A Sky of Her Own

Celebrating Women Artists in the MABA Collection

Reclaiming Space in the History of Bird Art

This exhibition celebrates the enduring legacy of women artists who have turned their eyes—and their empathy—toward the avian world. The works of art presented here encourage us to think deeply about our environment and the various ways our human interaction with the natural world inspires us to reflect on our place in it. 

Drawn from the Museum of American Bird Art’s permanent collection and curated here for the first time, these pieces demonstrate the multitude of ways women artists have interpreted birds and the impact these small creatures have on artistic creativity, self-reliance, and conservation. In their miraculous long-distance migrations, boundless resilience, and human-like behaviors, birds have inspired these artists to reflect on their own perseverance and determination, the fragility of life and the planet we inhabit, and to stop, closely observe, and contemplate our shared existence. 

From the pioneering, scientific yet sensitive illustrations of Geneveive Jones to the bold contemporary interpretations of Anne Faust and the richly hued and personal reflections of Sharon Beals, women artists have expanded both the aesthetic and emotional narrative language of bird art. We hope you will enjoy exploring the evolving history presented here, honoring each artist’s technical mastery, creative vision, and unique understanding of birds as reflections and barometers of our fragile world.