The Nebraska 8 Invitational features the work of eight outstanding contemporary artists associated with Nebraska: Mary Zicafoose, Christina Narwicz, Karen Kunc, Jacqueline Kluver, Gail Kendall, Sheila Hicks, Catherine Ferguson, and Wanda Ewing. These well-established artists were selected for their distinctive expressions in the media of painting, prints, textiles, sculpture, and ceramics, as well as for their high levels of commitment to both craft and community.
The impetus for Nebraska 8 was the heightened social and political climate regarding the role, agency, and value of women in today’s society. The past years have reminded us that it is still relevant to underscore that their contributions as both artists, and as women, remain in need of acknowledgment and cultivation. This exhibition brings together a group of artists who continually break creative and social barriers.
Gallery 1516’s mission has always been to support Nebraska and regional artists, and in that respect, this exhibition celebrating some of its finest creatives is no different. Over half of today’s working artists are women, yet they make up only 30% of the artists represented by galleries in the United States. This exhibition extends Gallery 1516’s own efforts to move one step closer in the march toward recognizing an open and equal art community free from the constraints of gender.
Nebraska women throughout history, from Willa Cather to Sarah Joslyn, have made invaluable contributions to the art world. The Nebraska 8 are continuing that legacy through their spirited engagement with art and its power to expand our outlook on the world.
— Patrick Drickey, Director
