A Place Of Beauty

The summer of 2011 was very productive for me. One of my trips took me to Victoria BC. 

Bre, a fantastic woman I met at the Pan Canadian Feminist Gathering invited me to make a banner with her and local activist groups. 

While there I stayed with Renay, one of the most interesting and awesome feminists I've ever met.  Her home was a space of pure beauty. 

When ever I think of a place of refuge, somewhere to rejuvenate my spirit. I think of her and my time spent in Victoria. 

The spring and early summer had been packed with the gathering (I was part of the main group hosting), writing and directing my film Dreamcatcher and creating a 20 foot banner for the first time at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. It was all satisfying work but emotionally exhausting.

I found it reassuring to be called an artist and have my work appreciated. 

Part of my experience at the folk festival and the gathering left me feeling like what I was doing wasn't making any sort of difference. That I was putting myself out there in potential danger for little to no pay off. 

Before I visited B.C. I wondered if what I was creating and the intent of my work was getting through to people. That's something I still wonder time to time. It is part of the reason I've been reluctant and nervous to continue with this blog and post regularly. 

But the people I met in Victoria helped me realize that what I do is valid. That I create a unique dialogue and experience on the topic of violence against women.  I just have to remind myself that every once in awhile. 

CALL FOR ART AND SUBMISSIONS TO A ZINE PROJECT HONOURING WOMEN

 “The heart is a muscle the size of a fist, keep loving, keep fighting”

This project aims to explore our love and respect for women, our recognition of their resilience, strength, struggles and power. It works to combat gendered violence and sexism by celebrating, reinforcing and acknowledging the inherent value, resilience, struggles, and strength of the women we know, and the women you know.

We live in a society where it is easy to witness and experience both subtle and blatant sexism everyday. However, we can go days without someone calling out and recognizing women’s strength or resilience. While it is important to be aware of gendered violence and sexism, it is just as important to recognize the fierce hope, strength and beauty of the women we know, and honour them. This art project is a call to respond against sexism, violence, and hate that women experience across Canada, and elsewhere. While women are often pieced apart and objectified, this project will work to celebrate women as whole, bringing the pieces together.

It is essential to clarify that our use of the word "women" includes all those who identify as a woman and to acknowledge all the differences within that term. We envision this project to display and foster those differences and not essentialize the identity of "women".

We hope to receive a wide array of submissions, including drawings, paintings, photography, graphic novels, stories, poems, memoirs, journal entries, conversations, letters, and many, many, more.

All submissions will be scaled down to an 8.5 x 5.5” format, but may take up more than one page. Please take this into consideration when submitting. All submissions must fit within the themes of the zine – pieces that explore our admiration and respect for women, our recognition of their resilience, strengths, struggles, and power, as well as pieces that tell stories of, or work against sexism, misogyny, and violence.

Descriptions or recordings of performance pieces are also encouraged for consideration at the Zine launch party and exhibit.


Please e-mail submissions to:

honouringwomenzine@gmail.com, along with one or two sentences about yourself.


Submission Deadline: January 25th, 2013