16 Female Artists You Should Know

Making it as a woman in the art world is not easy. At an academic level, women are doing awesome — in fact, women make up 50 percent of art school graduates. But the professional art world has a glass ceiling that still hasn’t been cracked. According to a 2014 study from the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD), female directors earn 71 cents on average for every dollar earned by male directors. That’s even less than the oft-debated statistic that women make 77-cents to every dollar men make in the workforce. Despite these inequalities, women are making names for themselves through their artistic prowess and thoughtful approaches to visually communicating important social issues. Get your cultural fix with these 16 uber-talented female makers you should know about.

1. Alexa Meade: Alexa Meade’s paintings are quite a sight to behold. She uses the human body as her canvas to turn real-life people into works of art that look two-dimensional. Check out Alexa’s TED Talk, “Your Body is My Canvas,” to learn more about her unique approach to painting. (Photo via Alexa Meade)

2. Laure Prouvost: The Turner Prize is one of the most prestigious honors an artist can earn. It also serves as a glaring example of the lack of gender equality in the art world — women have made up only 13 percent of Turner Prize winners since 1984. In 2013, French mixed-media artist Laure Prouvost joined this super elite sisterhood when she won the Turner Prize for Wantee, a video installation that included elements of sculpture, painting and drawing. (Photo via Laure Prouvost)

3. Sam Vernon: Sam Vernon is another mixed-media artist on the rise. Her work fuses drawing, photography and print making to address social issues of post-coloniality, racialization and sexuality. In 2010, the City of New York’s Department of Transportation tapped her to work with artists Heidy Garay and Mikell Fines Iles to paint a large-scale mural under the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO. The mural project ended last year, so if you’re looking to see more of Sam’s work, then check out her “How Ghosts Sleep” installation at the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle, WA, which starts on Mar. 28. (Photo via Sam Vernon)

4. Victo Ngai: Victo Ngai is a New York-based illustrator from Hong Kong who has created gorgeous work for companies such as IMAX, McDonald’s and General Electric. Victo, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, was named one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 (Art and Style) in 2014. Her advice to aspiring freelance illustrators? “Freelance illustration is more than a job — it’s a lifestyle,” Victo notes on her website. (Photo via Victo Ngai)

5. Chitra Ganesh: This Brooklyn native’s work is inspired by Hindu, Greek and Buddhist iconography as well as nineteenth century European portraiture. Her drawings and illustrations fuse anime and a comic book-style narrative form to present these themes in a totally contemporary way and express her own articulation of femininity. (Photo via Chitra Ganesh)

6. Aurel Schmidt: Aurel Schmidt’s work transforms everyday mementos such as cigarette butts, tampons, pill bottles and even a boyfriend’s real chest hair into art. In fact, this bad-ass native of British Columbia, Canada was featured in the Whitney Biennial in 2010 with a submission that featured a Minotaur made out of cigarette butts and Budweiser cans. (Photo via Tim Barber/HUH Magazine)

7. Caitlin Cherry: Caitlin Cherry lives and works as a multimedia artist in New York City. A year after graduating with an MFA from Columbia University, she snagged a summer solo show at the Brooklyn Museum that featured work inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches of weapons. How is that for cool? (Photo via Caitlin Cherry)

8. Nanibah Chacon: Nanibah started her career in art at sixteen as a graffiti artist. Ten years later, the birth of her son inspired her to explore other mediums, like oil painting. She has since become known as much for her mural painting as for her graffiti. She has created works for the International ISEA Arts and Technology Symposium in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, AZ. The female characters in her work allow Chacon to spark a dialogue around feminism in traditional and modern cultures. (Photo via Nani Chacon)

9. Lisa Solberg: Lisa is an abstract expressionist painter and installation artist recognized for her large-scale pieces, which can literally take up a whole room. Her work has been exhibited in both solo and group shows across the country. (Photo via Lisa Solberg)

10. Awilda Rodriguez Lora: Awilda Rodriguez Lora has explored issues of identity, sexuality and gender in her work as a performance artist. For her, performance art feels like personal therapy. Check out one of Awilda’s performances to see what we mean. (Photo via Cynthia M. Kaselis)

11. Yuka Otani: Yuka Otani was trained as a glassblower in Japan before coming to the United States in 2005 to pursue her master’s degree at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Her work incorporates transparent materials like glass, water and light and draws on the connection between economic bubble bursts and glass bubbles. (Photo via Shiro Oni)

12. Tauba Auerbach: Tauba Auerbach is an artist who plays with perceptions of space. Her art prowess expands far beyond painting — she has also worked in photography, sculpture, artists’ books and performance. One of her most recognizable exhibits was her 2009 Auerglass piece, where she designed a two-person, working wooden pump organ. She and her musical collaborator performed a duet on it daily. (Photo via Tauba Auerbach)

13. Wangechi Mutu: Wangechi Mutu’s collages explore themes of cultural identity, colonial history, contemporary African politics and fashion. She is a Kenyan native who has been trained as both a sculptor and anthropologist. She currently lives and works in New York. (Photo via Wangechi Mutu)

14. Vanessa Prager: Vanessa Prager is known for her colorful illustrations and paintings that feature snapshots of her life. She currently lives in Silver Lake, CA and believes that making art makes her feel the most comfortable. (Photo via Vanessa Prager)

15. Suzy Gonzalez: Artist and feminist Suzy Gonzalez grew up in Texas, but is now a student at Rhode Island School of Design, where she is pursuing a MFA degree in painting. Her work as an artist examines women through a lens of marginalized identity and explores themes of fashion, beauty and advertising. (Photo via Hispanic Pro)

16. Ashley Longshore: Ashley Longshore is a New Orleans-based artist known for her Hollywood clientele and long-standing collaboration with Anthropologie. She’s your favorite actor’s favorite artist and she is basically besties with Blake Lively. Her work employs pop art and portraiture to poke fun at American consumerism. She sells a lot of work on her Instagram, so you should definitely follow her there to see what some of your favorite stars are purchasing. (Photo via Alexandra Arnold Photography)

What do you think of these talented women? Who are some of your favorite artists?

Hi there! It’s Sarah Sherman Samuel, interior designer and blogger. I recently moved from LA to Michigan, but a couple weeks ago I had to travel back to LA for work, and I got the chance to zip up north to partner with Cambria Estate Winery! I sat down with their winemaker, Jill Russell, to chat about the art of winemaking and the importance of female leadership at Cambria. I often get asked where I find inspiration and one of my main sources is by learning about a different artistry or craft. Nothing can dig me out of a creative slump quicker than delving into a new type of skill, and I did just that with an afternoon at Cambria.

I drove up from Los Angeles for the day, meandering through roads of open fields and vineyards, stopping for lunch in Los Olivos on the way while very excited for the day ahead. I haven’t been alone in the car sans one or two kids for a very long time, or have been able to do anything alone for that matter, so I really took it all in. Arriving at Cambria, Jill had a wine tasting all set up for me, complete with a beautiful cheese plate from Fromagerie Sophie with wine pairing notes, and we dove right in.

After the tasting, Jill took me on a full tour of the estate, and we dove deeper into the history of Cambria and what it is actually like to be a winemaker (and we tasted grapes, played in the dirt, and took a few Boomerangs…as one does).

Cambria was founded by wine icon Jess Jackson and his wife Barbara Banke in 1986. Their daughters, Katie Jackson and Julia Jackson, grew up among the vines and continue the family business alongside Barbara. Jill was hired as winemaker in June 2017 to continue Cambria’s legacy of talented women winemakers. Cambria has strong women in leadership roles and out in the vineyards, and I thought it was interesting to hear that the female vineyard workers were sometimes preferred, as they were considered to have a more discerning eye and attention to detail when harvesting grapes.

So, what does a typical day look like for a winemaker? According to Jill… it is “Busy!”

From Jill: “During harvest, I arrive at the winery around 5:30am, check in with the teams and get to work calling picks, writing work orders for various fermentation activities including punchdown schedules, yeast additions, and so forth. I’m constantly walking the vineyards, checking the crushpad and making sure things are running smoothly for when grapes come in. Post-harvest, it’s all about the tanks and barrels – here I’m tasting wines, seeing how they’re progressing and running blending trials to determine the final blends for our wines.”

I was curious how one can get creative in the wine business since Jill mentioned that it is part farming, part artistry and part science. She explained how her favorite way to get creative is running new blending trials and the freedom of considering, “What happens if I try this? or this?” There are so many variables to get creative with. Her mind is always thinking of new methods or blends to test out.

As Jill talks about what she strives for in her winemaking, I can’t help but see the parallel in the work I do as a designer, as well as the work of other artists and makers across the board. For example, the search for that harmony or balance. I talk a lot about how I strive for balance in interior spaces —just replace flavors and tannins with visual weight, pattern, and colors, and she could have taken the words right out of my mouth. Then when it comes to “energy,” it is even more apparent. I always want whoever experiences my work to feel something, and feel the love and the story behind it. The same goes for the wine of Cambria. Jill wants the wine to make you feel the energy, and know that the wines you drink from them are lovingly made by a team of passionate wine lovers.

As a fan of Pinot Noir,Julia’s Vineyard has this amazing “Santa Maria Spice” as Jill explains, that isn’t the traditional sweet spice you may find in other red wines, but something a bit more savory like Chinese Five Spice. It really achieves that harmony in texture that Jill is so passionate about it! On the other hand,Katherine’s Chardonnay has this beautiful bright acidity and pretty citrusy floral notes. This isn’t your mother’s oaky, buttery Chardonnay (not that there’s anything wrong with those), but it truly tastes like the place. The tour of the estate and vineyards with Jill really illustrated how these single-vineyard wines are able to showcase the terroir they come from in the glass. This isn’t a blending of flavors from different areas, this is Cambria’s rocks, earth, fog, and wind all neatly captured in a bottle.

Interested in getting into the wine business? I asked Jill if she had any advice for someone who thinks he or she might want to work with wine. Her answer was the same that I often give to people interested in getting into design — and that is to just get working! She advises, “The best thing you can do is get a job at a winery, whether it’s a part-time gig at a tasting room or a full-on harvest internship. No matter where you start, you’ll learn so much about the industry and can start to forge your own path in where you want to work whether it’s in the vineyard, in the cellar, in operations, marketing or working with customers.”

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2015 Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir
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Thank you for following along, I loved getting to learn more of the origins of some of my favorite wines and I hope you did too! I will definitely be back.

Would you consider being a winemaker? Share your thoughts on Instagram using #britstagram.

Author: Sarah Sherman Samuel

Millie Bobby Brown's name has been on everyone's lips between the premiere of TheElectric State and shutting down negative comments from body shamers. Plus, she's still been reveling in the new marriage glow with her husband Jake Bongiovi, and she didn't mind revealing why she didn't let age stop her from becoming his wife "so young." Her appearance on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddypodcast left us buzzing with newfound respect for the actress because her charm and levelheadedness about her marriage confidently says, "I'm secure with my relationship status — are you?"

Scroll to see exactly what the Stranger Things actress said about what led to her marriage to Jake Bongiovi!

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Listening to Alex Cooper's interview with Millie Bobby Brown was like hearing two besties catch up which is why Call Her Daddy is one of the best podcasts ever. They covered topics such as Millie's life as a child actor, her life with "25 farm animals," and her marriage!

Knowing what fans and listeners alike are curious about, Alex asked about the turning point in Millie and Jake's relationship that signaled the actress had found her forever person. "We're been together for four years, so I guess maybe when we moved in together," Mille said.

She also said, "We had dogs together, and we were taking care of our animals, and we started living this day-to-day life, and I thought, ‘Oh, I really don’t think I could ever see you as anything else. I don’t want to be with anyone else ever again. I don’t want to date, I don’t want to meet anyone, I want you.'"

To prove she wasn't looking at their relationship with rose-colored glasses on, Millie recalled things she and Jake aligned on. "When we started talking about politics and how we want to raise our kids...we started talking about really, really big things that I’d obviously never spoken about...But to be able to even think about those things, I was like, ‘S---. Okay, maybe I do want to be with him forever.'"

But she didn't know if Jake was thinking about her or marriage the way she was. "We talked about marriage, but I didn’t really know when it was going to be. And then, when he proposed, I was like, it makes sense. Everything aligned.”

Concerning their age, Millie opened up about her and Jake's parents. She said, "His parents got married really young — they’re high school sweethearts," before sharing her "parents got married really young...they were 19."

For the lovebirds, it didn't seem like an odd thing to do based on the examples they had. "We had really great role models growing up, so we didn't see any different. We didn't get jaded by all the other stuff, you know?”

Watch Millie Bobby Brown's Full 'Call Her Daddy' Episode

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This may sound biased, but we think this episode is golden and shows how great of a person Millie Bobby Brown is. We're already on our second listen so we think you should play it during the workday if you're in need of good vibes.

P.S. This episode is NSFW, so wear your headphones, please!

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If you're hunting for a new TV drama because you've already rewatched all of Brit + Co's best true crime documentaries, then don't you worry because Apple TV's new show is exactly the kind of thriller we've been waiting for — and it's perfect for true crime fans. But the best part is that Amy Adams is starring and executive producing! Here's everything we know about Cape Fear, coming to Apple TV+ soon...and The 10 Best True Crime-Inspired Books to hold you over until it premieres.

Keep reading for the latest news on Amy Adams' Cape Fear, coming to Apple TV+ soon.

Is there a Cape Fear remake coming out?

Amazon

Yes, we're getting a brand new Cape Fear, which is based on John D. MacDonald’s novel. This Apple TV show, which was greenlit in November 2024 and will have 10 episodes, will be led by Amy Adams, who will executive produce along costar Javier Bardem, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg. Nick Antosca will write.

The movie follows J. Lee Thompson's 1962 movie and Martin Scorsese's 1991 movie.

What is Cape Fear about?

Attorneys Amanda (Amy Adams) and Steve are happily married and enjoying their life together. But when a killer from their past, Max Cady (Javier Bardem), gets released from prison, his presence threatens the life they've built together.

Just like Only Murders in the Building is a comical, campy look at true crime, and Big Little Lies is a sensual, feminist approach to mystery, Cape Fear takes a Hitchcock angle (even though it's totally going to hold me over until Big Little Lies season 3). According to the official synopsis, it's "an examination of America’s obsession with true crime in the 21st century."

Who's in the Cape Fear cast?

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Amy Adams and Javier Bardem star in Cape Fear as Amanda and Max, respectively. Stay tuned for the full cast list!

Is Cape Fear on Apple TV?

Universal

The new Cape Fear show is coming to Apple TV soon (check back here for the official Cape Fear release date), but you can watch both adaptations of the novel on the streamer now.

Figuring out what to stream is never easy. Read up on The 8 Best TV Shows On Paramount+ This Month for some great ideas!

Not only does Emily Henry's new novel Great Big Beautiful Life drop on April 22, but every single one of the author's already-published rom-coms is being adapted for the screen. Okay, that's majorly impressive! People We Meet On Vacation, starring Emily Bader and Tom Blyth, will be coming to Netflix soon, and considering Beach Read was the second adaptation announced, it looks like Emily's first rom-com could be our next film. And fans have been spiraling about who could play January and Gus even before the Emily Henry movie was confirmed.

Well there are two actors at the top of the rumor mill for the Beach Read movie — and I am crossing all my fingers and toes we see them in the beloved roles.

Here's everything we know about the Emily HenryBeach Read movie cast rumors.

Did the Beach Read movie already find its Gus and January?

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When Paul Mescal and Ayo Edebiri started posting selfies together, fans immediately picked up on their chemistry — and started calling for the two actors to star in a rom-com together. "The Paul Mescal and Ayo Edebiri romcom is imminent," one X user tweeted.

And when Emily Henry reposted one of their selfies on her story? Fans of the author's first romance novel immediately fancast the two actors as Gus and January. And with their personalities, and the way they complement each other, there's literally no one else I could see playing these roles at the moment.

While Emily "can’t confirm or deny anything with casting for any movie," the author did admit that "they would be amazing. I actually saw them being discussed [online] for several different roles — and I definitely have a favorite. But it’s fun, because different adaptations would either have one of them playing to type, or one of those adaptations would have them both playing to type, and one of them would have them both playing against type. It’s an interesting thing. I mean, they’re great, they could do anything.”

Are Paul Mescal and Ayo Edebiri in a rom-com together?

Paul Mescal and Ayo Edebiri haven't officially joined a rom-com together, but after Paul told Awards Watch he wants to do a romance movie with Ayo in "the next five years," The Bear actress agreed she's game...on one condition.

"If somebody writes us a good script," she says. "It has to be in an About Time vibe. Something that’s got, like, a heart, so he can still flex his drama muscles where it’s like, the covert rom-com. Like, still a rom-com, but we got to get something inventive."

Is Beach Read going to be a movie?

Amazon

Yes, the Beach Read movie is coming soon! Writer-director Yulin Kuang told Brit + Co exclusively that she "really cares" about giving fans of the book a good experience.

"I truly believe that art belongs to the audience once it's out in the world," she says. "And so saying too much, it feels prescriptive, you know? So I hope they enjoy it. I hope that they know that a lot of care is going into the adaptations. I remember what it's like to be watching with anxious hearts about the announcements of all my favorite adaptations. And so that's the main thing. I hope they know that I really, really care."

Who do you want to see in the Beach Read cast? Drop your favorite fancasts on Facebook and check out how You Can Read A Part Of Emily Henry's Great Big Beautiful Life Right Now!