Photographer Stephanie Bartz started a project last year that was inspired by her mother, who was a single mom of two children and worked as a waitress while attending business school. She later got a job for a company of 300 employees, only three of whom were women.

“My mom wanted a better life and income to support us,” says Bartz. “She became one of the top sales reps and she is remembered as being personal and a firecracker.”

Bartz’s photography show – which hangs on the first floor of the Wauwatosa Public Library – is called “Women’s Work.” The photos are black and white and the subjects are Wisconsin females on the job, all of whom work in traditionally male-dominated industries from auto racing to fire fighting.

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“This series aims to celebrate women and to normalize these fields for all,” she says. “I want it to be an inspiration to younger females, but also show boys and men they have every right to be alongside them in the workforce.”

The project is a work-in-progress. Bartz has a list of many other women she plans to photograph in the near future. 

“With all that's going on in our world – with all the rights taken away from women – I think it's as important as ever to empower and uplift other women,” says Bartz. “And this is one of the ways I'm doing it with my photo series.”

“Women’s Work” runs through Saturday, June 29 at The Wauwatosa Public Library, 7635 W. North Ave. The library is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.