Pictures, pottery and gallery walls across Salt Lake City tell stories about identity, community and resilience. As Salt Lake continues to celebrate Women’s History Month, local female artists are using their work to highlight women’s experiences and bring new perspectives to Utah’s creative scene.
International Women’s Day, observed annually on March 8, celebrates the achievements of women while recognizing the need for continued representation across industries, including the arts. In Salt Lake City, female artists are contributing to that effort by sharing their work in studios, classrooms and galleries throughout the city.
Celebrating personal stories through artistic mediums
For Sophie Smart, an art teacher and ceramicist, creating art is both a personal outlet and a way to reflect on women’s experiences.
“I’ve always been a creative person, but I feel like I’ve always had the desire and the need to create,” Smart said. “Even when I get low on energy or don’t have ideas, I still feel the need to be making something.”
Smart, who teaches ceramics at a local high school, recently shifted her focus toward clay, translating the drawing and painting techniques she practiced for years onto ceramic forms. In her recent work, Smart explores themes of exhaustion and resilience through imagery of objects that have passed their peak.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about how much women give to their children, families, students and coworkers, and sometimes how there isn’t much left afterward,” Smart said. She incorporates those ideas into pieces featuring wilting flowers or fruit cores, using symbolism to highlight the often-overlooked emotional labor many women experience.
Smart also sees teaching as part of her artistic mission, helping young artists develop confidence in their creative abilities. “I love building confidence in young artists, especially students who don’t think they’re artists yet,” Smart said. “Just creating something even if it’s not perfect builds strength and confidence.”
Women photographers expand representation in the arts
Photography is another medium where artists are working to expand whose stories are told.
For Jade Burke, photography became a way to document people and everyday moments that might otherwise be overlooked. “I first picked up a camera because I loved having a creative outlet,” Burke said. “The more I practiced, the more I realized photography could document important stories.”
Located near Salt Lake City, Burke focuses on lifestyle photography that captures Utah’s communities and landscapes. “Photography is my niche and gives me more confidence within myself, and it’s not just about images,” Burke said. She believes female photographers play an important role in shaping how stories are told and whose experiences are seen.
“I think it’s really powerful to look up to other women in this field,” Burke said. “Most of the photographers I follow are women who have built their own businesses, and it’s inspiring to see how they’ve created something successful for themselves.”
Through photography, Burke hopes to capture memories that encourage viewers to pause and reflect on the people and moments around them.
Creating space for women in the arts
“I feel a responsibility as a woman artist to share women’s stories,” Smart said. “A lot of women have a quiet power that doesn’t always get the spotlight the same way a man’s voice might.”
As Women’s History Month continues to highlight women’s contributions worldwide, artists are using their work to ensure those stories remain part of the Utah community.
