5 Leading Women Collectors Share Their Must-Know Women Artists

Buying art goes beyond purchasing an object to live with; collecting an artist’s work signals support for their career and livelihood.

It hardly seems necessary to explain why collectors should support women artists. Women are—and always have been—underrepresented in the art world, with fewer exhibitions than male artists and less support from buyers. In 2024, for example, only 26% of inquiries on Artsy were for works by women artists.

Thankfully, concerted efforts are being made to correct this. Artsy spoke with five women collectors about three women artists they think buyers should know. Each collector has their own unique vision, but all share an interest in deeply engaging with artists and uplifting women and diverse voices.

A collector and trustee of the Brooklyn Museum and Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, Carla Shen fills her home with colorful and playful works. She collects art in all mediums—including an impressive array of ceramics—by artists of all backgrounds, championing women and artists of color in particular.

B. 1980, Pennsylvania. Lives and works in New York.

“I first saw Melissa’s work at NADA Miami in 2021 at REGULARNORMAL’s booth—it was packed, and I had to fight my way in to see what everyone was looking at. It was worth it!

“I was introduced to Melissa’s moving and beautiful felted works that are based on photos from her family archives. I fell in love with the work, with Melissa herself (she is the kindest and coolest!), and the ways she uses different materials and juxtaposes the soft texture of felt with the ruggedness of found metal objects or tires. I’m so thrilled that Melissa has just received the 2025 UOVO Prize by the Brooklyn Museum, and will have a solo presentation there next year!”

B. 1987, Ottawa, Canada. Lives and works in New York.

“I’ve been obsessed with Dominique’s paintings since I first saw them years ago. They have this haunting radiance and beauty, and I’ve heard her say that she constantly tries to find an ‘interior glow’ in her work. In 2021, Dominique had an incredible show at Jeffrey Deitch in New York that included her signature gorgeous paintings, as well as a space that really caught my attention—a lushly wallpapered room with six bird cage sculptures hanging in it. (The found bird cages housed various handmade ceramics and other found objects.)

“Dominique has gone on to make larger and more complex sculptures, like Marketplace, an impressive installation shown at The Armory Show last year that was her interpretation of a Chinese market stand. I love how Dominique’s work examines the overlooked nontraditional stories of Chinese history, tradition, and views of East Asian women.”

“I first came across Amanda’s work at a fiber arts show at the South Street Seaport in New York last spring. She had this stunning site-specific installation of layers of cotton and silk flowers and greenery draped over a 12-foot diameter grain hoist that had been part of the building since the 18th century. She has also created numerous large public installations and murals driven by her commitment to using art to engage the community and find collective ways to address loss, transformation, and healing.

“I was thrilled to see Amanda’s work included in the Brooklyn Artists Exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum last fall—a monument of relics contributed by community members to represent their migration stories and their home countries in a way that expresses hope and belonging.”

As a wine négociant, Ingrid Best brings together an entrepreneurial drive with an artistic eye, uplifting underrepresented wine regions while also providing a platform to celebrate creatives from around the world. Her art collection mirrors this spirit, with works by artists whose stories Best personally connects with and who often become part of her community.

B. 1990, Stockholm. Lives and works in Los Angeles.

“Ruigi is a Swedish Gambian artist based in Los Angeles whose work is visually striking and deeply personal. I first encountered her through the art community, where I was immediately drawn to her storytelling and the way she weaves her identity into her craft.

“After filming a studio visit, I was captivated by how she uses thread to explore the complexities of being a biracial woman. Her work carries a profound narrative that resonates deeply with those of us who navigate intersecting identities. As a Black and Latina woman, I see reflections of my own experiences in her pieces—both the internal dialogues and the external realities we face. Ruigi’s ability to translate these emotions into textile art is masterful.”

B. 1991, San Francisco. Lives and works in New Haven, Connecticut.

“I first discovered Sydney Cain’s work through my dear friend Ayesha Sheldon, and I was instantly captivated. As a fellow Bay Area native, I felt an immediate connection to Sydney’s artistic language—it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. She channels an ancestral presence that feels ethereal and deeply rooted.

“Her paintings explore memory, transformation, and the unseen forces shaping Black ancestral narratives. Working with ephemeral materials like graphite, powdered metals, and pastels, she creates layered compositions that feel like portals—figures emerging and dissolving into atmospheric spaces, symbolizing both loss and rebirth. Her muted yet luminous palette captures the sacred, transitory nature of existence, inviting us into a contemplative space of remembrance and possibility.”

B. 1997, Democratic Republic of Congo. Lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa.

“I met Cinthia Mulanga in South Africa and was immediately drawn to her artistic brilliance and her perspective. Born in the Republic of Congo and raised in Johannesburg, she brings a unique, multidimensional approach to her work, seamlessly blending collage techniques with historical and contemporary themes. Her pieces reflect the intimate, complex, and evolving experiences of women across time.

“What makes Cinthia’s work so compelling is her ability to transport the viewer, whether through historical scenes infused with tribal elements or modern moments of reflection. She creates spaces where women see themselves and navigate their existence in a world that often challenges their visibility. Her ability to layer emotion, history, and identity within her compositions is remarkable. She has redefined the use of collage in a way that is distinctly her own.”

Queenie Rosita Law is an art collector and entrepreneur who founded Q Art Group, a three-pronged company consisting of: Double Q, a Hong Kong gallery championing emerging and underrepresented artists; Q Contemporary, a private art center in Budapest; and Q Studio, an art studio that excels in brand partnerships. As a collector, Law focuses on Central and Eastern European artists.

B. 1990, Hungary. Lives and works in Budapest.

“One to look out for is emerging Hungarian painter Luca Sára Rózsa who is known for her enigmatic figures in utopian, dreamlike landscapes. I first noticed Luca’s work over the internet during COVID-19. When travel was allowed again, I immediately visited her Budapest studio. I was drawn to Luca’s ability to capture something so profoundly human.

“Her recent works were inspired by her travels in Asia, in particular the Eastern philosophy that life is a continuous cycle of birth, living, and renewal. Her figures are always depicted without distinct identities or status symbols. No matter our age or gender, we all grapple with the complex meaning of life, a timeless and universal question.”

B. 1997, Dalian, China. Lives and works in London.

“I’m always on the lookout for new talent, and Shuang Jiang is an artist I’m very excited about. I discovered her work at the Royal College of Art graduate show last year. Born in the Chinese city of Dalian, surrounded by the sea and mountains, her newest body of paintings beautifully explores the human condition as it intertwines with the raw, elemental forces of nature.

“The compositions have a palpable tension to them as they are manifestations of her innermost struggles and triumphs. To me, the ability to be vulnerable—which is something I deeply admire in her work—is an important quality for artists to create authentic art.”

B.1985, London. Lives and works in Bexhill-on-Sea, England.

“An artist I’d love to collect someday is British artist Poppy Jones. We live in a time when so much is demanded of still images, but her work brings a refreshing depth to quotidian images. Using a process of monotype printing and overpainting, she transfers her own photographs onto panels of recycled silk, suede, and cotton.

“Her paintings have this strange, nostalgic quality to them, and I find it compelling how they don’t try to overwhelm you. In today’s digital age, we’re bombarded with hundreds of images daily, but Poppy’s work invites you to slow down and really take it in.”

Diane Audrey Ngako is a collector and patron devoted to celebrating arts on the African continent. In addition to founding the Voodart Collection, Ngako launched the Cameroon-based Douala Art Fair in 2018, which focused on contemporary African art and design and ran until 2022. In 2025, Ngako created a prize in her name that awards artists from Africa and the diaspora with a grant and residency in various cities across the continent.

B.1974, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Lives and works in Abidjan.

“I first discovered Joana Choumali’s work in 2014 through her series ‘Hââbré, The Last Generation,’ which documented the fading tradition of facial scarification in Côte d’Ivoire. At the time, her practice was rooted in documentary photography, capturing intimate and powerful narratives with striking sensitivity.

“Later, her exploration of embroidery, particularly in her series ‘Ça va aller’ (2016–19), added a deeply personal and tactile dimension to her storytelling—something I found incredibly moving. I own two of her pieces, and I admire the way she continuously evolves her artistic language while preserving the essence of memory and resilience.”

“I discovered Ayan Muse’s work a few years ago and was immediately drawn to her vibrant, emotionally charged compositions. Her ability to merge abstract forms with figurative elements creates a striking visual language that speaks to identity, migration, and cultural heritage.

“Based in Canada and of Somali descent, Ayan’s work explores themes of memory and belonging with a poetic sensitivity that deeply resonates with me. About three to four years ago, I acquired two of her pieces—so special to me that they now hang above my bed, a daily reminder of the power and intimacy of her art.”

B.1990. Lives and works in Douala, Cameroon.

“I have been following Wilfried Mbida’s work for nearly a decade, and it has been a pleasure to witness her artistic evolution—her experiments, her bold explorations, and the depth she continuously brings to her practice. Her work captures identity and memory through striking colors, layered compositions, and an expressive visual language that feels both intimate and universal.

“In 2020, during a visit to Galerie Mam in Douala, I couldn’t resist one of her pieces, which has since found its place in my living room. It is a daily reminder of her talent and the emotions her art evokes.”

As an art collector and curator of The Betsy Hotel in Miami, Lesley Goldwasser has helped the luxurious South Beach establishment that she also co-owns become a staple of the city’s creative community. In addition to the works in the hotel’s collection (a range of modern and contemporary pieces by emerging to established artists), The Betsy hosts rotating exhibitions in its more than 20,000 square feet of wall space.

“Sophie Blachet, a curator focused on empowering emerging female artists, highlighted Sonia to me. Her work [combining photography and textiles and exploring human relationships in a globalized world] is powerful while eerily full of lightness at the same time.

“One series is comprised of tapestries arranged from screenshots of her ex-fiancé, who ended their relationship on a series of Skype calls over 10 months. The stitching of his face presents him as powerful and smiling in the first piece and slowly disappearing and melting into the tapestry by the final piece. You can feel the pain of every stitch; the emotion is palpable.”

B.1975, Harare, Zimbabwe. Lives and works in Harare.

“I first saw a piece by Tamary in a magazine. The unique composition, use of color, and fabric patterns immediately spoke to me. Many photographers from Africa use fabric patterns, but this felt fresh and new. What struck me most was how she captured the gaze of the subjects. Most of Tamary’s subjects are women, and in the ‘African Victorian’ series (2019–present), the women were not angry, sad, bitter, or happy—they stared down the photographer, completely in control, they owned the image they owned their story. I bought the whole series.”

B.1971, Munich, Germany. Lives and works in London.

“I met Bettina when she was staying in the writer’s room at The Betsy. One of her series that I own, ‘Things,’ surprises and confuses the viewer. For this series, she collects things, places them on a glass table, lights from above, and photographs from below, which messes with your head. The result looks like abstract paintings. A red onion skin looks like the skirt of a flamenco dancer, whose arms (bits of seaweed) fling around as she twirls! I love photography that surprises and has a fresh take on the medium.”