An exhibit showcasing female artists opens March 2 at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts.

“The Spirit of a Woman: A Celebration of Women in the Arts” features a variety of works by women from Virginia and northeast North Carolina.

“March is Women’s History Month and March 8 is International Women’s Day, so we thought it was appropriate for our two galleries to feature women artists this month,” said Sandy Hart, gallery coordinator.

“The artists in the exhibit have never exhibited at the Suffolk Center before,” said Pat Eelman, gallery coordinator. Painters, sculptors, photographers, fiber artists and more will have works on display.

Among the participating artists are:

• Ann Tyler Adams, sculpture artist: Horses are the cornerstone of the imagery in her sculpture. She creates sculptures that reflect her personal experience and relationship with horses, reflect her study of philosophy, incorporate elements of mythology as well as her life as an identical twin.
• Alison Devon Bachmann, jeweler and painter: Her jewelry is designed with great focus on detail, color, composition and symmetry. Her jewelry is made of strictly glass, precious stones, gems and pearls and often incorporates hand-picked mid-Atlantic seashells.
• Gloria Coker, painter: Her loose and vivid acrylics and oils capture her feelings about people of all ages as they engage in their passions and everyday activities. She volunteers at the Virginia Living Museum as artist-in-residence.
• Trish Crowe, watercolor painter: The process of creating art has been a way of seeing the world for Trish. She counts herself fortunate to live in the Piedmont of Virginia, which she says is a feast for the eyes for all seasons.
• Rose Generazio, photographer: Art school showed Rose she could use all types of art mediums to incorporate into her photography. She designs and makes all the sets she uses for her more elaborate photographs.
• Laura Gibbs, painter: Laura works in a variety of water-based media. Experimentation with both alternative surfaces and combinations of various media is usually present in her work. Subject matter is primarily abstract and non-objective.
• Jeanne Goodman, painter: Most of her work is derived from photographs and frequently she begins by focusing on a single element in the photograph and lets her imagination take over. Jeanne works with watercolors, colored pencils, and color pencil art sticks.
• Sharon Gustafson, painter: Best known for her use of color in her acrylic paintings, her unique style ranges from traditional to abstract. Her figurative works reflect her love of color and her soulful, colorful animal paintings come from her heart.
• Helen Jones, photographer: Helen’s particular interest is photographing the physical transformation that occurs in nature: flowers, trees, fungi and crops.
• Katherine Wassink, fiber artist: Katherine divides her time between constructing “art to wear” clothing and three-dimensional fiber “paintings.” Her works create a tapestry of interesting techniques, eclectic findings and luxurious fabrics, adding a unique dimension to the art scene.
• Kim Profitt, glass artist: Kim creates vases and glass bowls as well as unusual glass framed mirrors.
• Darcy Meeker, sculptor: It all started when she made her first face in clay at age 44 and discovered sculpting magic in her hands. Some 57 faces later, she carved her first stone and traded it with the teacher for a set of tools and a new rock.

The opening reception is Thursday, March 2 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and the exhibit is on view until March 31. The galleries are open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and there is no admission charge.