She's Making HerStory: Meet Tamara Thomas in her own words

"As an artist I create.  'The Art' I channel allows many to experience the creative self of the 'engager' and consider what they/we are co-creating.  I am excited to be part of this awareness of the feminine contribution and the re-balancing of feminine and masculine energies on this plane.  The 'Art' illuminates women's internal power to create the realities she desires to experience.  The 'Art" in this show [H5] include the honoring of systems and names given to systems found in a variety of cultural traditions.  Via this process, messages are delivered.  Interaction between engager and 'Art' allows for receiving of vibrations of the 'Art."  When the receiver makes contact with this vibration...the cycle of creation continues and the 'Art' is sealed in continuance. 

'The Art,' ever birthing from many conscious and unconscious influence in my life, possesses spiritual and technical layerings.  In it, one can experience the layering of nature, thoughts, perspective, interlacing of chords, thoughts, vibrations, overlapping and inter-acting of dreams and realities--all creations.  Materials that contribute to layering, vibrancy, transparency and texture all aide in my desire for 'The Art' to be felt internally, externally, and have 'vibrational' impact continually."

*Tamara Thomas is a native of Trinidad and Tobago.  Her mediums include Batik and mixed/multi media 2d works.  She has exhibited in both the U.S. and the Caribbean. 

She's Making HerStory: Meet Therese Brown in her own words

"This series, and much of the work I produce, expresses my ongoing relationship to the earth and the theme of introspection.  The connectedness of nature and the surrounding world, guides my understanding of what's within myself and how I fit into the whole.

My work uses a variety of techniques, but almost always includes some film, traditional darkroom printing, and/or alternative/historic print making such as cyanotypes. These hands on methods of photography help me slow down the process and offer the element of surprise, with the cyanotypes in particular producing a unique, one of a kind artwork for each print made."

*Therese Brown resides in the SanFransico Bay area with her husband and two children.  She has been a photographer for over 22 years.

She's Making Herstory: Meet Ras In Her Own Words

"London born Cheryl "Ras" Thuesday, is a six-year freelance designer and illustration junkie who resides in Washington, DC.  Her clientele consist of BBH, Big Chair, and Children's Hospital.  This bohemian painter studied graphic design at the School of Visual Arts.  Find her at your nearest coffee shop sipping on a lovely mocha, or walking around town looking for her next inspiration."

She's Making Herstory: Meet Patricia Steck in her own words

"I paint because I can't remember a time when I didn't.  Painting and drawing is what allows me to express my thoughts, my disappointments, my past and present experiences.  It also gives me the opportunity to engage, perhaps connect with people I'd never meet in an interesting way.  I tend to gravitate to using imagery, double entendre, and metaphor to tell a story in my paintings.

I choose Gouche as my medium because it allows me more freedome with color intensity.  I can lay the colors down dry brush, giving a more flat but funky, rich color...or, wet brush which lets the texture of the paper show through giving the images a dreamy quality the same way traditional watercolor can be used."

*Pat Steck is currently on staff at the Arts and Cultural Heritage Dvision at the Montpelier Arts Center in Laurel, MD.  She holds an Associates Degree from the Maryland College of Art and Design and has worked in the field of graphic design for over 25 years. 

Art is the Intersection

When Michelle d. Parrish created the "Making HerStory" brand concept, it sort of just happened.  An exhibition that she had developed turned out to be a woman only showing and happened to fall at the start of Women's history month.  She thought it would be a good idea to tie the two together.  Little did she know that other fellow female artisans would agree.  Since that time, she's met dozens of women artists with whom she's talked, laughed, mentored, broken bread, and created.  She's found much diversity among the women she's met making the opportunities to learn and grow astounding.

What amazes her most is the "oneness" she feels among the women she's met in HerStory.  "The stereotypical boundary lines of difference do not exist in HerStory.  ...Not in age, race, skill level, genre, ethnicity, religion...it does not exist," says Parrish.  Her favorite example of that of the relationship between she and co-curator, Jennifer Judelsohn.  "Jen is Jewish and I am Christian; so, when we began working together we had to find balance on weekends because she observed on Saturday and I on Sunday.  In our desire to respect one another, we found an amazing number of similarities between us."  HerStory 5 is their second year working together as co-curators, but they have been friends since they met a few years prior.

As an artist, Parrish's style is organic which most would say is an overflow from her personal style.  She is connected to and believes in the creativity of each woman with which HerStory has come into contact.  She firmly believes that once an artist participates in the program, she is forever art part of HerStory.  As Parrish to eloquently puts it, "We make art.  We are women.  In those things, we are one.  Art is the Intersection by which our paths cross and we connect."

What is "the Inclination to Rise?"

Last year HerStory did it's usual tour of Artomatic in support of its participating artists and other women in the arts. It was fantastic, inspiring, and motivating. On that same day, co-curator, Jennifer Judelsohn, hosted "cupcakes and conversation" at her display area. It was there that I saw, "the inclination to rise." It was the theme of Jen's exhibition. As if Jen's work had not always inspired me to think and feel deeply, this theme resonated with me long after I left the event.

This year's theme, "the inclination to rise," is inspired by Jen and her work and its appropriate connection to women. I asked Jen to tell me about theme and these are her words:

"Life is not for the faint of heart. In the natural course of things, everything moves toward a state of entropy, chaos, decay, and death. In my own life, I have dealt with a chronic illness for more than twenty years and have come face to face with this sense of decline.

In the past few years I have began a journey in which I follow the impulses of my body— to rest when it wants to rest, and to move when it wants to move. Often I get up only because I have an “obligation to rise.” On days when I have no such obligation, I have allowed myself the time to rest.

For a while, I thought I would never get up if I did not have a reason. Yet, over time, I have found that I have 'the inclination to rise'...

...a call to spirit to move beyond the ordinary, to rise up in the face of pain, exhaustion, deep fatigue. Though the experience is personal to me, the query is universal: What inspires the soul to rise above the obstacles and challenges and natural propensities of life? Perhaps it is a desire for connection, a curiosity to discover something new, an experience of something inspiring or beautiful, or a sense of adventure. Perhaps it is all of these things and more."

HerStory5 Is Here!!!!

The fifth anniversary of Making HerStory is here! We gearing up and getting ready but we can't do it without you. So we're calling on you:

Call for Art:

“Making HerStory 5: the inclination to rise”

The ThickArt Collaborative, LLC, and Neshama Soulworks Studio, LLC, in conjunction with the Peace & a Cup of Joe Café (Baltimore, Maryland), and Beanetics Coffee Roasters (Annandale, Virginia), and friends, seek submissions for “Making HerStory 5: the inclination to rise.”

Making HerStory celebrates the vast and diverse forms of creativity offered by women artists. Making HerStory highlights art by women in many forms: visual, written and spoken word, and music. This year’s event will mark the fifth annual celebration of women in the arts. In celebration of HerStory’s fifth anniversary, five youth female artists, ages 6-18, will be provided scholarships to participate in this year’s exhibition.

We are seeking submissions of two-dimensional original artwork in any medium that embodies the theme of women’s inclination to rise.” Nude or risqué material will not be accepted. All artwork must be no larger than 30″W x 30″H in size and must be properly wired and ready to hang. Unframed works should have neatly finished edges.

Each venue has limitations of space, so a variety of sizes is preferred. The curators will determine which venue best suits your work. Individual artists may submit up to three works for consideration.

Exhibition Dates

Exhibition dates are March 1, through April 23, 2010. The Grand Opening Reception is scheduled for March 13, 2010, at Peace & a Cup of Joe.

Entry Details

Interested participants shall submit an expression of interest including an artist’s statement (no more than 100 words) and a biographical statement (no more than 100 words); and up to three (3) JPEGs (a resolution of at least 300 dpi prefered) of artwork you propose to include in Making HerStory to herstory@thickart.com and jennifer@soulworksstudio.com. An application form is included for your convenience (send us an email for the attachment).

Deadline

Expressions of interest must be received by January 30, 2010, to be considered. However, early entry is encouraged.

Notification

Selection of exhibiting artists is at the sole discretion of The ThickArt Collaborative and Neshama Soulworks Studio. Artists selected to exhibit will be notified no later than February 7, 2010; however, notification may be provided on a rolling basis from the issuance of this call. Upon notification, exhibiting artists must sign an artist’s agreement with The ThickArt Collaborative and Neshama Soulworks Studio and submit a $25 hanging fee to reserve their place. Installation is scheduled for February 27 & 28, 2010. Instructions for delivery of work shall be included in notification.

Artwork is to be for sale at prices established by the artist. Artist will retain 70 percent of all sales; The ThickArt Collaborative and Neshama Soulworks Studio will receive a commission of 30 percent on all sales.

For Additional Information:

Contact Michelle d. Parrish at mik@thickart.com or Jennifer Judelsohn at jennifer@soulworksstudio.com.