Women of Ohio

See a list of all the winners here.

One popular Ohio woman who was written about in various entries was the artist, designer, and architect, Maya Lin (born 1959). She was born in Athens, Ohio, to Chinese immigrant parents and studied architecture at Yale University. The National Endowment for the Arts Tells us more about Lin’s career:

Throughout her career, she has moved fluidly between the realms of art, architecture, and memorials, maintaining a steady focus on the landscape and environment. Whether designing sculpted outdoor earthworks or private residences, Lin reinterprets the world around us into visually stunning, intellectually compelling pieces. She is currently at work on her final memorial What Is Missing?, a multiplatform piece which will call attention to current environmental issues. In her own words, Lin discusses her creative process and the “tripod” nature of her body of work.

Emily’s poem ‘Land : Water : Memory ‘ connects with an interesting feature of the Ohio landscape: indigenous earthworks. Emily tells us:

‘Land : Water : Memory‘ honors the work of artist and architect Maya Lin, born in Athens, Ohio. Known for her design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lin is also an environmental activist whose earthworks interact with natural landscapes and ecosystems. A Fold in the Field is Lin’s largest earthwork to date and features five earthen waves covering 35,000 square yards.

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Emily Patterson is the author of The Birth of Undoing (Sheila-Na-Gig Editions, 2025). Her work appears in North American Review, Christian Century, SWWIM, and elsewhere. She received her B.A. in English from Ohio Wesleyan University and M.A. in Education from The Ohio State University. She lives in Columbus, Ohio.

Instagram: @emilypattersonpoet

Website: https://www.emilypattersonpoet.com/