bonfire madigan in LA every sunday in may‏

New Music Residency Showcase 2010

Composer, Singing-Cellist Bonfire Madigan curates and performs a unique concert every Sunday in May at the Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles

May 2nd, 9pm Bonfire Madigan performs pieces from her Kill Rock Stars catalog and selections frm her forthcoming full length stud...io album. 8pm Cate La Bon from Europe

May 9th, 9pm Bonfire Madigan plays songs by mom's (a special Mother's Day show - bring a mom!) 8pm surprise guests

May 16th, 9pm BMad w/ a tribute to American composer Moondog 8pm Rachael Cantu

May 23rd, 9pm BMad plays w/ the work of composer, singing cellist Arthur Russell 8pm DUBUS frm Tijuana

May 30th, 9pm BMad debuts selections frm her original score to the theatrical event Elektra opening Sept at the Getty Villa, starring Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis 8pm Emily Jane White frm San Francisco

only $8 in advance $10 at the door

http://foldsilverlake.com

http://bonfiremadigan.com

discuss...

Why Can’t I Be Making Love Cause I’m In It? Or, The Phair/Cuomo Conundrum

Neat article from the looking-all-kinds-of-rad LADYPALOOZA week at Tiger Beatdown blog.

gives good interview

Sabrina Chap sure gives good interview...

http://blog.thequeerist.com/2010/03/interview-with-sabrina-chap

CG: You seem to have many different creative outlets. How do you juggle being such a jack of all trades?
SC: I don’t. I’m a mess. In fact, I’m crying right now.

Totally love Sabrina :)


[p.s. I interviewed Sabrina years ago too. You can read here]

* * * * *

crazy ass 'democracy'

Okay, so once again I'm behind with the news, but this sucks

Iraqi artists denied entry to Britain for their own exhibition. Visas refused on grounds that applicants could not provide bank statements

As the article says, Proof of financial stability and a bank account in the applicant's home country is a bureaucratic requirement for British visa authorities, but it is also, according to Iraqi experts, a very tall order in an occupied country with no banking infrastructure.

"Since 2003, Iraqis have been promised democracy but Britain and America have not managed to do what they promised. We tried to use art to rebuild some of that trust. This incident loses that trust ... The artists have been refused visas for not having bank statements; many Iraqis do not have bank accounts. It's an unstable country, usually its citizens are paid in cash"

The artists denied entry include Shaho Abdul Rahman, 36, a designer and painter, Azar Othman Mahmud, 22, an installation artist, Sarwar Mohamed, 37, a filmmaker, all from Sulaymaniyah; Falah Shakarchi, 45, a painter from Baghdad and Julie Adnan, 24, a photojournalist from Kirkuk.

the diary of a teenage girl

OK, so I don't really 'do' theatre, and there's probably little to no chance of it coming over to the UK so I don't know what I'm getting so excited about, but Phoebe Gloeckner's amazing graphic novel 'The Diary of a Teenage Girl' has been adapted in to a stage play in the US. Wowzer!

The basic premise: 'It’s San Francisco in the 1970s. Fifteen-year-old Minnie has just started an affair with her mother’s boyfriend. Shit.'

Oh, and I love this touch: C. Andrew Bauer’s video designs cleverly incorporate Ms. Gloeckner’s drawings. A small exhibition of Gloeckner originals in the lobby pays further tribute to the unblinking honesty that inspired this heartfelt production.

"When you enter the building, you're treated to an unexpected exhibition of original art by Phoebe Gloeckner -- and I promise you, this alone is worth the price of admission. The selections draw heavily from the comics and illustrations found in Diary, including some of its most memorable pieces -- a dalliance between Minnie's best friend Kimmie and her ersatz boyfriend Monroe on the beach literally made my jaw drop, while I laughed aloud at seeing the book's memorable rear-view portrait of Monroe and Kimmie arguing in the buff. But one of "Minnie"/Phoebe's comics from her teenage years was also on display, as were several of her astonishing illustrations from J.G. Ballard's The Atrocity Exhibition, including that infamous fellatio cross-section. Throughout, it's almost awe-inspiring to see how much more frequently white-out is used to erase lettering mistakes or alter word-balloon placement rather than fix the art itself; Gloeckner's line appears to flow fully formed from her brain to the page. I was hard pressed to pull myself away from them to enter the venue proper, or to leave and catch my subway at the end of the night." (from: this rad review)

How I wish I was in New York to see this :(

get your cray-on for the bay area child care collective

(Click to enlarge for all the small print!)

research with fury

Oh Keri Smith, I love you so

i heart katy

Lady Monsters
New work by Katy Horan
Exhibition runs March 20–April 22, 2010



Opening night:
Saturday, March 20, 2010
at Domy Books, Austin
913 E Cesar Chavez, Austin, TX 78702, USA
7-9pm, FREE ADMISSION

"In my current work, I create fantastical characters rooted in traditional ideas of femininity. To create these characters, I combine subconscious imagery with external references that include archetypes from folklore and history, storybook illustration, Renaissance portraiture and decorative elements of historical dress. The image is familiar, but mysterious. This invites both the viewer’s imagination and knowledge of feminine imagery and narrative to inform the work."

More info on Domy's site

sad sad demise

I'm trying to remember the year it was - probably 2002 - I treated myself to an international subscription to Venus zine; I loved the female artists they covered, the fact they gave column inches and backing to bands and artists who really deserved the exposure and support, I loved the music ideas they introduced to my head, the good interviews and reviews that made me sit up and take notice, and much more - The general fact that it existed in the way it did was really inspiring to my feminist-self-publishing sensibilities. It really was a great magazine. After that year though, things went a bit downhill, it as a magazine meant less to me and said much less to me - I figured it was because it had served its purpose to my earlier self, or something. On reflection, it was more than that, bigger changes had taken place within the actual zine - in the substance of the zine. But for that year it was my favourite (maga)zine.

Cue this recent news:

'Feminism is “an old-fashioned concept” and “doesn’t seem relevant," according to Sarah Beardsley, the 47-year-old publisher of Venus magazine, which she recently purchased from the two real estate agents who had themselves purchased the magazine only a few years earlier from its founder, Amy Schroeder.
As reported by the Chicago Reader, Beardsley’s solution for saving the zine seems to leave any association with the dreaded F-word behind.
“She told me she's not a feminist and feminism is what hindered the magazine in the past,” one unnamed source told the Reader. Instead, Beardsley plans to focus her newly purchased mag on, in her words, “an extended community of people who want to be part of—movement's too strong a word, but cause—something people believe in, an aesthetic being built from the ground up.” Hmm. A community of people who want to be part of a cause that people believe in? Nah, feminism is nothing like that.
The magazine, which began life as a zine focused on women in music, had ceased publication last September, and has just released its first issue under Beardsley. Whether the new, feminism-free version of the troubled mag will succeed remains to be seen. And if it does, what would that say about feminism?'

(via: Bust (incidently, Bust is another magazine that seems to now subscribe to the 'cute sweaters and nice neckalces' [Thanks, Lex!] school of thought when it comes to feminist publishing... yeah, yeah, enough knitting and crochet already... how about having something to say for yourselves again)

Pissing on someones grave (Amy Schroeder's Venus) isn't cool, and neither is being so bafflingly confused about the nature of community, movements, and feminism.

As Sabrina Chapadjiev wrote to me today: 'What a way to demoralize something that actually meant a lot to people. But you know what this means, ladies. . .it means that they're turning it over to us. . .'

* * * * *

just about the best thing i have seen today

Okay, so it was exhibited last year, so I'm already waaay behind and playing catch up, but I love this:

David Fullarton's contribution is an installation in the offices of Houston radio station 90.1 KPFT entitled "What I do at work when I'm supposed to be working." It consists of a number of small works made entirely from office supplies, which are pinned up randomly around the office, in amongst the notices, flyers and memos that were already existing in the environment.

terrific american exhibitions a go-go in April/May

PORTLAND:


Bright Forest: Paintings and Prints by Sarah Utter + a Mecca Normal show
Land gallery will present Bright Forest: Paintings and Prints by Olympia, Washington, artist Sarah Utter. Utter is an artist, designer and musician (from the bands Bangs and Western Hymn)

Utter will be showing brand-new work and some from the past several years that hasn’t been seen outside the Puget Sound. She paints mostly birds, along with foxes and squirrels and will be showing archival giclee prints from her 2009 calendar. Her artwork highlights a love of the natural world, bright colors, and layers of pattern inspired by printmaking and textiles.

Mecca Normal will perform “Blue Sky and Branches”—a new piece written for Utter’s art opening at Land on April 30. Vocalist Jean Smith wanted to do something “vaguely collaborative” for the event—a response to themes in Utter’s artwork. Most recently, their songs have been about Smith’s dating adventures, but as she told Utter, “Unless the critters in your paintings have been doing more online dating than I suspect, there isn’t a real connection between your art and our music.”

Land is located at 3925 North Mississippi Avenue, Portland, Oregon; landpdx.com
Come and help us celebrate Sarah Utter's work on Friday, April 30 from 6–9pm. Her show will be on display from April 30 to May 23.
Vancouver duo Mecca Normal will give a special live performance at the opening party between 8-9pm.

More info: on facebook

* * *

SAN FRANCISCO:

Dignidad Rebelde, Artists in the Struggle: Creating Radical Graphics



Dignidad Rebelde is a graphic arts collaboration between Oakland-based activist-artists Jesus Barraza and Melanie Cervantes. Their art is a reflection of community struggles, dreams and visions. Following principles of Xicanismo and Zapatismo, they create art that translates the stories of everyday people in struggle into images that they can be put back into the hands of the communities who inspired them. Jesus and Melanie will be presenting a slideshow of their work contextualizing their work in the history of social movements and the graphic arts traditions that have served those movements.
Thursday, 08 April 2010 19:00 - 21:00
Modern Times Bookstore, 888 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA

More info: on facebook

* * *

OLYMPIA, WA:

The Black Dot Museum: "Political Artists from Vancouver" Northern Exhibit



The Black Dot Museum: Political Artists From Vancouver

In May 2010, David Lester and Jean Smith (Mecca Normal) co-curate a month-long, group art exhibit at Northern -- an all-ages project in Olympia, Washington. The show includes art by Lester and Smith, along with Brian Roche and Gord Hill. Mecca Normal plays the May 1 opening.

More info: on facebook

* * *

PHILADELPHIA:

Shouts from the Wall



Leeway's Spring 2010 exhibit, "Shouts from the Wall," features fifty limited-edition prints, posters, and apparel, covering issues of current national and global interest created by Favianna Rodriguez, Jesus Barraza, and Melanie Cervantes, members of Taller Tupac Amaru; Beth Pulcinella (LTA '09, ACG '08) co-founder of RECLAIM; and bex (LTA '09). EXHIBIT RUNS March 25-June 25, 2010

Opening night: Saturday, 27 March 2010 18:00 - 20:30
Leeway Foundation, 1315 Walnut Street, Suite 832, Philadelphia, PA

ARTIST TALK & RECEPTION
Favianna and Jesus will give an artist talk on Saturday March 27, 2010 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Leeway office (1315 Walnut Street, Suite 832). An opening reception will follow their talk from 7:30pm to 8:30pm.
RSVP for the Artist Talk and reception by emailing rsvp@leeway.org or by calling (215) 545-4078

More info: on facebook

* * * * *

uk tour schedule for angola 3 movie

Via PM Press: London! Black Panther Robert King is in town, be sure to check out the screening of the new Angola 3 movie and the following panels...and buy King's book at www.pmpress.org

See Angloa 3 News for full details on UK screenings of the following film...



SCREENINGS & DISCUSSIONS:

WEDNESDAY 24th March 2010
LONDON Ritzy Brixton
Moderator: Polly Toynbee
Panellists: Vadim Jean, Robert King
Screening Time: 7pm

THURSDAY 25th March 2010
LONDON Curzon Soho
Moderator: Terry Waite CBE
Panellists: Vadim Jean, Robert King, Clare Algar, Executive Director, Reprieve
Screening Time: 6.30pm

FRIDAY 26th March 2010
LONDON Screen On the Green - Islington
Moderator: TBC
Panellists: Vadim Jean,Robert King
Screening Time: 6.30pm

Sunday 28th March 2010
LONDON Picturehouse Clapham
Moderator: TBC
Panellists: Vadim Jean, Robert King
Screening Time: 3.30pm

Monday 29th March 2010
CAMBRIDGE Picturehouse
Moderator: TBC
Panellists: Vadim Jean, Robert King
Screening Time: 6.30pm
Tuesday 30th March 2010

LONDON Amnesty - The Human Rights Action Centre
Moderator: Intro By Kate Allen
Panellists: Vadim Jean, Robert King, Sam Roddick
Screening Time: 6.30pm

Tuesday 31st March 2010
LONDON Lexi Cinema Kensal Rise
Moderator: TBC
Panellists: Vadim Jean, Robert King
Screening Time: TBC

WEDNESDAY 1st April 2010
EDINBURGH Cameo
Moderator: TBC
Panellists: Vadim Jean, Robert King
Screening Time: TBC

Recent Guardian article here: The Guardian

exploring attitudes towards breasts

From my inbox...

From Corin:

I am currently undertaking an MA in Gender Studies at the University of Leeds and am looking for people to take part in my dissertation research.

My research project is called ‘Queer Breasts’. The intention of my research project is to explore attitudes towards breasts among queer, female-identified people and the impact this has on experiences of queer female embodiment. I will be drawing on existing narratives of the female body in literature on cosmetic surgery and in trans theory. Traditional accounts of cosmetic surgery have typically focused on heterosexual women, thus creating narratives of a specifically gendered, female body. My interest in researching queer, female-identified participants is to explore attitudes towards breasts outside of a heteronormative context.

The first part of my research is a short, emailed questionnaire. From the returned questionnaires I will be selecting a small cross-section of participants for follow up interviews. You are not committing yourself to anything by completing the questionnaire.

I am looking for participants who self-identify as queer and female, and are willing to talk about their breasts with me and attitudes towards cosmetic surgery. This does not mean you have to identify specifically as a woman, have had any cosmetic surgery, or currently have breasts to take part. If you consider yourself queer and female-bodied then please feel free to participate.

You will need to have an email address.

You will also potentially need to be available for interview within the next three months either in Leeds or London.

If you know anyone else who may be interested in participating please invite them to the group.

If you would like to complete a questionnaire, or have any questions or comments, please email me: QueerBreastsResearch@googlemail.com

I will be collecting questionnaires until Monday 12th April, 2010.

Facebook group for more info

i am completely in love with this video

Bugger, I can't get it to embed...

http://www.wk.com/wke/show/DIY/episode/2

It's that part where she talks about the feeling of stuffy and that she's not really supposed to breathe around art, and then walking outside. I love Swoon's work so hard.

immediate gratification of distraction

"I can’t speak for other artists but staying focused can be one of the most difficult things for me these days. Other people’s images, ideas and perspectives can scatter my concentration and the internet has created a culture where turning on the computer can become a habit that fills the place of creativity with the immediate gratification of distraction."

So very true.
India Richer (whose work has featured in Colouring Outside The Lines... swoon!)

artists & media workers for social change

“In making art, I think about sharing a narrative, and touching people so much that they want to do something.”

Great interview with Favianna Rodriguez. She and her work blows me away.

collectivity can lift barriers to getting our voices out there

Last month I spoke with Debi Withers for an inteview about self-publishing and empowerment. That interview/conversation has developed into an article that Debi wrote, Adventures In Self-Publishing accessible now on The F Word website.

I'll post links to the actual interview we did when it's uploaded on to a different website (hopefully).

The interview references Debi's workshop, Self-Publishing and Liberation that's going to take place this Saturday at the Women's Library, London.
All the info on this important workshop can be found at www.londonmet.ac.uk/thewomenslibrary/whats-on

Debi says the following about the plans for Saturday:
"I will be exploring the issue of self-publishing, the histories of feminist publishing and collective working practices in an upcoming workshop at the Women’s Library on Saturday, 20 March, called Self-Publishing and Liberation. The workshop is going to consist of a mixture of practical information, creative exercises and historical testimony focusing on the subject of self-publishing. The workshop has three aims: firstly, to arm people with the knowledge they need to self-publish in various forms. Second, to create space for exploring ideas about what kind of publications attendees would like to read, write and publish. Thirdly, to include historical testimony about the topic of women’s publishing networks in the WLM, highlighting the importance of collective working. This is to create an opportunity to connect with an important legacy of culture making from the movement, and be inspired by the actions and working practices of previous generations of feminists. The workshop aims to shake things up a bit and get people dreaming, acting and researching the diverse histories of feminist publishing."

zines by women

99 Zines By Women for the 99th International Women's Day

So proud to say I know some of these ladies xoxox

a matter of life and death

From my inbox...

A Matter of Life and Death: LGBTI Rights in Uganda
Sunday 21st March in Manchester

David Kato, LGBTI activist from Uganda and member of SMUG http://www.sexualminoritiesuganda.org will talk about his experiences as an activist in the context of recent legislation threatening the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality", the campaign in Uganda to stop the new law as well as international efforts for decriminalisation. To be followed by questions/discussion.

David is on a short tour of the UK and this is his only Manchester date.

David will be joined by Sokari Ekine, activist, writer and founder of http://www.blacklooks.org/ a site documenting social justice issues in Africa and the diaspora with a focus on LGBTI rights, gender-based violence, militarism as well as literature and popular culture.

Delicious cheap food and cafe available from 12.30pm.

Talk/discussion
2-4pm Sunday 21st March,
LGBT Centre, 49-51 Sidney Street, Manchester (Behind 8th Day Co-op off Oxford Rd)

The event is free but voluntary contributions towards travel expenses of participants gratefully received.

The venue is wheelchair accessible and all on the ground floor. If you have any queries please contact mikewupton@hotmail.com

This event is brought to you by Manchester Queer Reading Group. For more info or to hear about other events, subscribe to our list https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/queerreadinggroup

take the ball and run with it

Grassroots Feminist Activism article from The Guardian

yup

From Margaret Atwood:
'You can never read your own book with the innocent anticipation that comes with that first delicious page of a new book, because you wrote the thing. You've been backstage. You've seen how the rabbits were smuggled into the hat. Therefore ask a reading friend or two to look at it before you give it to anyone in the publishing business. This friend should not be someone with whom you have a ­romantic relationship, unless you want to break up.'

From Jessica Hopper:
'I woke up in at four am last night and my brain was on fire with writing. It is hard to know if it was salient at all. I kept thinking, as I always do, if I get up and write this all out, then tomorrow I will automatically wake up at this same time and perhaps there will be nothing to write down. And then I lay there for a while debating "what if this is the best idea I have ever had and I lose it to the annals of slumber?"'

From Marc Johns:

self-publishing and empowerment

Debi Withers just shared a link with me to a pdf copy of her newly published booklet: Self-Publishing and Empowerment: A Resource for Community Groups.

You can download the pdf of the booklet here: http://www.debi-rah.net/SelfPublishing.pdf or visit her website to request a hard-copy of the booklet.

The booklet covers the main forms of self-publishing that are currently available at a low-budget cost: zines, blogs and Print-on-Demand publishing.
The booklet is a mixture of practical information, inspiring profiles of individuals, groups and projects, workshop guides and resources. It contains contributions from Melanie Maddison, Red Chidgey, Melissa Steiner, April L. Hamilton, Deseronto Archives and the Remebering Oilve Collective.

Seriously, reading this booklet today has filled me with an immense amount of energy, inspiration and excitement. I think it's a really useful and important activist resource that holds so much potential for empowering more people with the skills of self-publishing within community settings.
Thank you Debi for making this resource available.

gup shup

from my inbox...

Gup Shup – From Textile to Tote

gallery II | 8 March – 23 April 2010

A collaboration between Cath Braid, Rolla Khadduri and women’s embroidery collectives in Chitral, Pakistan

Gallery II and the University of Bradford are pleased and very excited to present the work of this amazing creative enterprise project from the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan on its first UK outing.

OFFICIAL LAUNCH… 5 – 7pm, Monday 8 March 2010. International Women’s Day.

Everyone Welcome!! FREE

Chai & Chat with Cath Braid… 4 – 5pm, Monday 8 March *BOOKING ESSENTIAL

Seminar with Cath Braid… 3 – 5pm, Tuesday 9 March * BOOKING ESSENTIAL

Talks are FREE. To book your place, contact Rachel Kaye: 01274 235495 or email r.kaye@bradford.ac.uk

“Gup Shup” is a landmark collaboration. Rather than seeking to preserve craft in its pure traditional form, this project introduces creative strategies to develop new images that seem true to the lives of their makers. But what seems most striking about his project is the sheer quality of the work itself, both in its craftsmanship and deft arrangement of ordinary elements.

This project seems quite transparent about the experience of the women it is meant to support. Apart for the creative challenges that they enjoyed, there seemed also benefits in the money and recognition that their work brings.

The Gup Shup project has been developed by Cath Braid, designer for social enterprise- Polly&Me and Rolla Khadduri- Development consultant.

‘Gup Shup’ (meaning chit chat in Urdu and Hindi) is a collaborative body of work from the female artisans of Chitral and Polly&Me. The exhibition comprises of large contemporary textiles depicting the artisans’ daily life and their translation into totes for women the world over to carry. For Rolla, this project is ‘an opportunity to give women the space to tell their own stories’. Rolla worked with Cath on running the workshops, probing the women about their stories, and recording their tales to appear at the back of each textile. The process begins with story-telling, dealing with everyday themes such as family life and through exploring the graphic world around them, particularly in packaging of products from the market. Their creative exercises also include making collages of photographs of their children. These then form the basis of the embroideries and their subsequent translation into funky designer bags. All work is available to buy and the profits go back to the women’s collectives.

Polly&me was developed by Cath Braid, an Australian and graduate of Central St Martins, who originally started work in northern Pakistan with Kirsten Ainsworth as part of the clothing label Caravana. Cath has been working in Chitral since 2003. Polly&Me works with a partner Mogh Ltd, the first publicly traded company in Chitral, set up by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme. Shareholders in MOGH Ltd are the Chitrali women who embroider, the Chitrali men who weave, local artisans and craftspeople, including those who work in the honey production, set up and supported by the Hashoo Foundation.

Chitral is in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan and lies nested within the mountain range of the Hindu Kush.
http://www.worldmapfinder.com/Map_EarthMap.php?ID=/En/Asia/Pakistan/Chitral


Gallery II

Open Mon – Fri, 11am – 5pm, Thurs ‘til 6pm

For further info tel: 01274 235495

http://www.brad.ac.uk/gallery/

www.twitter.com/braduniarts

Gallery II, Chesham Building, University of Bradford BD7 1DP

calling those in olympia, washington...

On Sunday Feb 28th 7pm @ Dumpster Values, Downtown Olympia there'll be a screening of the three New Report videos by Wynne Greenwood and K8 Hardy.

Watching the New Report videos, and seeing k8 and Wynne do a live New Report performance all in the same day a few years back is still one of those things that I can pinpoint as a life-changing moment. If you can make this event, go go go!

doodling is a team sport

The Scribble Project is making me smile today :)

i hope girls and women of all ages see this and care

reimagining girlhood: communities, identities, self-portrayals

FWD:


Kristen Lambert and Alyx Vesey are organizing a panel to submit to the Conference on *Reimagining Girlhood: Communities, Identities, Self-Portrayals *
Hosted by: Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies and Women's Studies Program at the State University of New York College at Cortland and to be held on October 22-24, 2010.

We are putting together a panel that highlights the curriculum and programming utilized in Girls Rock Camp - including but not limited to courses and workshops on:

- music history
- media literacy
- band marketing and promotions
- music journalism
- recording
- self-defense

We hope the panel will bridge scholarship with activism, and that as a group we can discuss girls and feminism, identity politics, and girl empowerment in relation to the curriculum created and implemented in Girls Rock Camp. As GRC hopes to work with a diverse group of girls in terms of race, gender identity, sexuality, class, and age we would like to discuss how successful the workshops and trainings are in
relation to the overall goals outlined by the organizations and where we could make improvements. In this respect we envision the panel as an opportunity to create a dialogue with each other across various camps.

We hope to hear from volunteers and instructors from Girls Rock Camp, scholars and activists who are studying Girls Rock Camp, and of course girls(!) who've participated in Girls Rock Camp.

We are asking that potential panelists please submit an abstract limited to 250 words to us by Sunday, February 21, 6pm eastern time. Please email both of us: Kristen (k.lamb16@gmail.com) and Alyx (Alyx.Vesey@gmail.com). Along with the proposal please include the name(s), affiliation(s), CVs (if applicable) and contact information (address, e-mail and telephone number) associated with the proposal.

We understand that this is short notice but the submission deadline is March 1st, so we need to time to read submitted proposals and prepare the panel submission.

Thanks and we look forward to hearing from you!

Kristen Lambert and Alyx Vesey co-teach the music history workshops for Girls Rock Camp Austin, and have also worked with GenAustin. Both received their MA in Media Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2008, where they were both portfolio students through the Center of Women and Gender Studies. In addition to their scholarship and work with GRCA, they also maintain blogs that reflect their academic interests. Kristen runs Act Your Age , which focuses on mediated representations of girlhood, as well as non-profit girl-oriented organizations and current events related to girlhood. Alyx runs Feminist
Music Geek , which considers music culture from a feminist perspective.
For more information on the conference please visit their website:
http://www2.cortland.edu/centers/CGIS/index.dot

submit your zine to the amsterdam zine jam

On the 26th and 27th of February 2010 the Zine Caravan is holding the inaugural Amsterdam Zine Jam at Streetlabs Project Space, which includes an exhibition, opening, reading performances, collaborative zinemaking, workshop and, most likely, a PHOTOCOPIER!

All details of how to submit your zine, etc, are here: www.rekult.org/zinecaravan/?page_id=65

purple rhinestone eagle - european/UK Tour - september 2010!

PURPLE RHINESTONE EAGLE are heading over from Portland, Oregon to Europe for a month long extravaganza, spanning mainland europe and the UK.

See below for all the information you could ever need on this rad rad band!

WE ARE SHORTLY GOING TO START BOOKING SHOWS AND NEED YOU!

WANT TO BRING PURPLE RHINESTONE EAGLE TO YOUR CITY OR TOWN?

Email:

EUROPEAN DATES:
Clara (grossegouine@gmail.com); Dana(dana@fantastischelastisch.com)

UK DATES:
Em (lolaandthecartwheelssheff@hotmail.co.uk)

Facebook Group

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Hometown: Portland, Oregon (US)
Current CD: “Amorum Tali”

Members/Instruments:
Andrea Genevieve – guitar, vocals
Morgan Ray Denning – bass, backing vocals
Ashley Spungin – drums, backing vocals

Record Label: Eolian Records

Purple Rhinestone Eagle formed in the summer of 2005 in West Philadelphia. To the astonishment of a scene that generally associated female musicians with power pop and folk, Purple Rhinestone Eagle turned many heads with their big, bold rock-n-roll sound and energetic live performances. The band quickly gained a dedicated following in the DIY Philly/NY show circuit. After their first US east coast tour supporting New Bloods (Kill Rock Stars) in April 2007, the trio relocated to Portland, OR September 2007.

In March 2008 they recorded an epic six-song demo with feminist queer rock pioneer Radio Sloan (The Need, Peaches) at her home studio, The Haunted Mansion in Portland, OR. This past November 2008 the ladies recorded at The Pool Recording Studio with Alex Yusimov (Mississippi Records, Red Herring) for an album entitled Amorum Tali, released on Portland-based Eolian Records early March 2009.

Musically and stylistically, Purple Rhinestone Eagle draws a lot of inspiration from the heavy “tripped out” sights and sounds that came out of late 60s and early 70s rock-n-roll. Socially, they are motivated by the DIY ethics of early punk. Very much a live band, Purple Rhinestone Eagle turn heads at every show they play. Ashley is a powerhouse on the drums. Morgan’s electric fuzzed out bass lines are unforgettable. Andrea’s guitar shredding abilities leaves jaws dropped. Their lyrics cross a wide terrain of subjects. Often in songs they delve into the mystical and metaphysical but also the political and the many facets of love and sex.

Between various seasonal tours and in-town shows, Purple Rhinestone Eagle are currently writing a full length album due to be recorded spring 2010. This release will be followed by their first European tour this September 2010.

Reviews: Live Performances
“…the three women of Purple Rhinestone Eagle hoist two-ton riffs clear over their heads and send them – along with the ringing in your ears – spinning off into space. This power trio proves that you can grasp the dark side of the blues without losing the tips of your fretting fingers. No offense Tony Iommi. The way Andrea Genevieve mirrors riffs with her vocals, with their undercurrent of mysticism and wizardry, will leave you reaching for your dusty Hendrix and Sabbath LPs. It’s clear that Purple Rhinestone Eagle have mastered the 70s’ heavy, psychedelic, fuzzed out blues rock.”
– Aris Wales, Portland Mercury, January 7, 2010

“(R)iffs mighty enough to pierce through a dragons’s still-beating heart.”
– Marc Lore, Portland Mercury, July 30, 2009

“Imagine smoke machines, black lights, wizards, eagles with talons outstretched, and a post-Haight throwback take on Zoso-inspired Northwest proto-punk. Heavy, exhilarating doom.”
– PDX Pop Now!, July 24, 2009

“…an all-girl power trio of blissful malevolence. You should listen to them until your ears bleed with joy.”
– DJ Ranger Mike of KPSU Radio March 5, 2008

Reviews: Amorum Tali
“Purple Rhinestone Eagle throw a mighty jab with their new 12-inch record, Amorum Tali…Simply put Purple Rhinestone Eagle are on an entirely different plane than their peers – whether it be tugging upon the bushy mane of mythical classic rock unicorns, or grand post-punk numbers that rattle the exposed pipes of their packed basement shows. They intend on not coming back down to earth anytime soon.”
– Ezra Caraeff/Music Editor, Portland Mercury, March 2009

“We got a handful of these when the band were in town, but they disappeared before we could even hear it. We managed to get more finally, and HOLY SHIT, it’s not hard to hear why we couldn’t keep these in stock, some seriously fuzzy, Sabbathy, mystical metal garage rock, or something. The women from Portland, kicking out the jams, warm, languid, buzzy, doomy jams, super psychedelic, the guitars muddy and fuzzed out, the bass deep and throbbing, the drums pounding and a bit chaotic, the vocals wild and emotional and intense…The sound is sometimes epic and frenzied and very metal, sometimes brooding and murky and garage-y, often the two elements blurring into something else entirely.”
– Aquarius Records, July 2009

“PRE have developed a unique spin on their sound by any measure. Thickly distorted 60’s garage fuzz that ebbs and flows like celestial tides – either is carries you in gently or sucks you in like a black hole…Real rock-n-roll.”
– Hellride Music, July 21, 2009

philadelphia - you've got a treat in store!

From my inbox...

A dynamic month-long series of radical art exhibits and presentations in West Philadelphia!

Beginning March 5th, international artists’ cooperative Justseeds presents Bring Down the Walls!, a series of artistic exhibitions and educational events. The series celebrates radical movements that struggle to collapse the boundaries of class, race, gender and generation. The majority of events will take place at two locations, blocks apart on Baltimore Avenue in West Philadelphia. An Independent Project of Philagrafika 2010, Bring Down the Walls! is organized in collaboration with local activists.

Full deatils of all the exhibitions HERE

art xx becomes aorta

Art XX, the rad-rad-rad US art magazine that I write bits and pieces for is transitioning into its new name, Aorta Magazine, to reflect its trans-inclusive contributors and audience. The new name will be effective as of issue 3 of the magazine, out March 2010. #3 features an interview I did with the wonderful Marci Washington (who is also designing the cover)!

Plus, issue 2 is now available online from BuyOlympia. That's a whole load of awesome right there!! Issue 2, as you can see if you flip through the images on the BuyOlympia page, features my interview with GB Jones.

relishing the pleasure of each others company

Reposted from WomenArts...

In 1935 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt launched an economic stimulus program called the Works Progress Administration (WPA) with a goal of giving people "self-respect and self-reliance" by giving them meaningful jobs.

Zora Neale Hurston's WPA Legacy

Zora Neale Hurston worked on the WPA Folklore project, recording folk songs and stories in the black communities of Florida and preserving oral traditions that might otherwise have been lost. The recordings are now available online in the Florida Memory State Library and Archives. (See www.floridamemory.com)

It is amazing to hear one of the finest writers of the Harlem Renaissance singing these songs as part of her government job during the depths of the Great Depression. Alice Walker once wrote that Hurston's great gift was to show her people "relishing the pleasure of each other's loquacious and bodacious company."

In the link below, you can hear Hurston describe and sing the song Halimuhfack. Even though it is a scratchy 75-year-old recording, you can still hear that pleasure and her loving attention to the details of cultural expression in her community. www.floridamemory.com/Collections/folklife/mp3/hurston/halimuhfack.mp3

art-gasm

Sabrina Chapadjiev (whom I adore) has just had her interview published with Dianne DiMassa, talking about Dianne's paintings and art work post-Hothead Paisan.
Read it here: Feministing.com

bikini kill oral-history archive project

Via Wears The Tousers Blog

She’s known for regularly toting a megaphone on stage, but riot grrrl royalty and all-round legend Kathleen Hanna is passing the soapbox over to fans with the launch of the official Bikini Kill Archive, a fan-generated blog where Bikini Kill adorers are urged to submit their own unique reflections on the band and its music. Stories, opinions, images, videos and memories are all welcome, says Hanna. “It can be totally off the top of your head and doesn’t need to be fancy. Maybe it’s your reaction to a song we wrote, something weird that happened at one of our shows, a personal anecdote or just WHATEVER.”

This project was undoubtedly inspired by Hanna’s recent donation to the NYU’s Fales Library, a body of personal papers spanning 1989 to 1996 which included zines, essays and correspondence, a legacy which will take pride of place in the museum’s newly minted Riot Grrrl Collection. The Bikini Kill Archive blog extends from this literary treasure, encapsulating the band’s polemic of accessible, grass roots collectivism, and encourages fans to add their own personal memories to Bikini Kill’s herstory.

Submit directly to the blog here or via bkillarchive@gmail.com.

Hard copy videos can be sent to:

Kathleen Hanna
51 MacDougal Street #227
NYC NY 10012

craftivism magazine - pica pica

From my inbox...

Pica Pica is looking for contributors!

See: Pica Pica Website for full deatils

If you are an illustrator, journalist, writer, photographer and would like to work on a commission for our magazine then we want to hear from you. If you are are a crafty type who would like to see your work featured in our magazine or on our website then get in touch!

Scroll down to see our current briefs, then get in touch with us if you think you fit the bill.

Editorial Briefs:

(1) “What is Craftivism!?”Craftivism, exploring how mainly young women are using craft in a political or subversive way, for example through yarn bombing or other forms of “craftivism”.

craftivism.net
The Craftivist Collective

We envisaged this incorporating an email based interview with one of the groups or bloggers.

Wordcount: 750 (approx)
Deadline: ideally 17th Feb

——————–

(2) “Copycat Craft!”Inspiration vs Plagiarism – a nice investigative piece to get your teeth into!

A plagiarism feature about independent designers and crafters being ripped off by large companies, for example ASOS ripping off Lady Luck Rules OK and other examples (Made by White vs. Topshop). Article would include reactions from people who have been ripped off, why it happens, and what people can do about it. We see the angle being focused around the question of where inspiration ends and intellectual property theft begins?

Interesting to see the community of crafters at work here and willing to help!

Urban Counterfeiters – a website dedicated to the designs UO & others have pinched, bit old but interesting!

Forever 21 – just “inspired” by Banksy?

Lauren Nassef’s sad story – a shocking case of plagiarism… illustrator vs illustrator!

So, if you are good at what you do people are bound to copy you, how do you protect yourself? Check out ECCA London and Own It for more information.

Wordcount: 1000 (Approx)
Deadline: ideally by the 17th Feb

ladyfest survey

From my inbox...

Hello friends!

As part of my research project Young women as creators of new cultural spaces (at the University of Salzburg, Austria) we have created an online survey to find out more about why and how people participate in or organize Ladyfests. Please take your time to fill out the survey and forward it to your friends. Help us to collect as much information as possible in order to get a general idea about the role of Ladyfests for the participants. We really appreciate your participation!

Of course your responses will remain anonymous. If you are willing to do a longer interview, please indicate so in the survey. Many thanks!

Here you can find the link to the online survey: www.grassrootsfeminism.net/cms/node/615

For more information on the research project, please go to www.grassrootsfeminism.net/cms/node/48

And if you have any projects you are involved in, you are more than welcome to list and publicize them at the grassrootsfeminism.net site (you just need to register first, let us know if you have troubles or questions)!

Many thanks and best wishes!
Elke

Elke Zobl and Anita Hammer
University of Salzburg, Austria
contact: elke@grassrootsfeminism.net
www.grassrootsfeminism.net

women and transgendered members of the comics community

From my inbox...

Attn: Women and Transgendered Members of the Comics Community

Your experience is requested!

In conjunction with my current School of the Art Institute of Chicago course LADYDRAWERS: Gender and Comics in the US, my assistant James Payne and I are gathering information about women and trans peoples' experiences in all aspects of the comics industry. This information will eventually be published in the introduction to a book collecting interviews with women and trans comics artists.

Clicking on the link below will bring you to a survey of questions dealing with professional engagement, gender and sexual identification, and the extent to which gender has been an issue in your own professional pursuits. Whether you're a creator, bookseller, conventioneer, publisher, inker, or editor, we would be extremely grateful if you can take a moment to respond to these ten questions.

This survey is completely anonymous, and we have no way of tracking your answers unless you choose to leave an email address in the comments section.

Please feel free to forward this survey to any women or transgendered persons you know that are involved in the comics industry. While the survey’s multiple choices questions are important, we are especially interested in gathering personal stories regarding the intersection between media production and issues of gender. But because the survey is anonymous, you must either leave your email address in the survey itself or contact us seperately to set up an interview.

Thanks in advance for taking five minutes to complete this survey, and again: if you have a particularly compelling story you wish to share about how gender plays out in your working life, please contact us.

Gender and Comics Survey

Sincerely, Anne, and James

january highlights

Best book, and zine I read last month...

Zine: DIY or Don't We?
I still don't quite understand the title, but this collaborative zine (USA, July 2009) on community is a really inspiring one (despite my often negativity towards working collaboratively on projects due to ideas of 'preaching to the converted', and the internal politics of collectives hampering their effectiveness).
The editor desribes it as 'a zine about doing things together as friends, family, collectives and communtities. This zine was inspired by hopes of extending the spirit of do-it-yourslef ethics towards doing things together.'
As with any collective zine there's great aricles, and some less-so, but I found the articles on The Olympia Film Society and Capitol Theatre, and the Ladyfest Bellingham Manifesta particularly useful and heart warming.
The zine is available from two distros I know of, Marching Stars Distro (UK), and Ms Valerie Parks Distro (US).

Book: Josh McPhee, 'Paper Politics: Socially Engaged Printmaking Today' (PM Press, 2009)
Described as 'a major collection of contemporary politically and socially engaged printmaking. This full color book showcases print art that uses themes of social justice and global equity to engage community members in political conversation. Based on an art exhibition which has traveled to a dozen cities in North America, Paper Politics features artwork by over 200 international artists; an eclectic collection of work by both activist and non-activist printmakers who have felt the need to respond to the monumental trends and events of our times.
Paper Politics presents a breathtaking tour of the many modalities of printing by hand: relief, intaglio, lithography, serigraph, collagraph, monotype, and photography. In addition to these techniques, included are more traditional media used to convey political thought, finely crafted stencils and silk-screens intended for wheat pasting in the street. With essays by Deborah Caplow, Eric Triantafillou, and Josh MacPhee, as well as short writings on printmaking by over a dozen artists in the book.'
Reading this book came at just the right time for me and my research and interest into political collective creativity. It has inspired the hell out of me and given me 1001 further examples of art as activism that I can learn from, giving me many ideas and plans to cook up and put in to place myself.
Check it out at PM Press's Website

signs of change exhibition

Signs of Change: Social Movement Cultures 1960s to Now

In Signs of Change: Social Movement Cultures 1960s to Now, hundreds of posters, photographs, moving images, audio clips, and ephemera bring to life over forty years of activism, political protest, and campaigns for social justice. Curated by Dara Greenwald and Josh MacPhee as part of Exit Art’s Curatorial Incubator Program, this important and timely exhibition surveys the creative work of dozens of international social movements.

Organized thematically, the exhibition presents the creative outpourings of social movements, such as those for Civil Rights and Black Power in the United States; democracy in China; anti-apartheid in Africa; squatting in Europe; environmental activism and women's rights internationally; and the global AIDS crisis, as well as uprisings and protests, such as those for indigenous control of lands; against airport construction in Japan; and student and worker revolution in France. The exhibition also explores the development of powerful counter-cultures that evolve beyond traditional politics and create distinct aesthetics, life-styles, and social organizations.

Although histories of political groups and counter-cultures have been written, and political and activist shows have been held, this exhibition is a groundbreaking attempt to chronicle the artistic and cultural production of these movements. Signs of Change offers a chance to see relatively unknown or rarely seen works, and is intended to not only provide a historical framework for contemporary activism, but also to serve as an inspiration for the present and the future

Signs of Change: Social Movement Cultures 1960s to Now is an exhibition produced by Exit Art, NY, and was the inaugural project of the Curatorial Incubator Program. The program expands Exit Art's commitment to young and emerging curators and scholars in contemporary art, by giving material, financial, and human resources to developing curatorial talent. Working with Exit Art directors and staff, fellows curate large-scale exhibition projects, learn fundraising, develop outreach and educational programs, and co-publish a catalogue. Signs of Change was presented at Exit Art from September 20 - December 6, 2008 and traveled to the Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, and the Arts Center of the Capital Region (co-presented with the Department of the Arts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY).

Ticket info: Free and open to the public.

Event runs: Thu, Feb 4 – Fri, Mar 19, at: Pacific Northwest College of Art Main Campus Building, Feldman Gallery + Project Space, 1241 NW Johnson Street, Portland, Oregan, USA

to hide a glutton's face

Lilli Carre is *amazing* I have so much love and respect for her work.

Here's a new animation she has made... of it she says, 'L'Ortolan is a collaboration between Chris Hefner and myself about the creepy culinary ritual of eating the Ortolan bird. He wrote the script and recorded the narration, and I did the animation for it and edited this version. L'Ortolan will preface the feature film that Chris has almost finished, called The Pink Hotel'

L'Ortolan from Lilli Carré on Vimeo.

if i owned a company, i'd want shrigley to do my adverts too!

"i love kate bush very much" -- debi withers

Adventures in Kate Bush & Theory: The Film, made by Emma Thatcher. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrCpF3zUARA

always encouraging people to speak out

Of all the masses of words and tributes I've read today in memory of Howard Zinn, these words from Nicolas Lampert moved me the greatest...

Howard Zinn changed my life. In 1999, I first read “A People’s History of the United States” and read it cover to cover, fascinated by his words, his sense of optimism, and belief that ordinary people can and have organized and challenged powerful institutions throughout history.

In 2003, I was so fortunate to meet him and strike up a correspondence and friendship. I remember sending him the full set of Josh MacPhee’s “Celebrate People’s History” posters as a gift to let him know that us young radical artists were attempting to visualize many of the histories that he wrote about. He responded by thanking me for the posters and said that they were too important to remain in his house, on his wall, in a drawer – that he would find a community space where they could hang, a place where people could see them.

That embodied his spirit. Such a genuine person who was always teaching, always inspiring, and always encouraging people to speak out and become active.

london zine symposium 2010

The London Zine Symposium is an annual event bringing together zines, small press, comics and radical writers to celebrate DIY and zine culture.

This year's Zine Symposium is happening on:

Saturday 29th May 2010
12pm-6pm
The Rag Factory, 16-18 Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ

The day is free for everyone. (Donations will be taken to help cover our costs)

This year will be the 6th Annual London Zine Symposium!

Featuring Stalls/Workshops/Talks/Discussions/Vegan cake

Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=43222899146&ref=nf

Website:
http://www.londonzinesymposium.org.uk

Applications for stalls now open:
http://www.londonzinesymposium.org.uk/stalls

inspiration of the week

I'm having one of those bowled-over-with-inspiration sort of weeks that I'm glad comes about every now and again to help keep me on track and remind me of what makes me want to keep doing stuff.

Todays inspiration comes in the form of the following artists work:

DEBBIE MILLMAN

KEETRA DEAN DIXON

GINGER BROOKS TAKAHASHI

I'm overwhelmed!!

express your rights

This conference in Michigan, USA looks so so great. It totally keys in with work I'm researching for at the moment (in the area of political collective creativity), and with ideas/plans I am cooking up and dreaming of myself.
Just reading about it has set my head on fire with ideas and inspiration...




Human Rights Through Education (HRTE) proudly presents:

EXPRESS YOUR RIGHTS: THE ROLE OF ART IN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISM

Conference Itinerary:

Friday February 5 (at the MICHIGAN UNION, PENDLETON ROOM)

3:30-4: Registration

4-5: Carol Jacobsen
speech name: Women's Criminalization, Clemency and Human Rights
Title: Professor, U-M School of Art and Design. Award-winning social documentary artist whose works in video and photography address issues of women's criminalization and censorship.

5-6: Danielle Abrams
speech name: Burritos and Bulldykes: Performance Activity in the Gay Ghetto of the Mission District in San Francisco
Title: Assistant Professor, U-M School of Art and Design. Former artistic director of BUILD, a performance space in San Francisco’s hub of queer performance - the Mission District and a founding Board Member of the Harvey Milk Institute in San Francisco.

6-7: Nick Tobier
speech name: Human Centered Design & How Collective Creativity Enables Change
Title: Associate Professor, U-M School of Art and Design.

7:30: Emmanuel Jal (MICHIGAN LEAGUE)
performance name: WAR CHILD: A Story of Survival
Title: Internationally-renowned hip-hop artist, human rights activist, and former child soldier from Sudan
Co-sponsored by: U-M Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA); MSA Peace and Social Justice Commission
Most seating reserved for U-M students, faculty, and staff; limited seating for general public


Saturday February 6 (at the MICHIGAN UNION, PENDLETON ROOM)

10:30-11: Registration/Breakfast/Breakfast

11-12: Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP)
workshop name: Human Rights and Art in Prison
Affiliation: University of Michigan

12-12:30: OyamO
presentation name: Sensing the Censors
Title: Associate Professor of English, U-M College of Literature Science and the Arts; Associate Professor of Theatre and Drama, U-M School of Music

12:30-1:30: Allied Media Conference (AMC)
presentation name: Create, Connect, Transform
Jenny Lee, Allied Media Projects Program Director; Diane J. Nucera, Allied Media Projects Allied365 Program Director

1:30-2: Reception

2-3: M1
presentation name: From the Ghetto to Gaza
Title: Hip-hop artist and political activist; one-half of hip-hop duo Dead Prez

3-4:30: Paul Shoebridge and Michael Simons
presentation name: Visual Activism: The Role of Designer as Author
Title: co-authors, "I-Live-Here;" creative team and former creative force behind "Adbusters" magazine
Special appearance by Phoebe Gloeckner, "I-Live-Here" collaborator and assistant professor at School of Art & Design


As part of the Conference there will be an art exhibit in the Union right outside of Amer's from February 1st-7th featuring original work from Students and PCAP.

Express Your Rights is made possible by generous funding and sponsorship from the Center for Ethics in Public Life, the Institute for the Humanities and CAAS.

Additional funding provided by Arts at Michigan, Ambatana Multicultural Council, Cameo Multicultural Council, A'Subuhi Multicultural Council, and Markley Multicultural Council

portland zine symposium 2010 poster art call out

PZS is looking for art submissions for the 2010 poster. This year's theme is "Zine Arcade" Your art submission should be your creative interpretation of that theme.

The guidelines are simple – We are looking for a 11" wide x 17" tall poster that will also be used in other formats (the web, post cards, buttons, stickers, etc), so your design needs to be visible and striking at multiple sizes and resolutions (or have smaller, breakaway pieces). The design will eventually be silk screened / screen printed onto t-shirts, so limit your colors to black, white and one other color. We encourage artists to use any medium or style. We strongly prefer that the choosen artist is able to assist us in the process of transferring (resizing / cropping / etc) the image multiple mediums.

Your design should include (or be able to include once all details are finalized) the following:

- the theme

- the dates (TBA)

- the place (TBA)

- the website (www.pdxzines.com)

- "10th Annual Portland Zine Symposium"

- "A conference and zine social exploring facets of independent publishing and DIY culture."

Submission deadline is March 15th. Submissions can be emailed to pdxzines@gmail.com (most strongly preferred), mailed (to PO Box 5901 Portland, OR 97228-5901), or dropped off at the IPRC.

pikaland artists feature

This opportunity is totally worth entering/applying for...

It guarantees so much exposure for artists and illustrators, as the selected artist will be invited for a full interview on Pikaland, and will also be offered free ad space on the blog for a month!

More info about the Pikaland Arists Feature here

and

Go ahead and apply here

Do it. Do it. Do it!!

contemporary scandinavian comics exhibition

I just heard about the Contemporary Scandinavian Comics exhibition being held at Sweden's Nordiska Akvarellmuseet (the Nordic Watercolour Museum) from 31 jan - 14 march.

Details (in Swedish) here

It looks totally rad! And loads of women are taking part.

The museum's first exhibition in 2010, we want to highlight contemporary Scandinavian cartoonists with a strong image expression. Together with invited artists series, we are building an exhibition that change during the exhibition period. Unique series of original intermingled with shops and artistic expression and a rich program of around workshops, lectures and concerts.

Participants: Anneli Furmark (Sweden), Sara Granér (Sweden), Simon Gärdenfors (Sweden), Matti Hagelberg (Finland), Bendik Kaltenborn (Norway), Kolbeinn Karlsson (Sweden), Knut Larsson (Sweden), Helena Roos (Sweden), (GISP!) Bjarni Hinriksson (Iceland), Hugleikur Dagsson (Iceland), Þorri Hringsson (Iceland), Johann Ludwig Torfason (Iceland), Halldór Baldursson (Iceland) , Life Strömqvist (Sweden), Katja Tukiainen (Finland), Marko Turunen (Finland), Amanda Vähämäki (Finland), Ola Astrand (Sweden), Li Österberg (Sweden).

Plus, I saw this call-out on their website...
Nordic fanzine makers are invited to send in their fanzines to us. We make them available to visitors of the exhibition.
During the first months of 2010 the Nordic Watercolour Museum is going to show the exhibition Contemporary Nordic Comics. In the exhibition space there will be a section where the visitors can look through and read books and magazines with works of Nordic comic artists. We would like to display such a wide range of expressions and publications from the Nordic comic scene as possible.
Do you make your own comic fanzine? Would you like to present it in our exhibition? Please send us copies. We will put them on display in the reading section of the exhibition. Participate and help us make this an even more exciting exhibition!
Send your comic fanzines to:
Nordiska Akvarellmuseet, Fanzine, Södra Hamnen 6, 471 32 Skärhamn, Sweden.
For more info contact: kristian.berglund@akvarellmuseet.org


RAD!!

grassroots feminism site wants your thoughts

Grassroots Feminism wants your views...

Do you ever read / watch / listen to feminist-made media? We want to hear from you!

Come fill out our online questionnaire...

As part of our research project "Feminist Media in Europe" we have put together an online questionnaire to find out how and why people consume and/or produce feminist media. This survey is specifically targeted to people living in Europe.

We really appreciate your participation in this survey. At the end of it, we will publish the findings on the website.

Fill out the survey HERE

Many thanks!
Red Chidgey, Rosa Reitsamer and Elke Zobl

blanket

From my inbox...

Seeking Contributions:

Re_action: Issue 20 – ‘I Think I Can Fly’ Issue

We’re taking off and letting our imaginations soar!

Each issue we give you a specific theme and we want you to submit a piece of original work that visually reacts to this theme! Use your creative skills and your imagination!

A maximum of 1 image to be submitted please.

Please read our Terms and Conditions before submitting your work to Blanket.


Email submission to: re_action [at] blanketmagazine.com

{ DEADLINE: EXTENDED TO 20TH January 2010 }

* * *

Here’s My Work, I hope you like it…

Each issue we show off emerging creatives and we want you! Send in your original artwork, design or photography. A maximum of 6 images please.

If sending multiple images please place them in a Zipped Folder with your full name and number the images (eg. Bec_Brown_01, Bec_Brown_02, and so on… otherwise I might mix them up and credit someone else with your work!)

Please do not send your personal URL’s as I receive so many submissions I don’t have time to review them all. You are more likely to have your work published if you make it as easy as possible for me. Please send examples of your artwork and follow my image specifications below.

Please read our Terms and Conditions before submitting your work to Blanket.

Email inspire [at] blanketmagazine.com

{ DEADLINE: EXTENDED TO 20TH January 2010 }

* * *

More info at: Blanket's website
www.blanketmagazine.com

i'm sorry but you can't get away with a sweater like that

Thanks to Emily Aoibheann for sharing this gem with me :)

lancashire zine, artists' book and multiples fair.

2010 Lancashire Zine Fair, Preston
So many great people are exhibiting - it looks like it's going to be fantastic!

they've got organisations for people like me

i die one of many

Here is the most extraordinary tribute to a very special musician and songwriter, Vic Chesnutt. I adore Vic's music

Reading Kristin's words on Christmas Day, that “This time, it’s real scary: *this* time, he left a note, *this* time, he asked them to call me” completely slayed me...

don't count my scars like tree rings

wonderful christmas art that i've been sent

Kristyna Baczynski


Helen Musselwhite


Kate Anderson

jacinta and julie's baby on TV

There's now a link to watch the Newsnight Review of Girls Are Not Chicks (PM Press/Reach and Teach) that aired last week. Watch it HERE

jenny slate i'm starting to think you're awesome!

Obvious Child from Gillian Robespierre on Vimeo.

i hexed him, now he's losing his hair

Contentious, yet I happen to agree: Why Courtney Love was Kurt Cobain's Lyrical Equal

Oh, and I remember hovering at my TV when that Jools Holland episode was first aired, ready to press 'record' :) And that video of 'Jennifer's Body' made goosebumps curse through my entire body.

"He keeps you in a box by the bed/ Alive but just barely/ He said 'I'm your lover, I'm your friend/ I'm purity, hit me again'".

get yr cray-on

From my inbox...


Get Yr Cray-On!!! (Please forward widely)

***Call-out for submissions to the Bay Area Childcare Collective Radical Coloring Book!!!***

That’s right- the Bay Area Childcare Collective is putting together a coloring book to use as both a fun and radical teaching tool as well as a fundraiser, and we want your help! For more info on the Childcare Collective, go to www.bayareachildcarecollective.net/about/

We are looking for some folks to illustrate one or more pictures each with radical themes. Many of the kids using the book have parents or other loved ones already involved in community organizing (especially labor, immigration and housing rights) so we want the book to help explain why this kind of work is great and important.

What we want:

- simple black and white line drawings that will look good when photocopied

- pictures with lots of blank space so they’re fun to color

- appropriate for very young children while still (if possible) appealing to older kids and adults (witty allusions encouraged)

- each picture should include a caption or leave space for a caption that will explain what the picture is about (ex: “everyone in the community helped fight the eviction”)

- please leave a margin of AT LEAST 1” on all sides so it is easy to photocopy!

- be creative! Feel free to use animals, shapes, plants, sea creatures to tell yr story- we want it to be fun and inspire kids’ imaginations.

When you know what you’re going to draw, please email us to let us know so we can avoid repeats and/or complement your artwork with like-minded pieces.

We would LOVE your ideas and suggestions.

We want this book to be a celebration of women of color led organizing!



Some specific ideas that we’ve already come up with include:

* * * POWER/ Just Cause Oakland/ Women’s Collective of the Day Laborer’s Union (the awesome orgs we provide childcare for!)

* * * Dolores Huerta/ Cesar Chavez/ Farm Labor movement

* * * Domestic Workers Movement

* * * Radical labor organizing

* * * Housing rights- fighting evictions, affordable housing, healthy neighborhoods

* * * Food justice (examples: People's Grocery, Rooftop gardens, people's gardens)

* * * Gender diversity, queer visibility

* * * Feminism; Women leaders in bay area movement organizing; Mothers & Parents in the movement

* * * Anti-War resistance & Anti-Imperialism

* * * Environmentalism, water, climate change, caring for the earth

* * * Indigenous resistance, organizing, AIM, EZLN, Alcatraz takeover

* * * Black Panthers/ Young Lords/ & history of liberation movements in the Bay Area

* * * Abolishment of/ work around the Prison Industrial Complex



We might decide to organize the pictures into various sections or themes, like cooperation, solidarity, equality, sharing, negotiation, etc. (TBD)

Also, we want the finished product to be bilingual (English and Spanish), so if you have translation skills, please share them with us!

***DEADLINE FOR COMPLETED DRAWINGS: JANUARY 15th, 2010…sharp!***

Submissions can either be scanned and emailed (high quality- 300 dpi or better) to RadColoringBook@gmail.com OR you can send it via Snail Mail (though we won’t give it back to you so bear that in mind) to Get Yr Cray-On! c/o Pike, 1884 Market St, SF, CA 94102.

We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

In love and Solidarity,

The Cray-On Crew.

kinda silly but it put a happy smile on my face!

All Star Baseball 2000 - "Since You've Been Gone" movie challenge from Cob Job on Vimeo.

By Paul Baribeau and Eric Ayotte