Women in Art

by Delaynna Trim, Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art Curator

Since March 8 is International Women’s Day, I have been thinking about the works of art created by women in the MGMoA collection. Many years ago, it was decided that the MGMoA would focus on collecting Oklahoma artists since Fr. Gerrer was such a big supporter of Oklahoma arts. Many of our contemporary art pieces were created by women. 

Poem, Michi Susan

A prolific artist and donor of art was Michi Susan. She was born in Tokyo, Japan, and studied visual art at Japan’s Women’s University and Hosei University. After moving to the United States, Michi continued her studies at the University of Arizona. She briefly lived in Shreveport, but she spent the rest of her life in Oklahoma. She mostly created art using paper and mixed media. 

Man and Wagon, Jean Richardson

Another female artist featured in the gallery is Jean Richardson. An Oklahoma native, Richardson is best known for her abstract horse paintings. Born in Hollis, Oklahoma, Richardson studied art at Wesleyan College, the Art Students League in New York, and in France. For several years before exploring the icon of the horse, Oklahoma history was the subject of her paintings. Our painting is an early one that features a man and a wagon.

Organic, Laurie Spencer

Laurie Spencer creates contemporary whistling pots. Organic is based on South American whistling pots (like the one on display in our Central and South American gallery). When one blows through a tube on the vessel, the air blows over a hole in a small, walnut sized hollow sphere of clay inside the vessel, and it makes a sound. Her work is based on this ancient technique. Organic is meant to look like an amalgam of different plants and vegetables.

Snakes, Elizabeth Hahn

These are just a few of the pieces on display in the

contemporary gallery. We have many more wonderful pieces in collection storage. For example, we have three colorful ceramic plates by Elizabeth Hahn. Two of these plates feature colorful snakes winding around each other. Hahn was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and received her Bachelor of Arts from Oklahoma City University and her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Oklahoma.

Celebrate the wide variety of arts created by a diverse group of artists by visiting the museum.

Art Project

In honor of Michi Susan’s work, let’s create some art with paper. For videos on more art projects with paper, visit mgmoa.org/art-projects/

Japanese Paper Fish Kite

Supplies: Colored paper 12x18 or similar size, markers or crayons, tissue paper strips or crepe paper, glue, hole punch, scissors, string to hang it from, toilet paper cardboard tube

1. Fold paper in half lengthwise

2. Draw your fish with scales, eyes, on the paper

3. Roll the paper into a cylinder and glue together

4. Glue the tissue paper strips or strips of crepe paper as the fish’s tail

5. You can glue some cardboard or a tissue paper roll into the mouth to keep it open

6. Punch two holes near the mouth, tie a string for hanging