On View Oct. 1st - 30th
Opening Reception Oct. 1, 5:30-7:30,
Artist Talk/Q&A at 6:30pm
The Gallery Room @ Richmond Memorial Library
19 Ross St.
Batavia, NY 14020
Monday to Thursday 9:00-9:00
Friday and Saturday 9:00-5:00
closed Sundays
Women's Voices In Color is a series of artwork inspired by one-on-one interviews with women. Each painting reflects the emotions and experiences in her story.
Enjoy the artwork. If you want to dig deeper, each painting is a gateway to learning more about a person, their life experience, and what they are overcoming.
Gallery
THE FULL ONLINE GALLERY WILL BE AVAILABLE ON OCTOBER 1. Click each painting to read about the theme and backstory that informed each artwork. There are no titles, but each painting is numbered in the order in which they were painted. The descriptions contain some direct quotes from anonymous interviewees, but the remaining text is the artist's impression from the interview and should not be construed as a direct biography.
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About
Artist Statement
Meet the Artist
Women's Voices in Color is an ongoing, conceptual project about women's stories and lived experiences. It evolved from noticing repeating themes in seemingly random, personal conversations with various female friends over the past 20+ years. Some of these themes include:
Their struggles were often accompanied by a level of embarassment or desire to keep the struggle private. They felt isolated or "different".
Though the details of each persons circumstances were unique, the emotional experience was not unique. For example, emotions like fear, anger, lonliness, and lack of trust were felt by many women (to varying levels of intensity) regardless of the details of their circumstances.
In every conversation, transparent dialogue and mutual understanding felt extremely positive. There was a deep level of joy found in honesty, truth, transparency, and growth. As an observer, this joy overshadowed the shock and pain of the abuse or trauma that was shared.
Women's Voices in Color was born from a desire to share these stories; to decrease feelings of isolation and foster human connection. A series of interviews began in late 2025, some with friends and some with women who were affiliated with the YWCA of Genesee County NY. Each woman would remain anonymous: expression without exposure. A painting was created based on each interview. The paintings are a way to honor and memorialize the woman's experience, and also provide a gateway to learning more about her personal narrative and our collective human experience.
Though some of the subject matter is difficult, I hope that the joy of honesty, transparency and growth can be felt.
I've been making art, in various forms, for about 25 years. I began my training as an artist at Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, then went on to earn my Bachelor's degree in Art History at Rutgers University with a focus on conceptual and site-specific art. I work out of my home studio in Batavia, NY.
I'm Rebecca LeFevre. As an artist with a background in art history, I feel art is more than just an image. It's a powerful tool for communication and a way to make sense of the world that we live in.
In partnership with
This project would not have been possible without collaboration with the YWCA of Genesee County. Thanks to Jackie, Jamie, and the staff at the YWCA for believing in this project and connecting me with women who were willing to share their stories.
This project is also made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART! Grant funding provided the financial resources to make this project a reality, and it also means a lot to live in a community that makes these opportunities available.
And, most importantly, thanks to the women who were willing to trust me, sit for an interview, and share their experiences. You know who you are. I am so grateful to have been trusted with your stories. Your dedication to growth and wholeness is inspiring.
Common questions Q & A
Is it hard to find people to interview?
Overall, the women I have approached have been very receptive to this project. I started out not knowing if this would be possible, but one at a time, women agreed to be interviewed. Having the trust of the YWCA has helped. Not everyone says "yes" to an interview and that is ok! I was able to conduct 6 interviews from Dec. 2025-May 2026, and that number dictated the number of artworks in the show. I will be conducting more interviews soon!
Can you explain the type of art your'e making? What's it called?
Most of the artwork is abstract, simply using color, texture and basic shapes to convey emotion. A few paintings have representational elements: drinking glasses, figures, a face etc. "Conceptual art" is any type of artwork where the concept or idea behind the work is more important than the finished product. I think this series falls under the umbrella of conceptual art because my primary goal has been to translate a specific feeling based on a person's circumstances, not to make a beautiful painting. If a situation was ugly, the artwork might come across as ugly.
Some of the concepts are heavy. People are free to look at a painting and decide to what level they want to engage with the concept behind it. I am posting the basic theme alongside the painting for the exhibition, but the details are just here online for those who want to dig deeper (and to keep the in-person exhibition open to all ages and sensitivity levels).
What does your process look like?
The process of making art based someone else's experience is very subjective. I start with the interview, and I go into each interview with my sketchbook for notes and an open mind. I don't have a goal or preconception at first, I just listen and see what comes up. Each person and each interview are different. Something always stands out: a part of the story that feels easy to relate to, or feels very intense, or seems like others might benefit from understanding it more.
Sometimes color choice is obvious, like when "anger that feels like lava" is painted as red. Sometimes, I get feedback about color from the interviewee. One woman talked about her favorite colors at different times in her life, and those colors played into the final artwork. In one case, I turned to social media and posted a question about what color a hug from a friend would be. The feedback was fascinating, with most responders describing warm colors and soft edges, and a few people using the image of a blue sky.
How long does it take to make a painting?
I don't keep track of my time on each work, but roughly I aim to complete a large painting (4x5 feet) in 4-6 weeks. I work part time, in between taking care of my children and other work. It's flexible and fluid, and hard to quantify!
Are the paintings for sale?
No. I am making these paintings to create awareness and conversation around the struggles that women face and overcome. I want to continue growing the work and exhibiting in larger venues in the coming years. Grant funding is important for this type of work because there is no immediate revenue from sales.
Why just women's voices? What about men?
The concept of Women's Voices in Color stems from organic conversations that I've had specifically with female friends over the years. It has become obvious that our gender does play a role in how we experience the world. Creating this art requires me to deeply empathize with the people that I am interviewing and feel what it is like to live in their shoes. I can do this easily with other women because, as a woman myself, I share in that collective lived experience.
I acknowledge that men have their own struggles and can also be victims of abuse and survivors of domestic violence. Those stores also need to be told, but not by me. That is not my area of expertise.
What medium do you use?
Most of the paintings are mixed media on canvas. I start with a base of acrylic paint, then build up additional layers using oil paint, cold wax medium, and pastels. I like the depth of color and texture that comes from stacking these different mediums together.
At least one of the paintings is made with encaustic, a paint made of pigment, beeswax and resin. Encaustic is heated and melted in small tins (I use an electric griddle, typically used for cooking pancakes). It is brushed onto a rigid surface while warm, then each layer is fused with a heat gun. Encaustic is great medium for incorporating collage elements like paper and thread. When I feel like these additional elements are relevant to telling the story, I reach for encaustic instead of the more traditional acrylics and oils.
Is there a reason you chose to have the exhibition at the Library?
Yes! I wanted to make this art show accessible to as many people as possible. The public library seemed to be the most logical fit for that reason.