Katy Hessel: An Illustrated Guide to Amazing Women Artists
Join art historian and bestselling author Katy Hessel for a family-focused book talk celebrating *The Story of Art Without Men: An Illustrated Guide to Amazing Women Artists*. Through conversation, drawing, and visual storytelling, Hessel will introduce young audiences to influential women artists often omitted from traditional art history and explore how art connects to their own lives.
Illustrator Ping Zhu will join Hessel for an interactive live drawing demonstration. The program also includes a book signing and art-making activity inspired by Joan Mitchell. Copies of Hessel’s books will be available for purchase in the Museum Shop.
When: October 17, 2026, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Showtimes: The talk and visual storytelling session runs from 11:00 am to noon in the Ring Auditorium. A book signing with Katy Hessel and Ping Zhu begins at noon in the Lower Level Lobby. Art-making inspired by Joan Mitchell is available from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in the Hirshhorn Art School.
Tickets: Free
Ticket Information: Hirshhorn Insider tickets become available Friday, September 25, at noon EST, with limited space. General tickets become available Monday, September 28, at 7:00 pm EST. The museum strongly recommends claiming a ticket in advance because the in-person program is expected to reach capacity.
Recommended Ages: 7 and older
Lineup: Katy Hessel, art historian and author, with Ping Zhu, artist and illustrator
Program: The event features an interactive family discussion, visual storytelling, drawing, and a live illustration demonstration accompanying Hessel’s children’s book.
About Katy Hessel: Hessel is the author of *The Story of Art Without Men*, *How To Live an Artful Life*, and *The Story of Art Without Men: An Illustrated Guide to Amazing Women Artists*. She runs The Great Women Artists Instagram account and podcast, writes for *The Guardian*, and has presented BBC documentaries. She is a Visiting Fellow at Cambridge University and a trustee of Charleston. She also created the Museums Without Men audio series, which highlights works by women artists in collections including those of The Met and the Hirshhorn.
About Ping Zhu: Zhu is a New York City–based artist and illustrator known for working primarily in gouache on paper. Her work has received recognition from ADC Young Guns, American Illustration, and the Society of Illustrators, where she served as chair in 2022. She illustrated *The Strange Birds of Flannery O’Connor*, which was named a New York Times Best Children’s Book of 2020, as well as *The Story of Art Without Men* and *Animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Meet Your Match!*
Venue: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue SW and 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20560
Event Category: Special Programs
Books: Hessel’s books, including *The Story of Art Without Men: An Illustrated Guide to Amazing Women Artists*, will be sold in the Museum Shop.
Questions: HirshhornExperience@si.edu
Venue Phone: 202-633-1000