Among the 29 Indiana artists chosen for the 2023 Hoosier Women Artists awards are Frances Ruiz of Fishers and Madhuchhanda Mandal of Carmel.
The awards were announced March 29 by Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Arts Commission. The winning art pieces were among 230 submitted this year and will be displayed in Crouch’s office, and the offices of First Lady Janet Holcomb, Indiana Auditor Tera Klutz, Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner and Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush.
The artwork chosen includes paintings, photography, digital art, paper quilling and multimedia. Crouch’s office will display 18 of the chosen pieces.
“It is amazing to annually honor many of the state’s outstanding female artists,” Crouch stated. “I am very proud to play a role in highlighting women artists by showcasing their artwork in my own office year after year.”
Ruiz’s painting of a woman dancing is called “Bailando Bomba de Roche,” which means “Dancing Bomba in the Evening.” It was among those chosen for Crouch’s office. Mandal’s painting is called “The Faceless Entertainer,” and depicts a woman dancing in traditional Indian clothing. Mandal’s piece will be displayed in Rush’s office.
“It is a privilege to recognize the creativity of Hoosier women artists,” Rush stated. “I am proud to be a part of the initiative and display their work in my chambers.”
The Hoosier Women Artists program started in 2008, according to the announcement. Any artists living in Indiana who identifies as female can submit one piece to the program annually. This year, submissions were due by early February.
