Women. Artists. Mother's Day. Six Ideas.

By Karen and Erica

We all love women, and art, right? And Mother’s Day is coming up. Here are some great shows that your children might tolerate, or your mother might love.

First is Warhol Women, at the Levy Gorvy gallery. The show is a gem. Colorful, evocative portraits of women that people our age learned to love as we were growing up. We learned to love Warhol, too, because he was campy and fun. Special note: The gallery is open Mother’s Day, with treats.

You were probably already thinking about going to the Frida Kahlo show at the Brooklyn Museum, which evokes Kahlo’s time and place, and reverberates with her image, affirming one of our central tenets—that image is critical, whatever you are doing. The show is very crowded on weekends, and if you are not a member you may not get in. (By the way, the Brooklyn Museum is fabulous, easily reached by subway, and has an amazing gift shop, so you should become a member!) Whenever you go, go soon, so you can have a picnic in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden afterwards while the cherry trees are blossoming.

A picnic in Central Park would be great too, and you can go after you see a lively show at the Met that has a surprisingly large representation of women artists. Epic Abstraction: Pollock to Herrera includes some names that are relatively new to us, like Carmen Herrera. We learned about her only recently, in a brilliant show at the Whitney. We fell in love with her work, and with her—an iconoclastic artist who is still making art, at 100!

Another women’s show—She Persists: A Century Of Women Artists In New York—is currently at Gracie Mansion, which is, of course the residence of New York City’s mayor. The house has a long history, beginning with its first owner, a slave-owning merchant. Perhaps reflecting that history, the show, celebrating 100 years since women were given the right to vote, is quite political. Among the artists represented is Florine Stettheimer, one of our favorites. She shaped a pretty fabulous image for herself too.

Maira Kalman, who shows at the Julie Saul gallery, reminds us a bit of a contemporary Stettenheimer. Kalman’s work is not up right now, but keep an eye out, and go when she is next shown. Her work is enchanting. We first came across it in a children’s book about Grand Central Station. She has lots of other beautiful books, too, all with wonderful illustrations and wry but cheerful commentary about one thing or another. Any mother would love one!

Of course, even though we are here, not everything cool is in New York. Any list of women and art must mention the National Museum of Women In The Arts, in Washington, D.C. Shows are often provocative, and fun, and all are women focused. And Washington is gorgeous this time of year.

So pick one, and go for it. Happy Mother’s Day!