Every March Women's History Month takes place across the UK, recognising and honouring the achievements of women throughout history, while also raising awareness about gender inequity and discrimination. The theme for 2025 is ‘Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations’, which highlights the power of women’s contributions in shaping the world through education, activism and innovation.
To celebrate, author and art historian PL Henderson generously took time out to answer some questions about her work focused on women artists, which includes curation of the successful social media project @womensart1 and the books Unravelling Women’s Art (Aurora Metro, 2022), Unlocking Women's Art: Pioneers, Visionaries & Radicals of Paint (Aurora Metro, 2023) and Reframing Women Printmakers (Aurora Metro, 2025).
What first inspired you to delve into the subject of women artists?
I’m an amateur artist and that, combined with an interest in feminism and completing a degree in Art History and Literature via the Open University, certainly influenced my journey to creating the WomensArt project. I joined Twitter about ten years ago and saw the opportunity to create something positive on a platform which could be quite negative at times. I was inspired by groups such as The Guerilla Girls, as well as artists and art historians like Valie Export and Linda Nochlin, who from the late 20th century onwards brilliantly brought the exclusivity of the art world to the fore. I also always liked the idea of an online gallery in terms of accessibility, as not all people feel comfortable in actual museum spaces.
Your social media account, @womensart1, has gained a large following. In your own words, how would you describe this project and your experience in curating it? Since starting the initiative, do you feel your thoughts on the art world have changed?
Finding space for women’s creativity is still relevant, and so the project started as a form of intentionally celebratory feminist activism. During the Covid pandemic, the project began to feel like a community - a way of reaching out to and sharing with people who were isolated - so it took on a new dimension. I wanted to platform more than fine art, by including mediums outside of that title and valuing areas like crafting too. Curating WomensArt on X, Bluesky, Instagram and Wordpress, is fun but also needs dedication because of the time and energy that goes into the many hours of voluntary research. (I have posted every day for the past 9 years!)
My thoughts on the art world haven’t changed in terms of being aware of the continuation of prejudice, but I do see signs that things are starting to be addressed. I hope WomensArt, which is followed by many museums and influential figures, has played a small part in instigating a change in attitudes and practices.
What is your research process like, both for your social media project, but also for your books? What appeals to you about working in these different forms?
For social media, I generally research artists and artworks the night before posting or note interesting ideas as I come across them. I see the books as an extension of WomensArt.
Each manuscript takes about a year of research which encompasses sources from books, online sites and academic papers. I also find about twenty or more artists to be included in interviews, and I then design the covers and source hundreds of images. There’s a lot of work involved!
Can you tell us about the ambitions that underpinned your first book and about your interest in textile and fibre arts more generally?
By the time I decided to write my first solo book I’d already worked as part of a team on other women artist-related publications, so it seemed like a natural direction to go in. I chose textile arts as a theme because firstly, I realised the medium was hugely popular with followers and secondly, it’s an area of the arts with specific cultural associations with women and their place in the world. I wanted to research an area I wasn’t too familiar with because that would be personally interesting. I learn as I write, so I discovered, for example, that knitting was used for spying in wartime, and I uncovered why dress design was so important to the suffragettes.
Your second book tackles a large subject. What was your process in formulating an overarching women’s art history? When you were writing it, did you find that the scope of the book kept expanding?!
My editor is brilliant at keeping me in line when contemplating a big subject. I tend to write chronologically to enable readers to reflect on the social as well as cultural changes and developments which are crucial to understanding women’s art history. Obviously, I can’t include every artist, so I pick a few examples to suit the narrative. I start by planning a theme for each chapter, such as nature, politics or identity, and this helps to anchor my ideas. I also don’t like to focus on Western art history alone. Including a range of global and Indigenous artists is really important. This expands the book’s scope, but hopefully in an interesting way.
You have interviewed a range of fascinating women artists for your work. Can you talk a little about the conversations that have been most meaningful or revealing to you?
I think it’s essential to include actual artists as they can provide the most precise insight into art practices. I intentionally choose a range of artists, from the more famous to the lesser known, and from different areas of the globe. In Unlocking Women’s Art, for example, I worked with an Iranian-born painter whose work explores the complexities of women’s identities in the country of her birth. I also interviewed a Ukrainian painter who describes the reality of working during the war there, while loved ones are on the frontline. Many artists also discuss the difficulties they face as women involved in the arts, or concepts such as ‘the female gaze’. These insights, in combination with an exploration of practices, themes and personal inspirations, are precious and worth sharing.
Historically, women have had to work much harder than men to achieve in the art world. How far do you think we have come? What do you think we still need to change?
We have definitely moved in the right direction in terms of more of a focus on women artists, but not everything is as it should be. We have to remember that change is relatively recent. Women were excluded from much of art education and related institutions in the West until the early 20th century. By the end of that century a lack of parity for women artists, while beginning to be exposed, was still universal. In this new century there is a move towards inclusion, recognition and efforts to improve things, which should be acknowledged, but women’s creativity is generally still underrepresented and undervalued. For example, in a recent article in the Guardian, artist and curator Helen Gørrill pointed out that “Today, when men’s artwork is signed, it goes up in value; conversely when work by women is signed, it goes down in value”.
We should all resist the normalisation of sexism. When we go to a gallery or look at the art section of a bookshop, we’re still confronted by a disproportionately large representation of male artists, and we really should continue to ask, “Why is that?”.
You look at art everyday, but who would you say are your favourite artists right now, and why?
It’s very difficult to say, because I come across and share amazing work all the time. When I was younger, I especially liked the work of Kiki Smith. I’ve been working with her recently and feel very lucky to be in contact with such creative minds. I was also good friends with Tish Murtha, a wonderful social documentary photographer who is sadly no longer with us. Her insights remain brilliant. How could you not adore Artemisia Gentileschi too? On seeing a painting by her in Madrid recently I nearly cried because her work and life is just so moving. Paula Rego was also amazing, as are so many other artists.
Could you tell us a bit more about what else you’ve been working on recently or what you are thinking about for the future?
I’m about to release a new book in the WomensArt series, Reframing Women Printmakers. In nine chapters, the female pioneers involved in printmaking (another medium which doesn’t always get the attention it deserves) are explored under headings such as ‘Fine Art’, ‘Protest’, ‘Illustration’, ‘The City’ and ‘Home’. Again, the text is accompanied by images and interviews with global printmakers and multidisciplinary artists, such as Julie Buffalohead. The book covers a wide range of discussion points, and takes in a rare Renaissance era female printmaker, the influences of Japanese prints on Western artists like Mary Cassatt, and a Pop artist nun! I have more book ideas, and have also recently started a collaboration with the cultural organisation Art UK. In an age in which culture is increasing important as a voice, I’ll continue to promote women in the arts, as well as art itself.
Copies of PL Henderson’s books are available here.