Personal Path to Independence
Single, self-employed migrant citizen was inspired by Mary Tyler Moore. TV made it simple and pleasant, except it was after the drugs and corruption surfaced in the 80s. Not too many girls drove 2000 miles from home to find a job, an apartment and make a life for themselves.
Margaret Thatcher was the only female for me to consider as a role model. Sorta. Rock-n-roll seemed more relatable. My high school social studies teacher couldn’t believe I noted Grace Slick in a new time of an array of student opinion of “leaders.”
Having no brothers teaches self-reliance for some practical things like fixing the car, but it doesn’t offer help with some issues like understanding the mentality of the opposite sex. Fun-loving, active, heterosexual guys are not considered problems… except when unwanted attention was received. They don’t tell girls about the curse of attraction. How can parents warn you of something they do not know? I did not chime in on the Meet Too or Pussy Power movements, even though it shook loose some deep memories, like a message in a bottle that washes up on your own launching point. I knew. But I’m not interested in validating the deliberate predators or suffering through the witless fools encountered along the way.
Not marrying the first, second or third love and not having any babies were surprising choices. Those options seemed too obvious. I’m not a spinster or damaged. Rather a defiant, girly warrior, an outlaw to the institutions that are expected and practiced by the majority of humanity. No parading with it on my sleeve. Feminine and polite surprises by unsuspecting verbal bites. No one warned me of being brave.
To be a single woman artist in a patriarchal society was a necessary choice between motherhood and creativity of another sort. However, in this I found my greatest contribution to culture in the daily demonstration of my lifestyle and work ethic.
Paying my own bills gave me satisfaction. Choosing my own furniture and clothes was a proud thrill. And doing the bravest and best work I could, the ultimate life I could manifest. Building on the wild array of ideas about Emily Dickenson, and Rosie the Riveter, Vera, and Malala, I went forward with my camera, as gracefully as a self-taught Midwest lefty could. A gender bender in my own characteristic way. Enjoying the fashion, make-up and other feminine qualities while mindful of the deeper questions and taking risks by asking them.
Lost my religion at a Judy Chicago exhibit, The Dinner Party. The didactic panels charted the female Pope who, of course, was impregnated, resulting in the inability to portray herself as a man any longer. They stoned her to death and removed all indications of this part or HERstory. I had been upset to not be allowed as an alter girl!
Thought I was a late bloomer, then realized most women come late to success. After witnessing the delays and distractions of care taking combined with blatant male dismissal of the equally talented, unknown wives of famous artists, I accelerated into my 50s! Beatrice Wood went the distance. In tune with the Guerrilla Girls, I was the one who asked the Gallery why there are no women in their group show. It was not for myself.
Eminent Domain Exhibition
When I was invited to participate in Eminent Domain, the Intersectional Feminist Exhibition, I found that my best statement would not be my well known work. It meant demonstrating our power for the greater good of all.
“SHE Is The New Buddha” created the calm corner of the main room, reminding us strong and angst-ridden femmes that nature, the Mother, and peacefulness are the most powerful currents. The pause is powerful to gather intent, and delivery. Like the adage “still waters run deep,” the pause on this androgynous deity is not passive but active. The sisterhood and sustainability make up the energy that is stronger than the painful experiences that we share and have come to articulate and actualize. Resilience and persistence brought the cultural shifts that have arrived. The weaker sex is mightier in more subtle ways. And God is a woman.
Being part of something bigger inspires us all to greater expression. Meeting the other diverse artists expanded my comfort zone. Colorful makeup and hair, wild fashion and the array of expressions in the exhibition are the commonalities that built a solid mark in time, the opening. The swarm of cross-pollinated babies who came to stamp their passport into the future. It’s female, alpha-omega. LGBTQ, traditional and men are welcome to get to know HERstory.
The Players
Scotto is a kindred artist soul and friend now. We consistently do the work. Working artists appreciate one another in ways those who only use the title, can’t understand.
Lotte is one of us, doing the same in Manchester. Anna is delightful and deep with her historic values. Katie brings the magic with her surprising wisdom and radical grace. With Qinza it is inspiring to know a progressive Pakistani woman willing to take the brave path of communicating her people’s angst. Laurence’s elegant “can-do” style is easy to bond with, like all of these key people I worked with on this project.
Details of “SHE is the new Buddha”
This mixed media artwork is photography based. I took the photos in Maui (while celebrating my parents’ 50th anniversary) and digitally collaged them. It is printed using archival inks on canvas stock that textured and flexible. Then the photo collage is hand-painted with acrylics for a unique art piece. Ramon built the frame and stretched the canvas.
Buddha’s eyes are rainbows with ultraviolet light flooding through. Her thumbnail and lips are pink because she is ritually embracing her femininity. The Holy Ghost is symbolically at her third eye, blending West and East philosophies.
She gently holds the dark blue masculine symbol, the marlin, on her back as a reminder of infinite wisdom and balance (yin and yang) that are always in play. The marlin is an original photograph that I created in a mandala-style pattern to symbolize flow and force of unseen energy in the air and thoughts. Within the marlin is a vignette of a setting sun, a symbol of the redundant cycles of life.
Lovely pink flowers hanging from Hawaiian trees grace the heroine. BTW, heroin became a negative over a very dangerous narcotic drug that blames women for the seduction and euphoric problem!
Bright green leaves in the background add the linear graphic V, which is symbolic for women.
Thank you, Art 511 Mag and Manchester Art and the other sponsors for giving me the right community to share all of this.
