Bread and Roses

Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis have organized an annual juried art exhibition to celebrate International Women's Day. They posted a call for entries from comtemporary women artists, and I figured I may as well answer that call. The show will be titled "Bread and Roses" after James Oppenheim's poem of the same name. The poem refers to the Lawrence textile strike which took place in 1912. This strike for better wages and working conditions was led to a great extent by women.

I entered this piece and now I get to wait in agonizing anticipation for the jury's verdict. The exhibition is looking for art that celebrates women and highlights then need for continued action to secure and maintain women's rights. I thought this piece would fit the theme of the show because there's a certain violence present, as well as sadness, acceptance and transformation. I get the sense that the girl in the picture is somehow assaulted, yet very wise. But I say too much. I love to interpret and explicate my own art, but then I remembe that I hate interpreting and explicating my own art.

The show will be hosted by the Alma Gallery from March 3-11. Wish me luck!

Drink and Draw

I have now attended two artist get togethers in Guelph, fondly known as drink and draws. They were organized by illustrator Michael Byers, whose excellent work can be perused here. These gatherings have been a great way for me to meet some working artists who all have a lot of wisdom and experience between them. It's also bee a great way to relax between all the school projects, and I ususally feel refreshed after a night of drawing just for kicks. Mike has set up a blog to exhibit some of the group's creations which you can check out here.

Here are some of the drawings we've come up with.