International Women's day
There's a well known piece of work by the Guerilla Girls. It features a reclining female nude wearing a Gorilla mask. Along side her sits the quote:
"Less than 3% of the Artists in the Met. Museum are women, but 83% of the nudes are female".
It's a statistic that hits hard on the average day but on International women's day, it impacts just that little bit more. Every day we, a women, accept inequalities that affect us. Not always consciously and not always laying down but still we have to allow some inequalities to wash over us. It we didn't we would be permanently in a state of exhaustion. Equality is an ongoing battle; we're more equal than we once were but there is still a long way to go. We only have to look at recent news stories and the prevalence of the "me too" campaign. This is why I think International women's day is so important and why it is vital for us to shout and sing about remarkable women in every area of society. So, inspired by International Women's Day, today I am taking on a little of that responsibility and writing about three female Artists that I look up to and admire:
I consider myself incredibly lucky to know and to have been taught by Hilary. She was a tutor of mine at Bishop Grosseteste University during my first and subsequent years studying for my degree. Her work and her teaching style guided me in the direction of textile work. Under her instruction (and under the instruction of some really amazing male tutors - but it's not their day!) I discovered my love of 3-D work, this was a majorly big deal for me as I'd always seen myself an 2-D artist, as it turned out I loved to work in all art disciplines. Hilary is the reason I chose to research felting techniques and specialise for a while post-graduation in felt making.
Hilary is a long standing member of the 62 Group, an artist led organisation. A group that pushes the boundaries of textile practice, and her Hilary's practice certainly does that. Her work is created in tones of grey, with an industrial feel. Her work focuses "on the incidental, ordinary and seemingly insignificant". The importance of the everyday, even when it seems to us to be the banal. I love the structure of her work and how it often contrasts against the materials she uses.
Her work inspired my 'Ages of Woman' piece. She, in essence is the matriarch of the piece, with the gravity that commands respect that comes with experience. Women like Hilary are beyond inspiring in life and practice, they have chosen their path and strode on it in a male creatives' world.
I first discovered Barbara Keals work when I was incredibly lucky enough to exhibit alongside her in the National Centre for Craft and Designs touring exhibition ‘Black Sheep: The Darker Side of Felt’. I researched the other Artists taking part in the exhibition and instantly fell in love with her work. Keal manipulates wool (sourced locally to her home) into raw animal skins to adorn the human figure. Her work speaks of primal instincts, ritual and spirituality. When I saw her across the room, at the preview of ‘Black Sheep’ I believed I was in the presence of a pagan goddess. Adorned in a felt head dress and ensemble of her own creation, towering above the other visitors (she stands at over 6ft tall) and with a roundness of her belly telling of her almost full term pregnancy.
I spoke to her. At least I tried. In reality I fan-girled. It’s not something I ever imagined myself doing. “I love your work”, I gushed, and then my brain failed me. Barbara asked my mother (who was attending with me) whether she’d like to try her headdress on. I accepted on her behalf, and then jumped at the chance to wear it myself. It didn’t gift with the same power as it did it’s Artist mother but it is, by far, one of my favourite moments in my art career.
Whilst I was studying at university, the resources centre subscribed to a number of Art magazines. As a poor student, and generally frugal person I would descend upon the new copies as they arrived. If I couldn't read them then and there I'd photocopy articles to take home and indulge in. During one such day I came across an advert in Crafts magazine for a Jeweller. It showed a ring made from dripped gold and roughly cut stones. I instantly fell in love. I showed my partner and he was in agreement, we needed to go see this ring ...
A little research later and we were on our way to a little jewellery shop in Bristol. I tried it on but alas, it was too big. This disappointment, however, was not a negative experience as it led to an encounter with this incredibly talented artist and memories that I’ll value always.
My partner and I knew that we wanted to commission the artist to make a ring personal to us and so on an agreed date we travelled to her home just outside of Leicester. We were greeted by Ruth and invited inside for tea and the hospitality of her two beautiful dogs. As she spoke to us about options she handed us an array of rough diamonds and precious stones. We turned them over in our hands in astonishment as Ruby the cocker spaniel licked our fingers and gave us visions of the stones disappearing with the swipe of a tongue.
I am forever grateful that the original ring didn’t fit as it gave us the gift of a specially made ring with a specially chosen stone that means more to me than any high street ring ever could.
Ruth Wood's jewellery has a rawness and irregularity that speaks of a hand made object. As a lover of Japanese philosophy, I take a sense of Wabi Sabi from her work. The philosophy speaks of the beauty found in transience and imperfection. My attraction to her work is due, I think, to the visual honesty of its production, marks that speak of the malleable nature of gold and stones pulled from the earth. She states that "her work is inspired by ancient artefacts and treasures, irregular form and the erosion and texture of materials, such as rock formations within caves". To me, her work is beauty and purity, without the desire to hide the evidence of the maker. Ruth Wood has since opened her own independent jewellery shop filled with stunning jewellery by Artists including her own work. Named Ada, meaning adornment, Find the website here.
Which female Artists do you admire? I'd love to hear about other amazing practicing female Artists! Share your thoughts in the comments section below:
