This month we're taking a moment to celebrate and reconnect with the remarkable women artists who have brought their unique vision and talent to Nancybird over the years. Through their distinctive styles and perspectives, these artists have helped shape our collections and tell meaningful stories through their work.

Today we caught up with Elizabeth Barnett, whose vibrant artistic practice continues to flourish alongside her busy life on a small hobby farm with three creatively inspired children. Since our collaboration, Elizabeth has achieved impressive milestones, including a solo show at James Makin gallery, an artist residency in Tasmania, and a prestigious solo presentation at Melbourne Art Fair.

Her thoughtful perspectives on women in the arts and her joyful approach to creativity make her story particularly inspiring. Read on to hear from Elizabeth and discover where life and art have taken her since our collaboration.

I would hope for more opportunities for female artists and female run galleries. Even in 2025 there is still an imbalance in the showing of works by men and women (and especially women of colour). A male painter is just a “painter” whereas a female painter is often still referred to as a “female painter”. It’s definitely better than it was but still needs to progress! I’m so grateful and in awe of the work of Katy Hessel who works wonders on improving awareness of female artists from history and the present by telling their stories and celebrating their work through her podcast “The Great Women Artists” and her recently published book “The History of Art (Without Men)” 2022. Her title is a clever play on the famous art tome that we were urged to read at art school “The History of Art” Gombrich, first published in 1950, which featured hardly a single female artist.

I would say to not be so anxious and to go with the flow more. Also I would school myself and celebrate my neurodiversity. I felt so "the odd one out" but to know that everyone feels a version of "odd" would have been comforting. I don’t regret any of my life choices but I would encourage my younger self to be braver and practice being brave all the time.

Sometimes it's the push that friends and fellow artists give me that are the impetus I need to make that next step. I have become terrible at admin since having kids. I find the whole process tedious and another local friend has been whipping me into shape and organising some beautiful watercolour classes to take place at a famous garden up on Mount Macedon which will be so wonderful. If not for her I would still be saying I will do that thing eventually but not actually do it!

As hard as it is in the world today with leadership being predominantly masculine and self-focused in a lot of countries, I do feel an under-the-surface swelling of female energy! We have to be hopeful and optimistic that the world will change for the better and to do that we have to keep forging forward making work that says something, even if it's only our immediate community that benefits. I tend to want to make work that celebrates and shares joy and I think that’s really important in these times. 

The collaboration with Nancybird was so fun. I get such a thrill seeing one of my scarves or dresses out in the community. The paintings with movement in them as a person walks is super inspiring. I love that people can afford to own one of my works even if it's just a pair of socks that happily peeks out of a shoe!