“At the beginning, I didn’t like the nickname IWAS, because I didn’t want ‘I was something’—I wanted to be forward-thinking,” said Heidi Russell, discussing the acronym for her business, the International Women Artists’ Salon. Founded in 2008, IWAS has produced over 300 events and partnered with dozens of institutions. In this time, Russell has connected with over 8,000 women-identifying and non-binary artists across media, from installation artists to writers.
The Star-Revue first learned about IWAS last December, when Russell reached out to advertise the 2nd Annual Salon Holiday Artisan Market in the West Village—a free holiday market at Revelation Gallery (222 West 11th St.), where women artists and artisans sold their unique gifts. A month later, I met Russell over coffee at OCAFE on Sixth Avenue and 12th Street. She arrived a few minutes late, as she’d been helping an artist friend, but apologized profusely. She gave me a hug as I took in her short blonde hair, multicolored scarf, and red-framed glasses
Russell is a Virgo, the oldest child, voted “Most Likely to Succeed” in school, a small-town kid who went to Cornell. “I have been a fine art photographer since I was, like, five … I knew at a very young age—I didn’t want to do it commercially.”
Despite this early calling to the arts, it wasn’t until she was 37 and her longtime partner passed away that Russell finally took stock of her life and realized it wasn’t what she had dreamt of as a child. Angry with herself for having become “suppressed by the system,” she vowed to live a more authentic life centered on art.
Breaking out of her cocoon, she quit her job as a fundraiser at her alma mater and cashed in on her retirement savings to join a college arts program for the summer in Rome, then another program in Greece. After returning stateside, Russell connected with a fellow alumna, who temporarily allowed her to stay at her home in New Rochelle so Russell could work in New York City. A temp job paid the bills, but most of her free time was spent immersing herself in New York’s arts scene—going to events, meeting artists, and soon volunteering at a gallery on the Lower East Side.
Within a few months, Russell also found an apartment in the Bowery. Unable to afford the security deposit, she posted on Craigslist asking for help and soon her call was answered by a female Australian filmmaker. With time and perseverance, things kept working out and in 2007, Russell had her first exhibition in NYC. It was around this time that she began to recognize her niche as a “master networker.”
An hour into the conversation, we’d successfully made it through most of the aughts when I had to interrupt—“I actually only have twenty more minutes; let’s fast forward.” Since it began in 2008, the Salon has steadily managed to execute a variety of different types of programs. IWAS held “Salon Creative Lounge” programs in 2012 and 2016 (a conference-like day of workshops and panels aimed at supporting the health and wealth of women artists), produced “Salon Radio” for five and a half years (a podcast that interviewed individual artists and women-founded or -led arts groups, in addition to presenting news about women artists around the world), and put on several large exhibitions (they have included evenings of performance, literature readings, and film/video showings). Russell has also worked with artists one-on-one, including in 2019, when she supported Salon member Barbara Clark in publishing a book of poetry, “The Movie at the Back of My Mind.”
Last January, Russell was laid off from her day job, which became an opportunity to focus more on IWAS and increase programming. On the first Sunday of every month, IWAS and Funkadelic Studio are presenting Salon Lounge Music at Funkadelic Studio (209 W 40th St., fifth floor).
On March 8, the Salon will hold its 15th annual Salon SymphoNY for International Women’s Day (details to come) and later this spring, Russell hopes to have another arts market event similar to the one held in December. She also plans to begin producing Salon Radio again this summer.
Those interested in supporting Russell’s mission, collaborating with the Salon, or becoming a member, can get in touch by emailing [email protected], via the website (www.internationalwomenartistssalon.net), or on social media. Even as we wrapped up our conversation, Russell was overflowing with projects that are currently in the works for the Salon, from future events to better ways to connect members. IWAS recently launched a TikTok account and updates to the website are in the works.
For the past 18 years, IWAS has experimented with how to provide women artists with a platform to share their talents, despite a shoestring budget and limited resources. Russell’s energy and optimism are reminiscent of a butterfly in a jar—its wings beating relentlessly as it tries to break out. Given her big plans for the organization and her history of making things happen, this might just be the year that IWAS finally takes flight.
