Whitney Turetzky is a self-taught visual artist whose mixed media work combines vintage photography, textiles and other ephemera with color block painting. Her pieces evoke powerful emotional responses while honoring common women of past and present. In this interview, she shares what makes this feminist work as well as how her art helps her pass on strong views of womanhood to her young daughter. Journey of a Mixed Media Artist Can you tell us a little bit about your journey to becoming an artist (and claiming that title, which can often be hard for people)? I have always been a maker, but I didn’t always call myself an artist. About…
-
-
Interview with Sumi Ink and Honey Watercolor Artist Ms. Muse
Ms. Muse is a San Francisco artist who works in the unique mediums of Japanese Sumi ink and honey-based watercolor. She uses these mediums to paint “unapologetically girly” women who are “both attractive and thought-provoking”, using a “style reminiscent of twenty-first century French comic book illustration” and inspired by Modern Impressionism to “capture the free spirit and rainbow palette of San Francisco”. This interview shares more about her magical work with the female form. When did you become an artist? Art is something that has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a child, I had notebooks filled with drawings of different faces.…
-
Interview With Crochet Artists Alyssa and Liz of Threadwinners
This interview was first published by Fempotential in early 2017. Since then I’ve had the opportunity to work with these great women in a number of ways. I’m thrilled to re-share this original article here. Threadwinners is a collaborative crochet art team based in Southern California. It’s made up of two awesome women: Alyssa Arney and Liz Flynn. They each took their own journeys to identifying as artists. They found their way to fiber art on their own. However, their visions really came to life when they joined up as a team. Together they: work to fight against patriarchy and the status quo by using art forms traditionally considered “interior /…
-
Interview with Embroidery Artist Michelle Anais Beaulieu-Morgan
Michelle Anais Beaulieu-Morgan is a queer embroidery artist whose graduate studies emphasize visual and material culture. She is a mother in New Haven, Connecticut. In this beautiful interview she shares in her own words about: how art intersects with feminism and activism her stitch-a-day project that is a personal effort to embrace the feeling of “too muchness” she’s been accused of us a queer woman insight into the long-lasting potential of material objects as cultural symbols. About Crafting When and how did you learn embroidery? For Christmas 2014, my ex-girlfriend put a tiny “subversive cross stitch” kit in my stocking. I made the piece that January (2015), and was immediately…
-
Interview with Photomontage Artist Eva Lake
Eva Lake is a multi-media artist who began making punk art zines and installations in the 1970s. She has been exhibiting her work in various forums for more than 30 years. Over the years she has worked: in the makeup and fashion industry as an art interviewer for radio as a writer working on art features singing in post-punk bands and New York musicals as an exhibition curator This was all while making her own visual art. Her art, primarily in photomontage, explores themes of women and their shared narratives. On Being An Artist Becoming an Artist I didn’t really make a decision to be an artist. It was always…
-
Interview with Artist Miss Marley
Marley Myles, better known as Miss Marley, is a self-taught artist from New South Wales, Australia. Her work is inspired by fairy tales, mythology, and symbolism. She works across different mediums including hand embroidery and ink drawing. She’s always bringing a combination of whimsy and humanity to each piece she creates. In this interview, she shares: how tattoos played a role in her development as an artist what she has learned from her son and how activism and art intersect for her. On a Creative Childhood As a self-taught artist, have you ever taken art classes? I was lucky to grow up in a childhood home that was essentially a…
-
Interview with Feminist Embroidery Artist Maria Arseniuk
Maria Arseniuk is a Canadian artist who works at the intersection of feminism and fiber art. She sells her work under the name Femmebroidery. Maria was a Women’s Studies major. She began exploring embroidery as a hands-on distraction from the intellectual demands of grad school. Upon graduation, she began working in craft full-time. She started incorporating mixed media into her art, working in collaboration with her partner. In this interview, she shares the pros and cons of expanding her art beyond feminism/craftivism while still holding that perspective at the core of what she does. On Embroidery and Crafting When and how did you learn embroidery? I began embroidery when I…
-
Interview with Weaver Meghan Bogden Shimek
Meghan Bogden Shimek is a fiber artist and weaver. She uses textiles to explore themes of loss, discomfort, and healing. Her training is in traditional tapestry and Navajo weaving techniques. She combines her skills as a weaver with organic movement inspiration. The result is artistic wall hangings that are rich in texture and reminiscent of landscapes. Meghan is based in Oakland, California. In this interview, she gives us insight into her artwork. She also shares what it’s like to be a professional artist and the single mom of a young child, including how helpful it is to rely on a community of women for support. A Working Artist Many people find…
-
Book Review: Always Too Much and Never Enough
Jasmin Singer is a vegan, lesbian, animal rights activist and author whose 2016 memoir Always Too Much and Never Enough shares her story of weight gain and loss on the path to understanding the core of her own true identity. She shares raw, intimate details of her life including the journey from actor to activist the complexity of being the much-loved but always-overweight daughter of a thin, beautiful mother a college date rape the death of a beloved grandmother and the many other nuances that make up a woman’s life. This is all set against the backdrop of navigating her relationship with food. Moreover, it’s about dealing with her own body…
-
Interview with Fashion Founder CeliaB
Celia Bernardo is the founder of CeliaB, a Spanish fashion brand that she created after spending a decade working with large brand names in fashion. She loves to travel and collects textiles and patterns from all around the world. Additionally, she loves incorporating inspiration from everywhere into her texture-rich clothing designs. In this interview, she shares her inspirations, motivations and the story of her brand. Launching The CeliaB Brand Q: You have worked with some big businesses in the past. What inspired you to start your own brand? I worked with brands like Zara, Pepe Jeans, and Asobio for ten years. After that, I thought it was time to set up…
