The Annual Council Show and the Annual Members' Gallery Online Exhibit Coming Up in January and February
About CWA, Mission Statement, and Leadership
One of the Oldest Art Organizations in the Country
CWA is one of the country's oldest women's art organizations, founded in 1929. The organization is a not-for-profit corporation that provides a forum for women's art and emphasizes art's importance in today's society. CWA is a statewide group of vibrant, highly accomplished professional artists working in various media, including painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, assemblage, photography, clay, metal, fiber, and textiles. CWA provides many opportunities for contemporary female artists through its programs, including exhibitions, online exhibitions, networking, promotion, and education. CWA presents annual art exhibitions in Connecticut, including the National Open Juried Exhibition, the Members' Juried Show, and the Council Members' Show at well-known and respected galleries and museums throughout the state. The CWA Council chooses jurors from among the most influential women in the visual arts in Connecticut. The artists, educators, and curators who have worked with us are all outstanding women in their expertise and have made significant contributions to the art world.
A Timeless Mission Statement
The goal of Connecticut Women Artists, Inc. is to foster and promote interest in the visual arts by Connecticut women, to maintain the highest possible standards of achievement among them, to provide exhibitions, and to encourage any other activities beneficial to artistic endeavors.
Strong Council Leadership
Officers
President
Janet Leombruni
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Vice President
Jennifer Muller
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Treasurer
Lisa Trotta
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Secretary
Margaret Wilson
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Membership Chair
Kelly Taylor
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Council Members (Governing Board)
Cynthia Cooper
Communications
2024 National Show Chair
Patricia Carrigan
2024 Members' Show Co-Chair
Amy Conover
Lakshmi S. Nair
Tech Guru
Ellen Gorden
Social Media
Mallorie Ostrowitz
Location Scout
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Gwendolyn Quezaire-Presutti
Reception Chair
Kathleen Curran Smits
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Nancy Whitcher
​Historian; Newsletter Editor
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Gretchen Wohlgemuth
Graphic Designer
Presidents Emeriti
Diane Cadrain and Carol Vinick, 2021-2023
About Our Council Officers
President - Janet Leombruni received her B.F.A. at Hartford Art School, her M.A. from the University of Connecticut, and her Post Master’s in Painting and Art Education at Central Connecticut State University. She worked as an art teacher in an urban setting before retiring to pursue a full-time art career. She has exhibited extensively throughout Connecticut and New York City. Working in oil and acrylic, she explores relationships, sometimes utilizing fables, Greek myths, and Renaissance themes. Janet has served as President since the fall of 2022.
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Secretary - Margaret Wilson received her Master's degree in Art Therapy and Creativity Development from Pratt Institute and her Bachelor's degree in Studio Art from Skidmore College. She also did postgraduate study at the Institute for Expressive Analysis in NYC. Her professional career trajectory moved from direct service as an art therapist into mental health administration, including Director of Operations for a hospital mental health and addictions service. Upon retirement, she devoted herself to full-time painting and has exhibited widely in Connecticut over the past 25 years in solo and group exhibitions. She has remained rooted in the healing power of art, and her work focuses on revealing the obscured, with content ranging from plein air painting to portraiture. Margaret joined the CWA's governing board as Secretary in June 2023.
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Membership Chair - Kelly Taylor is an award-winning artist working in mixed media. Private instruction with artist teachers over the years, and group workshops on methods and techniques in mixed media has helped to develop Kelly’s approach to creating art. She has also attended the Residency Workshop program at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art for the last five years. In addition to CWA, she is a member of the New Haven Paint and Clay Club and a Signature Member of Arts Center East, Vernon, Connecticut. Her work resides in private collections throughout the United States, as well as in public spaces including Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut and the Copper Beech Institute, West Hartford, Connecticut. Kelly has served as Membership Chair since 2022.
Acknowledgment of the Most Recent Officers and Council Members
The CWA Council wishes to extend their gratitude to the following recent, former Council members for their dedication and years of service: Patricia L. Corbett, Jackie Stella, Pauletta De Lucia, Barbara Rositto, Kristen Walsh, Linda Boisvert DeStefanis, Marcy Labella, Diane Cadrain, and Carol Vinick. Special thanks to Patricia L. Corbett for ten years of dedicated service. The Council also wishes to thank all of the former Officers and Council members for helping to further the mission of Connecticut Women Artists.