HerFrame

Inspiration

Women in the visual arts are often evaluated through the lens of identity before the quality of their work is fully seen. Decisions around pricing, visibility, and access to opportunities are frequently shaped by gender bias rather than artistic merit, which can quietly limit confidence and creative freedom. As young women interested in various forms of art, we have seen how these dynamics affect not just careers, but the way artists value their own work. We wanted to create an art platform one where anonymity isn’t about erasing identity, but about protecting it, and where equity and safety are foundational prioritized. HerFrame was created with the belief that by removing identifying labels, artists can reclaim confidence, be judged more fairly, and create without the constant pressure of being seen before being understood. Our goal is to foster a space where confidence comes from the work itself, and where creative expression feels supported rather than scrutinized.

What it does

HerFrame is an anonymous art marketplace and community created for women working in the visual arts, including pottery, digital art, graffiti, painting, sculpture, photography, and textiles. Artists can upload and sell their work without attaching names, photos, or personal identifiers, allowing pieces to be viewed and valued purely on their own merit. The Anonymous Gallery displays artwork in a clean, Pinterest-style grid that highlights titles, medium tags, and pricing, keeping the focus on the work itself. Beyond the marketplace, HerFrame offers long-form Art Stories, where creators can share personal experiences anonymously and receive thoughtful feedback from the community. The platform also includes an Art Map that highlights trusted creative spaces and venues, as well as a Whisper Network for sharing short, anonymous tips and advice. To further support safety and peace of mind, a built-in Safety Check-In tool helps artists—such as professional dancers, painters, and performers—stay connected and supported during events, meetups, or late-night work sessions.

How we built it

HerFrame is built as a Next.js 15 App Router application using TypeScript, with MongoDB and Mongoose handling data storage for venues, ratings, art posts, and other community content. The interface is styled with Tailwind CSS, using a custom pastel-purple and lavender design system layered over a soft gradient background. On the client side, we use React Context to manage role selection between artists and the broader community, with preferences saved in localStorage for a smoother experience. Server-side logic is handled through Next.js API routes, with Zod validation to ensure data consistency and reliability. We also integrated Snowflake Cortex to provide AI-powered pricing guidance and community insights. The app is structured to separate server components for data fetching from client components for interactive features, with shared utilities and reusable components to keep the codebase clean and consistent. Our tech stack includes Next.js 15.5.3, React 19, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, MongoDB, Mongoose, and Snowflake Cortex.

Challenges we ran into

One of our biggest challenges was balancing anonymity, trust, and usability. We wanted the platform to feel safe and credible without requiring users to share personal information, so we carefully designed safety features that were reassuring rather than alarming or visually overwhelming. We also had to rethink how pricing and engagement could work in a space where identities are intentionally minimal. On an ideological level, we were very conscious of respecting and uplifting women’s art without overexposing creators in ways that could invite harassment. We went through several design iterations to ensure the interface felt empowering and human, rather than empty or impersonal.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud to have built a fully functional platform that prioritizes anonymity, safety, and equity from the ground up. In a short time, we designed and implemented an anonymous art marketplace, community storytelling features, and safety-focused tools such as the Art Map and Safety Check-In. We’re especially proud that HerFrame doesn’t just talk about protecting women artists, but actively designs around it through intentional UI, data models, and platform rules.

What we learned

Throughout the process, we learned how challenging it is to balance anonymity, trust, and usability. Small design decisions—like what information to show or hide—had a big impact on how safe and welcoming the platform felt. We also gained hands-on experience building a full-stack application that connects thoughtful UX design with real backend logic and data modeling. Above all, we learned the importance of intentional design, where every feature must serve a clear purpose and reflect our values of safety, fairness, and respect.

What's next for HerFrame

Next, we want to focus on deepening trust and sustainability within the platform. This includes refining moderation tools, improving recommendation and pricing guidance, and expanding the Art Map with verified venues and community-sourced feedback. We also want to explore optional, privacy-preserving ways for artists to build a reputation over time without sacrificing anonymity. In the long term, our goal is to grow HerFrame into a supportive creative ecosystem where women artists can share, sell, and connect with confidence—without feeling exposed or judged.

Built With

• api
• css
• mongodb
• mongoose
• next.js
• react
• snowflake
• tailwind
• typescript