New Britain Museum of American Art is showing Anything but Simple: Shaker Gift Drawings and the Women Who Made Them through January 10, 2021. Anything but Simple features a selection of rare "gift" or "spirt" drawings made by members of the Hancock Shaker Village religious community in Pittsfield, Massachusetts between 1843—1857. These drawings, both the 25 on display in the exhibit and the 175 others that still exist, were all created by women, making them a unique piece of American female history. It is thought that there were once hundreds more of these drawings, but that they were destroyed by the Shakers when their creators died. The drawings that exist are colorful, decorative and complex, demonstrating the craftsmanship and skill that each woman possessed. Anything but Simple displays what is widely considered to be the finest of these drawings, examining how they relate to women and their spiritual roles in the mid-19th century Shaker communities. As women's achievements are beginning to get the recognition they deserve, Anything but Simple is a timely exhibit that brings to light the artistic accomplishments of a group of women who lived over 150 years ago and examines their ongoing importance to American religious culture. New Britain Museum of American Art is located at 56 Lexington Street in New Britain, Connecticut and is open Wednesday—Sunday 10:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. For more information, visit nbmaa.org/exhibitions/shaker-gift-drawings.