. "For so many generations, women artists have had to take a backseat to male artists. Sometimes there's the impression that there's only room for one to be successful and it would typically be the man," Sangimino noted. "I hope that in seeing the works together, people can see how talented both members of the couple were."

'CLOTHESLINE' CREATIONS

"It's all about women who were hanging up clothes for too long," laughed Women Sharing Art's president Sue Miller of the group's "Clothesline of Inspiration" exhibition. The Bay Shore-based nonprofit uses art to forge bonds, exhibit work, fund scholarships, and support women in the community. This exhibition brings wearable art, paintings, photographs, ceramics, mosaics and installations by dozens of members, created specifically for Women's History Month.

The clothesline theme, with works hung on lines, makes the art approachable while referencing what was once considered women's work. "We're coming back full circle," said Miller. "Too many of us were not given an opportunity to be artists when we were younger. We had to go to work. We had to stay home and do the laundry. There was no time to do art."

Now, they're using their work to strengthen others, inviting members of New Hour, a local organization that supports previously incarcerated women, to take free art classes and get involved. Miller explained, "We're tapping into empowering women and trying to find new strength."