"Sparkling Amazons" Sparkles at Katonah Museum of Art

The Katonah Museum of Art in northern Westchester County always mounts enjoyable shows, and now the KMA has opened one that is visually appealing and historically significant. "Sparkling Amazons: Abstract Expressionist Women of the 9th St. Show" highlights the works of 11 women who exhibited at the huge 1951 art show, a small group among the more than 60 abstract expressionists in the show.

"Sparkling Amazons" (the name comes from a 1970s description of them by an art critic) brings together works from those 11 women, ranging from well known to currently obscure. The honor roll:

Lee Krasner
Joan Mitchell
Elaine de Kooning
Helen Frankenthaler
Grace Hartigan
Perle Fine
Anne Ryan
Sonia Sekula
Day Schnabel
Jean Steubing
Guitou Knoop

While the show doesn't duplicate these artists' works from the 9th St. show, it does represent the artists' abstract pieces, ranging from intimate sculptures and collages to enormous wall-covering canvases splashed with color. This afternoon I took an excellent docent tour, which gave a great deal of background on the artists and their times. That's the best way to take in the show. You can easily reach the KMA by taking Metro-North Harlem Line to the Katonah station, then walking about 10 minutes. If you want to make a day of it, a Katonah Art Stroll will take place on two Saturday afternoons starting at 4 pm, October 19 and November 16, on Katonah Avenue, adjacent to the train station.