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September 2–October 23, 2026
CCA Campus Gallery
1480 17th Street, San Francisco
Wednesday, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
Thursday–Friday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Free and open to the public
Videos courtesy of California College of the Arts
Just Released
Meet the Artists of Closer Reading:
Three Bay Area Book Artists
Take a closer look at the books, printed matter, and installations created by Macy Chadwick, Kate Laster, and Vivian Sming in three new short videos produced by California College of the Arts.
From Our President
A Fall Update from Lorna Meyer Calas
Dear Members,
This year is proving to be a landmark year for SFA. We hosted a meaningful celebration for Susan Fisher Sterling on July 10th at the de Young Museum. The curator-led tours and luncheon honoring Susan were absolutely fabulous, with close to fifty members and esteemed guests in attendance. During her visit, Susan expressed how grateful she is for our group’s innovative programs, continuing support for our artists, and contributions to the museum. We’re a shining example of excellence and a model for others to follow. For this, we can all be very proud.
We’re now looking forward to the highlight of our year… the opening on September 2nd of our Women to Watch exhibition at CCA, Closer Reading: Three Bay Area Book Artists. Please join us for a special member reception from 4-5:30pm, where we will be joined by Jill Stern and Grace DeWitt from NMWA, curator Anthea Black, and our 2027 nominees Macy Chadwick, Kate Laster, and Vivian Sming.
Please mark your calendar for our Annual Member Business Meeting on September 17th at 4pm via Zoom. We invite participation from all members as we discuss philanthropy goals, upcoming events, and report on the work we’ve been doing to fulfill our mission: supporting NMWA in Washington, D.C. and empowering women in the arts.
Warmly,
Lorna
Closer Reading Opens at CCA
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Celebrating SFA’s 2027 Women to Watch nominees
A packed house of nearly 150 people gathered at CCA to celebrate Closer Reading: Three Bay Area Book Artists, featuring our 2027 Women to Watch nominees Macy Chadwick, Kate Laster, and Vivian Sming.
Curator Anthea Black described book arts as a vital Bay Area ecosystem connecting visual art, literature, music, publishing, and activism. Through distinctly different practices, each artist expands what an artist’s book can be and invites us to look, think, and read more closely.
The evening also celebrated the people and partnerships behind the exhibition, including SFA’s nearly decade-long collaboration with CCA and our continuing relationship with NMWA. We were thrilled to welcome NMWA representatives Jill Stern and Grace DeWitt and to share the wonderful news that works by all three artists have been acquired for the museum’s collection.
📰 Press Release →
NMWA NEWS
NMWA announces the retirement of
Director Susan Fisher Sterling
The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) has announced that Susan Fisher Sterling, the Alice West Director, will retire at the end of 2026 after nearly four decades of service to the institution. Sterling joined the museum in 1988 as an associate curator, became Director in 2008, and has played a transformative role in shaping NMWA into a globally respected museum dedicated to championing women through the arts.
During her 18-year directorship, Sterling oversaw significant growth, including expanding the museum's collection to more than 6,000 works by over 1,500 artists, organizing major exhibitions, launching influential initiatives such as #5WomenArtists, and leading the museum's $67.5 million renovation, completed in 2023. She also strengthened NMWA's international partnerships and helped advance the global conversation around gender equity in the arts.
Sterling will retire on December 31, 2026, and will remain as a consultant during the leadership transition. The Board of Trustees has begun a search for the museum's next director as NMWA prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2027.
W2W Artists Making Headlines
June 2026
San Francisco Advocacy for the National Museum of Women in the Arts is delighted to celebrate recent milestones for two Women to Watch artists.
Rhonda Holberton Featured on PBS NewsHour
Rhonda Holberton, a participant in SFA's 2018 Women to Watch exhibition Stardust to Steel (Heavy Metal), was recently featured in a national PBS NewsHour segment highlighting Motherboards, currently on view at the San José Museum of Art.
Link to PBS segment (segment begins at 36:15)
Lava Thomas at the Obama Presidential Center
Installation is underway for Lava Thomas's Resistance Reverb, Movement 1, at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
Learn more about Resistance Reverb, Movement 1
Thomas participated in SFA's 2020 Women to Watch exhibition Surfacing Histories, Sculpting Memories (Paper Routes). We are thrilled to see her work included in this landmark cultural institution.
We are proud to celebrate these achievements and the continued impact of artists whose work we have had the privilege to champion through Women to Watch.
Congratulations to Rhonda Holberton and Lava Thomas.
In Case You Missed It...
Susan Fisher Sterling Celebration
July 10 | de Young Museum
SFA members gathered at the de Young Museum to celebrate Susan Fisher Sterling and her remarkable forty years of leadership at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The day featured a private tour of Nengi Omuku: The Gathering with Claudia Schmuckli, presentations by Abram Jackson and Emma Acker, and a celebratory luncheon in the historic Piazzoni Murals Room where chapter leaders and Women to Watch artists reflected on Susan's lasting impact on our community.
In Cahoots Residency + Studio Visit
May 20 | Petaluma, CA
Members enjoyed a memorable visit to In Cahoots Residency + Studio, hosted by Women to Watch 2027 nominee Macy Chadwick. Nestled in the Petaluma countryside, the residency offered a welcome change of pace and an inspiring glimpse into a thriving creative community.
Macy shared the story behind the residency, her commitment to mentorship and artistic exchange, and the deeply personal inspiration for her artist's book Diary of Open Water. Members also met resident artists Laura Emeritz, Sue March, and Ching-In Chen, gaining insight into their practices and the collaborative spirit that defines In Cahoots.
The afternoon was a reminder that meaningful conversations, shared creative experiences, and genuine human connection remain at the heart of artistic practice.
Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries
April 16 | Asian Art Museum
Members gathered at the Asian Art Museum for a private tour of Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries, led by Chief Curator Dr. Robert Mintz. His thoughtful insights into Shiota's exploration of memory, displacement, identity, and human connection enriched an already powerful exhibition, offering members a deeper understanding of the artist's work and process.
Following the tour, members enjoyed time together in the Donor Lounge, where remarks by Dr. Soyoung Lee provided a glimpse into the museum's future vision. The morning offered a meaningful opportunity for reflection, conversation, and a shared appreciation of one of the year's most compelling exhibitions.
Now on View
Katherine Vetne (WtW 2018)
The Armory Show
Javitz Center, NYC
Solo Exhibition
September 24 -27
Julia Goodman (WtW 2020)T
Transformations - From Fabric to Paper
de Young Museum, Koret Auditorium
Artist Talk
October 3, 2026 at 10am
Sofía Córdova (WtW 2020 | 2024)
AY NO SE
1201 Minnesota Street
Free Performance
October 23 at 7:00 PM
Adia Millet (WtW 2024)
Power Unearthed
Galerie du Monde, Taipei
Solo Exhibition
September 17 - November 7
UCSF Benioff Public Art Commission
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland
Unveiling on September 29
Sandra Ono (WtW 2020)
Another Lamp Show
500 Capp
Group Show
October 30 – November 28
Kate Laster (WtW 2027)
Mourning Pages
The Fourth Wall Gallery
Solo Exhibition
July 18 - Sept 3
Rhonda Holberton (WtW 2018)
Motherboards
San Jose Museum of Art
Group Exhibition
April 10, 2026 – January 10, 2027
US Artists + Knight Foundation Art & Tech Fellowship
Awardee
2026
Davina Semo (WtW 2018)
Tender Shield
Benton Museum of Art
Solo Exhibition
August 22, 2026 – June 27, 2027
Solo Exhibition
Held in Place
Main Projects, Richmond, VA
Group Exhibition
Opening November 11
Lava Thomas (WtW 2020)
Lineage
Jessica Silverman Gallery
September 10 - October 24
Resistance Reverb, Movement
Obama Presidential Center
Permanent Installation
Amy Tavern (WtW 2020)
Teaching | Beginning Jewelry
California College of the Arts = Fall Semester
August 31-December 11
Nicki Green (WtW 2024)
Constructed Belief
University at Buffalo Art Galleries, Buffalo, NY
Group Exhibition
September 24 - April 30, 2027
SFA Also Recommends...
Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory
OMCA | June 12 - Oct 18, 2026
Recent Media Features
Katherine Vetne (W2W 2018)
Boston University CFA Magazine | Magazine article
In Luminous Details, artist Katherine Vetne discusses her painstaking metalpoint process and the opulence, unease, and political meaning embedded in her luminous still lifes.
📰 Read →
Adia Millet (W2W 2024)
UCSF News Center | News article
Adia Millett’s newly completed facade artwork, Wisdom of the Wind, will be unveiled at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland on September 29. The large-scale glass-tile mosaic was created as a beacon of hope and possibility for patients, staff, and the Oakland community.
Julia Goodman (W2W 2020)
Art is Awesome | Podcast
Julia discusses paper-making from recycled fabrics, teaching at CCA, and her evolving practice connecting material, memory, and motherhood.
🎧 Listen →
Vivian Sming (W2W 2027)
In Stock | Magazine article
Founder and publisher Vivian Sming discusses the resurgence of independent publishing, the importance of handmade books, and building Sming Sming Books as an artist-led press.
📰 Read →
Rhonda Holberton (WtW 2018)
PBS NewsHour | Television Interview
Featured in PBS NewsHour's CANVAS series, Rhonda discusses her sculpture Collateral Influences, created for Motherboards at the San José Museum of Art, and reflects on the intersections of technology, history, and the overlooked contributions of women to computing.
📺 Watch →
(segment begins at 36:15)
On Our Shelf
SFA for NMWA Publication
REUNITED: Bay Area Women to Watch Candidates 2018–2024 | Exhibition Catalog
Published in conjunction with the 2025 REUNITED exhibition, this catalog documents the work of the twelve Bay Area Women to Watch artists selected between 2018 and 2024. Featuring twelve original essays, the publication celebrates the artists and the continuing commitment of SFA's Women to Watch program.
Publisher: California College of the Arts
Learn More →
Davina Semo (W2W 2018)
A Gathering of Bells | Catalog
Published in conjunction with Davina Semo's recent body of bell sculptures, A Gathering of Bells documents a significant chapter in the artist's evolving practice. Featuring essays and installation photography, the publication explores Semo's innovative use of sound, sculpture, and public space.
Publisher: SCAD Museum of Art
Learn more →
Lava Thomas (W2W 2020)
Homecoming | Monograph
Published by Sming Sming Books, Homecoming is the first monograph devoted to Lava Thomas's work. Produced in conjunction with her exhibition, the volume features essays by leading scholars and explores Thomas's investigations of memory, history, and social justice through sculpture and installation.
Publisher: Sming Sming Books
Learn More →
Nicki Green (W2W 2024)
Changing Gender | Cover Artwork
Nicki Green’s ceramic sculpture Prolapse Figure (2017) appears on the cover of Susan Stryker’s new book, Changing Gender. The book examines the history of gender as a concept and its place in contemporary culture.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Learn more →
Image Credits
Closer Reading exhibition branding by GRL GRP.•
Susan Fisher Sterling Portrait by Lexey Sewall
Changing Gender Cover Art by Nicki Green
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