In March, Women's History Month, we celebrate women’s accomplishments throughout history to empower future generations to have a voice in the world. It's an opportune time to teach children about the contributions of women artists, many of whom struggled in this male-dominated field or were not recognized in their lifetimes. Through painting, sculpture, photography, and many other art forms, these artists express struggle, hope, oppression, strength, and dreams. The books below highlight the works of some of the most influential women in the world of art. You'll also find digital resources both at NYPL and other institutions to further explore these women and their careers.

Who was Frida Kahlo? by Sarah Fabiny and illustrated by Jerry Hoare

You can always recognize a painting by Kahlo because she is in nearly all of them—with her black braided hair and colorful Mexican outfits. A brave woman who was an invalid most of her life, she transformed herself into a living work of art. As famous for her self-portraits and haunting imagery as she was for her marriage to another renowned artist, Diego Rivera, this strong and courageous painter was inspired by the ancient culture and history of her beloved homeland, Mexico. 

 

 

In Her Hands: The Story of Sculptor Augusta Savage by Alan Schroeder and illustrated by JaeMe Bereal

Presents the life of the African American sculptor Augusta Savage, who overcame many obstacles as a young woman to become a premier female sculptor of the Harlem Renaissance.

 

 

 

Maya Lin: Artist, Architect of Light and Lines by Jeanne Walker Harvey and illustrated by Dow Phumiru

An introduction to the life and achievements of the artist-architect who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial describes the creative childhood explorations that inspired her career and how she learned to think artistically with her hands as well as her mind while performing unique experiments with light and lines.

Building Zaha: The Story of Architect Zaha Hadid by Victoria Tentler-Krylov

An inspiring picture book biography about British Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, a pioneer in her field against all odds. She persisted, she followed her dreams, and she succeeded.

 

 

Yayoi Kusama: From Here to Infinity! by Sarah Suzuki and illustrated by Ellen Weinstein; with reproductions of works by Yayoi Kusama

Growing up in the mountains of Japan, Yayoi Kusama dreamed of becoming an artist. One day, she had a vision in which the world and everything in it—the plants, the people, the sky—were covered in polka dots. She began to cover her paintings, drawings, sculptures, and even her body with dots. As she grew up, Yayoi has continued to bring dots with her as she travels around the world making art.

 

Georgia in Hawaii: When Georgia O'Keeffe Painted What She Pleased by Amy Novesky and illustrated by Yuyi Morales

A tribute to the iconic artist's resolve to paint according to the dictates of her heart relates how in 1939, artist Georgia O'Keeffe fell in love with the Hawaiian Islands while touring there and created nearly 20 sumptuous paintings depicting the beauty of its native elements while refusing to paint the commercial pictures of pineapples that her corporate sponsors wanted.

 

Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville and illustrated by Brigette Barrager

Presents the life of the American artist, describing her early work at Disney Studios, her frustrations at not getting her color work accepted, and the later incorporation of her work into some of Disney's best-loved films.

 

Art From Her Heart: Folk Artist Clementine Hunter by Kathy Whitehead and illustrated by Shane Evans

Introduces the self-taught artist whose paintings captured scenes of the work and celebrations of southern farm life, but who, because of the color of her skin, was not allowed into the museums or galleries where her art was shown.

 

 

Dancing Through Fields of Color: The Story of Helen Frankenthaler by Elizabeth Brown and illustrated by Aimee Sicuro

Presents the story of Helen Frankenthaler's early life, how she used colors to express emotion, and how she overcame the male-dominated art world of the 1950s. This obstacle encouraged Helen to originate her own unique and influential style of abstract expressionist painting.

 

 

Beautiful Shades of Brown: The Art of Laura Wheeler Waring by Nancy Churnin and illustrated by Felicia Marshall

Growing up in the late 19th century, Laura Wheeler Waring didn't see any artists who looked like her. She didn't see any paintings of people who looked like her, either. As a young woman studying art in Paris, she found inspiration in the works of Matisse and Gaugin to paint the people she knew best. Back in Philadelphia, the Harmon Foundation commissioned her to paint portraits of accomplished African-Americans. Her paintings still hang in Washington DC's National Portrait Gallery, where children of all races can admire the beautiful shades of brown she captured.

 

Life Made by Hand: The Story of Ruth Asawa by written and illustrated Andrea D'Aquino

Ruth Asawa (1926-2013) was an influential and award-winning sculptor, a beloved figure in the Bay Area art world, and a devoted activist who advocated tirelessly for arts education. This engaging title for young art lovers includes a page of teaching tools for parents and educators.

 

 

We Are Artists: Women Who Made Their Mark on the World stories and illustrations by Kari Herbert

Wonderfully illustrated throughout, this book tells inspiring stories of fifteen women artists who made a lasting impact on art and the world through their lives and work.

 

 

 

Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide by Isabel Quintero and illustrated Zeke Pena

A blending of photographs and illustrations trace the life and work of Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide, who embarked on a journey across Mexico and the world.

 

 

 

Digital Resources at NYPL

To find out more about these phenomenal women, we invite you to explore The New York Public Library's vast array of digital resources available with a library card.

Art Resources from Home: Online Resources & Databases
A selection of resources about art and art history curated from the research libraries at NYPL. A library card is not required to view the guide but may be required to view the linked resources.

Biography in Context
Provides biographical information on 650,000+ people from throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines. For more in-depth biographies of figures from American history, consult American National Biography. 

Kids InfoBit
A child-friendly database that searches across reference books and periodicals covering history, current events, sports, government, and people.

Oxford Art Online
Oxford Art Online offers users the ability to access the vast content of Grove Art Online, The  Oxford Companion to Western Art, Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms all in one interface.

Pixton
Pixton is a digital comic creation website for kids and teens. No drawing skills are required—just select from preset characters and backgrounds from a variety of pop culture, literary, scientific, and historical themes. Personalize the character appearances and costumes, choose poses and facial expressions, and write dialogue to tell a story. Learn more here.

Scholastic Teachables
Scholastic Teachables offers teaching resources for every subject such as lesson plans, mini-books, and activity sheets to help educators plan for the school year. Teachables content extends from Pre-K to 6th grade.

Additional Resources

Here are additional resources for learners to explore and discover more information about the inspiring women who have contributed to and changed the world of art. 

Artcyclopedia
A comprehensive index of artists represented at hundreds of museum sites, image archives, and other online resources.

Metropolitan Museum of Art: Works of Art
Collection database, curatorial departments, and exhibitions.

Museum of Women in the Arts
Artist portraits and work provided by MNWN.

MoMA
Women artists at the Museum of Modern Art.

Tate Museum
An archive of women in art through the collections of the Tate Museum.

The MET
An archive of women artists in the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Art21
A nonprofit organization dedicated to educating through the works and words of contemporary artists.

National Portrait Gallery
An educator's guide expressing the role of women in portraiture.