curated by Anna Jane Storms, class of ‘23

When does a woman get to earn the title of “Artist” instead of “Hobbyist;” moreover, who has the right to decide between what constitutes a pastime and what defines an artist?

Though female artists abound, women are still vastly underrepresented in gallery sales, museum collections, and art history syllabi. Why are their artworks viewed as creations of a hobby as opposed to a career that contributes to the art world? Pastime features works by seventeen artists, investigating if each woman’s relationship to art-making is a “pastime” or has bloomed into something deeper. It also—quite literally—acknowledges the passage of time, exploring how each artists’ girlhood has impacted their need to create in adulthood.

Rather than dismiss the artists’ beginnings, Pastime exalts them, recognizing their invaluable importance as a genesis to each creative journey. Fragments of girlhood shadow the corners of their womanhood, expressed clearly in their artwork – all resulting from a childhood pastime. By displaying works from each artist’s childhood and adulthood side-by-side, this exhibition juxtaposes the techniques, subject matter, and mediums used over time. Nonetheless, flickers of style and similarity tether the pieces together, whether it be tender nostalgia, biting trauma, or whimsical imagination.