Women Artists of the West
Discover Women Artists of the West, an organization dedicated to promoting women artists. We encourage, inspire, and promote professional women artists.
Newest available work from our artists.
Judy Thompson
Ran Wu
Kelly Sooter
Bobbe Jones
4th Annual Animal Portraiture Open, International Juried Art Exhibition at Wild Heart Gallery
ARTIVISM AWARD
“Mane Colors” by Bobbe Jones
From the artist, "My inspiration for 'Mane Colours" came from a book titled, "Shaving the Beasts: Wild Horses and Ritual in Spain by John Hartigan Jr.", a first-person study of a notorious equine ritual affecting thousands of horses in the mountainous terrain of Galicia, Spain. They have inhabited these slopes for millennia and are one of the largest free-ranging populations in the world. Every summer in more than a dozen rural localities, many of these horses are rounded up in a ritual called rapa das bestas, or “shaving the beasts.” That is the heart of the rapa: wild horses, roaming communal lands in the mountains, are herded together and driven into curros—structures similar to rodeo corrals—where their manes and tails are systematically shaved. Their hair, which in the past had many folk uses, falls worthlessly to the ground. This seems a rather chaotic event but assists with anti-parasite treatment for the horses. "
The chaos the artist mentioned is portrayed well here. The horses aren't placed randomly as there's a sort of order to the cluster. The one horse turned the opposite direction keeps the painting interesting. The white horse in the undulating sea of brown colors provides a focal point of drama.
“Where the Sky Meets the Grass” 24”x48” Oil on Canvas
Mejo Okon
CowgirlUp March 27-29, 2026
Studio Work in Progress
California Critique Group on a gathering in Carmel for plein air painting and friendship! WAOW members love learning from each other and gathering in person forming lifetime friendships! WAOW Members: Katy Smith, Roxanne Kucera Sachs, Virginia Kamhi, K J Tuttle, Karen Glancy, and Nora Koerber.
Continuing Education for WAOW Members
Plein Air in Progress
WAOW Mission
To unite professional women artists and foster a spirit of unity among WAOW members by facilitating open communication and fellowship.
To promote individual excellence in fine art through exhibitions, workshops, and educational initiatives.
To enhance public appreciation and recognition of women artists through increased visibility of their artwork via advertising and exhibitions. ©2025