ART TALKS at The Artistic Forum

Women Creating - March 2001

This month I was asked to write an article on the up and coming show Women Creating celebrating women in the arts. When discussing the project with my editor, the project seemed simple enough. Write about the show and why it exists. The why is what made the wheels turn. Why did a show for women exist? Why is it important for her as an artist? Why is it important for the public? Why no men? How can women expect to become mainstream if they continue to segregate themselves? What is this show trying to accomplish? To answer these questions I looked to more famous artists who have answered to the artists needs and examined their lives.

“...a woman needs money and a room of her own...” Virginia Woolf

...I agree. I agree. But, I also think that while Woolf touched upon two of the most basic needs for the artist to create, it is my contention that validating the existence of the artist is as crucial as the artist’s conviction, security and private time.

In Woolf’s book, A Room of Her Own, she contends “Imaginatively, (a woman) is of the highest importance; practically she is completely insignificant. She pervades poetry from cover to cover; she is all but absent from history.” Woolf, struggled in a patriarchal profession which devalued women’s literary skill. She consistently raged against “the system” through her style in her works challenging traditional literature. Woolf, also suffered from bouts of depression, often compared her work to male contemporaries and ultimately committed suicide. My point, validation proves more important than conviction, even for Virginia Woolf.

This is a contention I hold not only for women but all artists. Van Gogh, is a perfect example of this? Like Woolf, Van Gogh is convinced his innovations in art are “right”. Every fiber of his being knows this. Yet rage and conviction are not enough. He has no models before him. He is the model for a new age of art. He is not validated. He hears no encouragement. Eventually he cuts off his ear in madness blocking out the criticism, to stay committed to his art. While in an asylum after this incident, he writes, he is in desperate need of models for his art. But, he feels he is getting better in the asylum. Six months later, Van Gogh commits suicide.

What is this article really about? It’s about validation. Existing is not enough. Knowingness. That’s what we are about. Knowing that we exist. Existing can live on it’s own terms. It’s a physical thing. Our soul demands more. It craves knowledge and only each other gives us that. Validation--the approval we need to continue to create our creations.

A Platform, A Celebration, A Teacher, and A Way to Become Mainstream.

Gladys Dziezic stands by one of her works of art.
Gladys Dziezic stands by one of her works of art.

Women Creating is paramount to the Woman Artist. Gladys Dziezic, an artist of mixed media and one of the original organizers of the show says, “College texts never mention women artists. Women artists have long been neglected and although it’s getting better, we still have a long way to go. Men have better exposure. That’s one of the reasons we showcase women.”

Suzanne Packer, brainchild of Women Creating, says the whole point of the program is “to celebrate the creativity of women and bring it to the attention of the public. Women Creating helps mentor and network women.”

The Women Creating Show is in it’s seventh year celebrating a woman’s creativity in the visual arts, performance art, singing events, the written word and weaving shows. Sponsored by the Cape Cod Women’s Organization, Women Creating is a series of events throughout the month of March, International Women’s Month.

Each year Women Creating hosts two art shows, one invitational and one juried. They will also host a written event, “In Her Own Words”, also juried and invitational, at Barnes and Noble. The performance section of the Women Creating will highlight “Irish Women Telling Tales” and a newer event called “Weave Me Alone” at the Brewster Ladies Library. And each year, one artist is distinguished as “A Living Treasure”, outstanding in her field of art.

Women Creating not only celebrates and focuses on women, it also acts as a teacher for other artists, the public and slowly makes the woman artist more mainstream. The woman artist reaches other women artists who understand the female perspective. By exposing themselves to the public, these artists act as role models and convey womanly thoughts and emotions through their creations, establishing a foundation of voices uniquely female. The more this

Ms.Dziezic presents "Woman of the Year" award to artist Joyce Johnson.
Ms.Dziezic presents
"Woman of the Year" award
to artist Joyce Johnson.

is done, the more commonplace a woman’s pronouncements become, and consequently, more accepted, validated. The more we will belong.

Women Creating also has a student outreach program to retrain society’s mores regarding tomorrows youth. Exposing another view, another way.

Eventually, there will not be need for segregated shows. Through education and shows like these, a woman’s opinion will become equally respected and validated. I wait for the day when the name of the show is Artist Creating, undivided by gender, ideas different, yet equal and appreciated.

Student studying painting in Outreach program.

But until that day we have, Women Creating. Seven years strong. Savvy, clever, stylish and confident saying “I am woman, phenomenally woman! Yes, I am your favorite topic of conversation and here I am the conversation, telling, teaching, and walking down the hall in my diaphanous dress demonstrating myself. My grace mesmerizing. My love open to your mouth.”

For the whole month of March, we celebrate ourselves. We touch ourselves and like it. We experience our art, our words, our creation and our teaching. We smell our womanliness and say, “Yes, I am.”