DEVOTED: 20 Years of The McMillan-Stewart Endowed Chair in Painting | Opening Reception

As a part of its year-long Bicentennial Celebration, The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) will bring together–for the first time–the work of 29 women artists who have made lasting connections with the school and its community. Open August 28–October 11, DEVOTED: 20 Years of The McMillan-Stewart Endowed Chair in Painting will feature original artworks with a diverse and intergenerational roster—including science fiction multi-media artist Saya Woolfalk; painter and photographer Jane Dickson, celebrated for her iconic images of 1980s-era Times Square; and nationally renowned portraitist Amy Sherald ’04 (LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting MFA). Presented in MICA’s Decker Gallery, located in the Fox Building, DEVOTED celebrates the open, unstinting exchanges fostered by the chairship. A public reception will take place on Thursday, September 10, from 5–7 p.m.

“By showcasing the creativity of women working at the forefront of art and culture, this exhibition underscores the values of our community at MICA,” explains MICA President Cecilia M. McCormick, JD. “I am grateful for the ongoing partnership with the McMillan-Stewart Foundation in bringing contemporary women artists skilled in traditional painting techniques to our classrooms. The artists spark timely conversations and push disciplinary boundaries—reflecting both MICA’s 200-year history and its bold vision for the future of arts education.”

Established by a 2006 gift from the McMillan-Stewart Foundation, the endowed chairship connects accomplished women artists with undergraduate painting students via weekly critiques, and the larger MICA community through public lectures. Over two decades, this program has nurtured an ever-expanding network of educational exchanges between artists and students—as peers, colleagues, and mentors—that defines the educational experience at MICA. 

About the Artists

The show features works by all 29 past McMillan-Stewart Endowed Chairs: Mequitta Ahuja, ruby onyinyechi amanze, Margaret Bowland, Nanette Carter, Zoë Charlton, Dawn Clements (1958–2018), Jennifer Coates, Patricia Cronin, Jane Dickson, Chie Fueki, Judy Glantzman, Kira Nam Greene, Mimi Gross, Phaan Howng’15 (Mount Royal School of Art MFA), Hedieh Ilchi, Lani Irwin, Leeah Joo, Baseera Khan, Hein Koh, Ying Li, Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann ’09(LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting MFA), Anna Ortiz, Hadieh Shafie, Amy Sherald ’04 (LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting MFA), Patricia Renee’ Thomas, Denyse Thomasos (1964–2012), Shoshanna Weinberger, Saya Woolfalk, and Mie Yim.