From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
IT BEARS REPEATING
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007
For a friend (or two)(or three)
Even strong women break / fall apart in parking lots our lives upside down / wheels spinning Curse our way through or sleep it out / drink it out, consume it Find the weight so unbearable / our hearts just stop Sure, we can be both / strong and broken capable and crying / put together and a total fucking mess
all
at
the
same
time
Never underestimate the power in that / the force it takes to hold ourselves up while balancing the world
IT BEARS REPEATING
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
(or The Time a New Client Came to My Office with Porn Streaming on His Laptop)
He thinks he is a god perhaps because he’s seen through flesh and bone, formed breasts from mounds of earth, created his own father, he says — a graven image in profile.
He pours nectar in a cup, licks ambrosia from wizened lips, insisting the indulgences please his wife, then asks if I am single, looking for collusion.
Finding no inroad, he puts his foot down with bombastic flare, digs a heel into the ground and cocks a smirk, “I know the cut of your jib,” he says with bluster.
But I am moored firmly — unmoved by gods and their theatrics, preferring mere mortals, their rough-hewn souls, and flawed finishes.
IT BEARS REPEATING
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
I confess, I was a bit offended when one of the characters on my favorite television show walked on scene wearing a pussy bow blouse recently.
The show – Grey’s Anatomy – has long been known for putting women front and center. Strong female characters on screen, important topics like abortion rights and domestic violence, and women in roles from producers and directors, to writers and camera operators.
So the pussy bow surprised me. I’ve always thought of the fashion as something women had to wear in the 70s and 80s; a requisite corporate uniform to simulate the male necktie. Right?
Wrong.
Not a euphemism – originally anyhow – the pussy bow “tied high under your chin” was named after a ribbon one might tie around a kitten’s neck. It first appeared as a design in the early 20th century, and was considered highly feminine. It was a favorite of movie stars in the 1940s and 50s, and later picked up by designers like Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent. But, “over the years the pussy-bow blouse has evolved into a symbol of power for women in popular culture,” writes Bethany Armitage from CraftWorld.
“In the 1960s and 70s, as new opportunities began to grow and develop for working women, so did the popularity of the blouse. Trailblazing women who led the way to the top of their corporate careers had no established examples of how to dress and so looked to their male counterparts for cues. The blouse emulated an alternative to the traditional suit and tie, combining masculine work wear with a frill of femininity which made it an ideal choice for women who were looking to stand out and make an impact in a male-dominated environment.”
Fast forward a few decades, and apparently, the pussy bow blouse is making a big comeback. Again. It’s considered retro and vintage. A fashion statement. It’s a sign of female power, as well as a humble nod to the women who boldly stepped into the workforce and never, ever, looked back.
IT BEARS REPEATING
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
We sit, five of us, naked around the meeting table in the office of men who arrive, late, in suits and ties, and we laugh at how silly it is — smart women, business women, and these men — these men — insisting their way as we play along, again then he calls me girl — a little girl — and we laugh.
Later, in the lobby, as I hold up a bedsheet to my hide my self, I see across the room the lover who loved with shouts and shoves; he smiles and we embrace like old friends, then he shape-shifts bear, fox, jackal, demon holds a fist up to my face and laughs — he laughs —
And I wake up, naked deciphering dreams, their train window filmstrip passing, passing passing ever so briefly resurfacing to remind and retell stories almost forgot — but not — ever.
IT BEARS REPEATING
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
I rarely thought of that night in the gatehouse that overlooked the Sound, salt air moist on lips, and wine.
You wore a white sweater, the kind mariners wear while they tear hooks from small fish and throw them overboard.
There was a fire in the fireplace, and you sat on the floor next to me with your arm around my shoulders, laughing.
I can still see your face, that smirk of a smile that made my heart swim; feel the spot in my chest where love and anxiety mixed often with you.
There was a white robe in your bathroom, a second toothbrush in a cup — the things a woman leaves behind when she is certain she will not be discarded.
They were not mine.
My things were in a pile on the floor next to your bed where you left me in the dark, gutted and alone — the sound of a door somewhere shutting.
IT BEARS REPEATING
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
the one who watched her walk to sixth grade from his front door, bathrobe open, exposed
the one who slipped a tongue when no one was watching, just a goodnight kiss to a friend’s teen daughter
the one who assumed flirt meant fuck, crushed her hard against a suddenly reclined seat
the one who grabbed her like a Happy Meal expectation after their drive-thru supper
the one who insisted on air conditioning in winter, who joked about cold nipples while pouring hot coffee in the breakroom
the one who called her “girl” in a room full of men, then ignored her while she led the meeting
the one who slammed her into a corner, left bruises as a reminder that dishes were to be done before he got home
the one who dined her, wined her, loved her, then left her alone, in the dark…and never came back
IT BEARS REPEATING
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
My mother — not content with “grandcats” tries to set me up.
A nice man, she says. Goes to church. Works at a bank. Drives a nice car.
“Does he write?” I ask. “Paint?” “Dream?”
“I don’t know, you’ll like him,” she insists. Hopes.
“I have enough,” I tell her. “My work, writing, the house, friends.”
“Think about it,” she says. “I have,” I respond.
She asks again, a week later. Three weeks later. “No, Mom.”
“I don’t understand,” she says me. “You don’t understand,” I reply.
“You meet, no?” says her boyfriend, the older Greek man from upstairs.
“You talk. You like. You get married. No?”
“NO!” I think to scream — but am polite to my elders.
“Honey,” he says, “You are alone. You get married, you are happy.”
“I am happy,” I insist, no doubt in Swahili.
IT BEARS REPEATING
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological
Museum, Athens “An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
The museum is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with themed exhibits that offer an “opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all American artists, and look ahead toward the future of our nation.”
The future. Perhaps that is why I found myself equally inspired and weepy.
I was incredibly inspired, for example, by the fabulous exhibit “Architects of Being” which showcased a collection of sculpture, painting, collage, fashion and jewelry by mid-century artists Louise Nevelson and Esphyr Slobodkina. The curation and presentation of their work was delicious — I am still savoring the flirty pop of orange that was teased throughout the gallery. And John Hitchcock’s “We are Defined by the Beat!” was an experience of color and sound and memory.
Truth be told, I am always energized by the wild, out-of-the-box minds of contemporary artists in an I-Wanna-Be-An-Artist-Too kind of way.
But the Faith Ringgold exhibit “Declaration of Freedom and Independence” juxtaposed to the Colonial portrait gallery featuring lots of old white guys was unsettling. The iconic George Washington portrait gave a constant side-eye to Ringgold’s print series that “considers the contradictions between America’s promises, exclusions, and ongoing efforts to achieve justice and equality for all.”
And Women?, Faith RinggoldAnd Women?, Faith Ringgold
Remember all the Men would be tyrants if they could. — Abagail Adams, 1776
The coincidence of Portrait of Madame T in the gallery with the Grizzly Bear Bench seemed ironic, given the headlines of the day. Headlines which made Oscar Berger’s “Presidential Portraits” exhibit a non-starter for at least two museum patrons.
Hitchcock’s “Horse Songs” series called to mind the cruelty of the current president’s administration — from its desecration of public lands to the headlines about horse meat and horse slaughters, not to mention the hypocrisy of ostracizing immigrants while we’re all walking on Native American land.
Song for Lone Wolf, John Hitchcock, 2023Kiowa Chief Set’tainte (White Bear), John Hitchcock, 2024
But it was the wall of Guerrilla Girls statistics from the 70s and 80s that brought me to literal tears. I remember Guerrilla Girls from my early zine-making days, when I was a twenty-something young woman making her way in a world that felt deceptively equal and evolved. A world that looks shockingly different here, now, where everything is splayed inside out, statistics for even more wrong reasons.
Guerrilla GirlsGuerrilla Girls
It’s not that any of this is new, really. These inequalities and injustices. They have been part of our history, here in America, since our founding days 250 years ago. It’s even written in to our beloved Constitution, and implied, perhaps in this shocking piece called West Rock with Branches by Valerie Hegarty which makes one ask: what are we? where do we come from? and what are we becoming?
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
You mean a woman can open it ? Easily — without a knife blade, a bottle opener, or even a husband! All it takes is a dainty grasp, an easy, two-finger twist-and the catsup is ready to pour.
IT BEARS REPEATING
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14 from 2024.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
“You bought yourself a job,” the 60-something male financial advisor said of my successful, 30-year-old business.
I didn’t think to explain the numerous companies I’d assisted over the years, the countless artists, editors, designers, and print shops I’d supported, or the millions of dollars I’d helped local nonprofits raise.
I didn’t think to ask if he would say the same about my male accountant and attorney – both of whom are sole proprietors like myself. No doubt they own “firms” or “practices.”
I didn’t think to say much, except curtly thank him for his time and leave.
For me, the financial planner was just one in a line of men for whom I’ve had NO COMMENT over the years – not the one who felt emasculated because I opened my own doors, the one who took credit for my success because he referred ONE client to me back in 1994, or the one who suggested my leadership abilities equated to a leather-and-whip fetish. I simply let my actions speak louder than any words I might conjure up in the moment of incredulity and outrage.
You see, my actions, always, have been based on the assumption that I can be whatever I want to be, and do whatever I want to do. It’s what my parents taught me. It’s what my role models in the 70s and 80s demonstrated for me – Mary Tyler Moore, Marlo Thomas, Judy Blume, Madeleine Blaise, Madonna, Jane Fonda. It’s what I aspired to, despite the cultural predictions for me in my birth-year horoscope.
And it’s how I’ve lived my life since I was old enough to make my own decisions about things – how I work and play, where I live and love, what I do and how. My own terms. My own expectations.
Of course, that doesn’t sit well with some folks. Mostly male folks of a certain genre. And there have always been attempts to keep me “in my place” – verbally, physically, financially, and so forth. But like so many countless women, I have persevered and succeeded, despite the obstacles and objections.
IT BEARS REPEATING
The upcoming series of blog posts is in honor of ALL the women who can, who do, and who keep on doing – who persist – no matter what. They are part of “You Mean A Woman Can Open It,” MANIFEST (zine) #14.
You Mean A Woman Can Open It? 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement.
Well, my boy, let’s get started, from “For me, the perfect hostess is the lady with the whip,” German Artist’s Book, 1960s.
Best Loved Nursery Rhymes Picture Book, circa 1950s.
Photos of Ryan Zinke from “Interior Secretary Orders Protester To ‘Be Nice’ During Visit To Bears Ears,” Huffington Post, May 2017.
Family group on a grave marker from Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
“An American Girl in Italy,” (Ninalee Craig) by Ruth Orkin, 1951.
Mess of Fish, Paul Klee
The coat-stand (Porte manteau), by Man Ray, 1920.
Calliope, Augustin Pajou, 1763.
Vogue sewing pattern, 1980s.
“The history of the pussy bow blouse,” Bethany Armitage, CraftWorld, March 2019.
Atlas Was a Woman, by Céline (Melle-T), Deviant Art, 2007.
From the collection of Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902) a German-Austrian psychiatrist + early sexologist, 1886.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” – an expression adopted by feminists, especially in the U.S. after the Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren to stop speaking during the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.
“You Are Here” is the reassuring little icon on a trail map that gives you your bearings, lets you know, in the grand scheme of things Where. You. Are. It’s often the first thing you see when you start out on an adventure somewhere. These days, with things so frighteningly askew, it’s good to have a sense of where you are in that grand scheme. And there is nothing better to make you feel a little more grounded, a little more connected to the bigger picture, than a walk in the woods!
Join me for a walk at one of my favorite places to unwind, regroup, and find inspiration.
INGREDIENTS: collage, color scans, digital art, ephemera, essays, original photographs, poetry, quotes, vintage artwork. With thanks to GIS Specialist Nicole Castro, Erwin Raisz, Ted Andrews, Hans Christian Anderson; Joseph Smith, William Curtis and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Jamie Sams and David Carson, Henry David Thoreau.
Full Color 11×17 folded map with way too many inserts and a curated video playlist. Cost: $8.00.
You can pay through PayPal using a PayPal account or any standard credit card. If you prefer the old school approach, please send your check, made payable to Jen Payne, P.O. Box 453, Branford, CT 06405.
“You Are Here” is the reassuring little icon on a trail map that gives you your bearings, lets you know, in the grand scheme of things Where. You. Are. It’s often the first thing you see when you start out on an adventure somewhere. These days, with things so frighteningly askew, it’s good to have a sense of where you are in that grand scheme. And there is nothing better to make you feel a little more grounded, a little more connected to the bigger picture, than a walk in the woods!
Join me for a walk at one of my favorite places to unwind, regroup, and find inspiration.
INGREDIENTS: collage, color scans, digital art, ephemera, essays, original photographs, poetry, quotes, vintage artwork. With thanks to GIS Specialist Nicole Castro, Erwin Raisz, Ted Andrews, Hans Christian Anderson; Joseph Smith, William Curtis and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Jamie Sams and David Carson, Henry David Thoreau.
Full Color 11×17 folded map with way too many inserts and a curated video playlist. Cost: $8.00.
You can pay through PayPal using a PayPal account or any standard credit card. If you prefer the old school approach, please send your check, made payable to Jen Payne, P.O. Box 453, Branford, CT 06405.
Writing guru Natalie Goldberg advises: “Say what you want to say. Don’t worry if it’s correct, polite, appropriate. Just let it rip.” And author Neil Gaiman suggests, “This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard.” Explore what it is about writing — about creating — that has us so frequently stymied. Ask yourself: Why can’t we Just Do It?
INGREDIENTS: collage, color scans, digital art, ephemera, essays, original photographs, poetry, quotes, vintage artwork. With thanks to Emily Dickinson, Peter Fischli and David Weiss, Grey’s Anatomy, Madge Kennedy, the New York Zoological Society, Oliver Twist, Harry Potter, Natasha Pulley, and Taylor Swift.
16-page, Full Color 4.75″ square booklet and a curated Spotify playlist. Cost: $8.00.
You can pay through PayPal using a PayPal account or any standard credit card. If you prefer the old school approach, please send your check, made payable to Jen Payne, P.O. Box 453, Branford, CT 06405.
All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.
As we move among the creatures of this planet — every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth — one can’t help but think of some greater force at work. Whether you call it God, Nature, or the Universe, come walk with me, meet some of my divine friends, and let’s see if John Muir was right when he wrote “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
INGREDIENTS: appropriation art, ceramic art, collaged elements, color copies, color scans, digital art, ephemera, essays, found art, found objects, found poetry, hand-drawn fonts, laser prints, original photographs, poetry, quotes, watercolor painting. With special thanks to Susan Doolittle and Mary O’Connor, and guest appearances by Ted Andrews, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Walt Disney, John Drysdale, Ogata Gekko, Ed Mazza, John Muir, Richard Scarry, E.H. Shepard, Ben Team, Brian Tomasik, Dr. E.O. Wilson, and Shibata Zeshin.
28-page, full color 5×7 booklet + Inserts and curated Spotify playlist, Cost: $8.00or subscribe and get 4 issues for $25.00.
You can pay through PayPal using a PayPal account or any standard credit card. If you prefer the old school approach, please send your check, made payable to Jen Payne, P.O. Box 453, Branford, CT 06405.
All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.
As we move among the creatures of this planet — every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth — one can’t help but think of some greater force at work. Whether you call it God, Nature, or the Universe, come walk with me, meet some of my divine friends, and let’s see if John Muir was right when he wrote “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
INGREDIENTS: appropriation art, ceramic art, collaged elements, color copies, color scans, digital art, ephemera, essays, found art, found objects, found poetry, hand-drawn fonts, laser prints, original photographs, poetry, quotes, watercolor painting. With special thanks to Susan Doolittle and Mary O’Connor, and guest appearances by Ted Andrews, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Walt Disney, John Drysdale, Ogata Gekko, Ed Mazza, John Muir, Richard Scarry, E.H. Shepard, Ben Team, Brian Tomasik, Dr. E.O. Wilson, and Shibata Zeshin.
28-page, full color 5×7 booklet + Inserts and curated Spotify playlist, Cost: $8.00or subscribe and get 4 issues for $25.00.
ORDER BY JANUARY 10and get a free copy ofTHERE’S NO SUCH THING AS THE POOP FAIRY:5 Things to Remember when You Walk in the Woods
You can pay through PayPal using a PayPal account or any standard credit card. If you prefer the old school approach, please send your check, made payable to Jen Payne, P.O. Box 453, Branford, CT 06405.
I am psyched to be part of THE EXCHANGE, a statewide artist treasure hunt happening in Connecticut from now until November 1! CLICK HERE for an interactive map, GPS coordinates, and video clues from all of the artists!
SomethingProjects is launching its first project, a statewide Connecticut Artist Treasure Hunt called THE EXCHANGE, on view daily, August 15 – November 1, 2022 (rain or sun). It includes GPS-tracking, QR codes, and adventuring to 15 unique public art installations. The designated sites can be accessed through a map with GPS coordinates found at SomethingProjects.net beginning August 15.
Get ready for an adventure! Plan your outing to visit the many exciting projects in which the public is invited to engage in fun and meaningful ways in the towns of: Beacon Falls, Branford, Bridgeport, Darien, Easton, Fairfield, Hamden, Hartford, Meriden, New Haven, North Haven, Washington Depot, and Waterbury. Learn about these artists selected from your community by participating in the act of discovering what they have created to exchange with you.
THE EXCHANGE ARTISTS
Jeff Becker, Easton Meg Bloom, New Haven David Borawski, Hartford Susan Breen, Bridgeport Joy Bush, Hamden Susan Clinard, New Haven Jennifer Davies, Branford Sierra Dennehy, New Haven Ellen Hackl Fagan, Darien Crystal Heiden, Milford Allison Hornak, New Haven Fritz Horstman, Bethany Joe Bun Keo, Vernon/Rockville Judith Kruger, New Haven Susan McCaslin, New Haven Bailey Murphy, Meriden Adam Niklewicz, North Haven Jen Payne, Branford Roxy Savage, Fairfield Max Schmidt, Meriden Rosanne Shea, Waterbury Kim Van Aelst, Hamden Jo Yarrington, Fairfield
ABOUT SOMETHINGPROJECTS In 2022, longtime friends and artists, Howard el-Yasin and Suzan Shutan decided to partner and launched SomethingProjects: a nomadic and provisional space providing short-term exhibitions that dually highlight artists as well as introducing communities to new viewpoints and practices by state, regional, national and international artists. As an incubator for ideas it encourages artists to step outside their boundaries and experiment with the intersection of materials, production, presentation and means of engagement with audience and space. Their locations will change, and offer site-specific opportunities. For more information about SomethingProjects and THE EXCHANGE, visit www.SomethingProjects.net.
Supported by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Connecticut Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the federal ARPA.
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL ZINE MONTH! Come on over to the Three Chairs Publishing website and join me as we celebrate a month full of zine things! Find out about zines, zine libraries, zine history, how to make your own zine and more!
Did you know that each issue of MANIFEST (zine) includes a Spotify playlist especially curated for readers? For the CRICKETS issue, I had fun playing off the themes of silence, finding one’s voice, and creating from the heart. It features an eclectic set of songs by artists like Disturbed, Grace Carter, Barry Manilow, John Mayer, Natasha Bedingfield, and Brandi Carlile. Take a listen now!
IMAGE: Midsummer Frolic, British Library Digital Library, When Life is Young, Mary Elizabeth Mapes Dodge, 1894.
Storytelling is in our DNA says Brené Brown in her book Rising Strong. We share our stories because “we feel most alive when we’re connecting with others and being brave with our stories.” That process, she explains, causes our brains to release cortisol and oxytocin, the chemicals that “trigger the uniquely human ability to connect, empathize, and make meaning.” So we write. And we create. No matter who listens or responds. Crickets be damned.
MANIFEST (zine): Crickets is a riff and a rant about the consequences of creative bravery. It’s a 24-page, full color booklet that includes a curated Spotify playlist for your listening pleasure.
INGREDIENTS: appropriation art, black-out poetry, collaged elements, color copies, colored markers, ephemera, hand-drawn fonts, ink jet copies, laser prints, vintage illustrations, watercolor paints, and “11 Cute Facts About Crickets.”
With THANKS to to the British Library Digital Library, Brené Brown, Leonard Cohen, Carlo Collodi, Francis Crick, Charles Dickens, Mary Elizabeth Mapes Dodge, Natalie Goldberg, Charles d. Orbigny, Pinocchio, George Selden, the Trustees of the British Museum, James Watson, and Margaret J. Wheatley.
Issue #4, Crickets 24-page, full-color 4.25 x 5.5, Cost: $6.00
Storytelling is in our DNA says Brené Brown in her book Rising Strong. We share our stories because “we feel most alive when we’re connecting with others and being brave with our stories.” That process, she explains, causes our brains to release cortisol and oxytocin, the chemicals that “trigger the uniquely human ability to connect, empathize, and make meaning.” So we write. And we create. No matter who listens or responds. Crickets be damned.
MANIFEST (zine): Crickets is a riff and a rant about the consequences of creative bravery. It’s a 24-page, full color booklet that includes a curated Spotify playlist for your listening pleasure.
INGREDIENTS: appropriation art, black-out poetry, collaged elements, color copies, colored markers, ephemera, hand-drawn fonts, ink jet copies, laser prints, vintage illustrations, watercolor paints, and “11 Cute Facts About Crickets.”
With THANKS to to the British Library Digital Library, Brené Brown, Leonard Cohen, Carlo Collodi, Francis Crick, Charles Dickens, Mary Elizabeth Mapes Dodge, Natalie Goldberg, Charles d. Orbigny, Pinocchio, George Selden, the Trustees of the British Museum, James Watson, and Margaret J. Wheatley.
Issue #4, Crickets 24-page, full-color 4.25 x 5.5, Cost: $6.00
