Several years ago, I participated in an art experience for international Women’s Day (IWD), which led me to a much deeper understanding and appreciation for womyn.
I was involved in a church at the time and I was looking for “material” for my project.
For me, as a writer, material, is like background information on a topic, which happened to be womyn.
So, next, I got a call from the church secretary to say that my requested material was in the choir room waiting for me.
She said that it was spread out on the couch. I did wonder, briefly.
So, I went over to the church and, you can imagine my surprise! There, all spread out over the coach was a wide variety of “material”; fabric material!
Well, I gathered it all up and took it home and placed it on my couch in the livingroom and there it sat.
I had no idea what I was going to do with it.
I had some good lead time to complete my project; but I didn’t have a lot of background information that I had been looking for, so, I was stumped!
Every so often I would look at my “material” and wonder, what can I do with this.
Then, somewhere I saw a of the Crucified Woman. It’s a controversial sculpture that rested on the grounds of Bloor Street United Church in Toronto for some time.
I did not set out to create anything out of this material, but from time to time I would pick up some material and start to put it into some shape.
I reflected on it at times and at other times, I just let my hands and the material do their thing.
It was a time for deep introspection, reflection and learning for me as well. I had moved to a new community, was not employed at the time, and gradually had become a member of several woman’s organizations, even a board member on a couple of them.
I was a woman and had been working in paid ministry in the United Church, which was a time of learning about the value of the amazing womyn I met and got to know. And, also learned of many of the challenges many womyn face.
While at sometimes I was eating and dancing with a group of wymon, I was also advocating for others who lived in war zones, that were their homes.
A cardboard cross unfolded and I quilted a cover for it, because quilting is womyn’s art, most often, although not exclusively.
And a woman, orange in color, came next along with many tear drops, with messages on them about what womyn lost, during the womyn’s holocaust, when 9,000,000 to 13,000,000 lost their lives, particularly across Europe.
I am particularly using an old spelling of the word, it doesn’t have the word, man, men or male in it.
The art piece got added to a piece of burlap, and I entered it into the art exhibit with other woman and their work.
It actually drew quite a bit of attention and I, walking by, watching a group of womyn studying the piece, looked on and thought, “my goodness, I made that piece,” and was amazed.
Some people will find it offensive. I find the patriarchal history of women offensive.
And when I finished this piece, I would not leave it as it was. I had to put some hope and celebration on it as well. Then, I did my art, what I do best, I wrote a piece and attached it as a celebration of the gifts and skills of womyn.
“As women we live and have lived with patriarchal, cultural and religious [systems].
The teardrops are some of the ways we’ve known [violence].
The cross is quilted because it is a women’s craft.
As women, we are a celebration!
We are people of diversity,
We are the healers, the relationship builders.
To the world we bring energy and wisdom; colour; different shapes, sizes, texture; to weave into a glorious fabric.
We are wonderful!”
As we approach International Womyn’s Day, (IWD), March 8. Celebrate the women around you, who are near and far away, their accomplishments and just their caring strength.
Individually and collectively womyn around the world have made life better for people and the earth. May we continue.
