Finlandia University Exhibition: Traveling Journals, Young Women's Caucus

Travelling Journal Project

Where: Reflections Gallery, Jutila Center, Finlandia University, Hancock, MI

Dates: January 10th-30th

Reception: Thursday, Jan. 20th at 12:30 PM

The travelling journal project is a collaborative art experiment with an online component (www.travellingjournalproject.blogspot.com ), the actual journals that will be originated by one artist and passed to other artists. The experiment will culminate with a travelling art show during 2011. The show is organized by the Young Women's Caucus for the Arts group at Finlandia University. Learn more about the YWC at http://youngwc.blogspot.com/

The journals were hand made or purchased. The journals could be in a traditional form or they may unfold into a wall piece or sculpture...or scroll. The originator could have chosen a topic or theme for their journal to pass. The originator also chose 5-7 people that they want to pass the journal to. They were also assigned a blog link that they can then customize and pass the info along to their journal participants--who will either scan or photograph what they did in the journal and post it...with any other comments/observations about the project.

The project began on Sept. 15th and continued until Dec. 15th (all journals sent to the originator, then back to me by January 1st), Any media may have been used in the journals, as long as they could travel safely and still be closed into a relatively flat book. Friends or family of each participant are also invited to make pages while that participant has the book. So while a book might only travel to 7 addresses, at each address, the number of people making pages is limited only by the person who has received the book, their friends, and the length of time until the next "mail to" date when the book has to travel.

The show at Finlandia Univerisity's reflection gallery will also include journals that have travelled from East to West Coast, some from outside of the US, and some that travelled locally. In addition to the travelling journals, some participants did additional collaborative projects and book/journal related artworks that will help to round out the show.

--Melissa Hronkin
Young Women's Caucus
Press Contact

For more information:
Traveling Journal Project: http://www.travellingjournalproject.blogspot.com
Follow our WCA Philadelphia Journal here: http://travellingjournalbonnie.blogspot.com/

Featured Member Artist: Ruth Schanbacher

My main goal, whether I'm working on production or community building, is to breath life into concepts and ideas...


Production and Performance:

I'm very drawn to fantasy costuming and sets, and to finding appropriate locations and getting people involved. The events I produce have a strong participatory community component. So much so, that frequently there is no "audience," because everyone is involved at some point. Aesthetically, I see costuming as an extension of my love of soft sculpture and art dolls.

I'm a member of Horsey, a sound art/ performance project...the audio component lies somewhere in the crossover of music and noise...we sometimes perform live...we have a ton of recorded material...though only a small portion of this has been released at this time.

Artist Promotion:

In 2007, I founded Manufactured Dissent, and since then I've been interviewing artists / writers / performers for this site.

Community Coordination:

This is probably the most visible thing I'm involved with. Since 2007 I've been involved w/ a group of artists. They started out as the Philly Etsy Team. At some point we decided to start our own, independent art collective, which has since morphed into Handmade Philly. I strive to motivate people to make things...and to build strong local economies and communities.

Visual & Collaborative Art

Most of my 2D work focuses on spatial relationships of both real and imagined landscapes: map illustration on a macro and micro level. I enjoy working with a variety of materials and, of course, love working on collaborative projects. I enjoy making objects with a strong individual character. I like objects that look personal...like a person made them...I would categorize my style as contemporary primitive folk art. Though it can be dangerous and potentially limiting to throw such labels around.

This year I joined the Women's Caucus for Art. Through this organization, not only have I met super talented and charming artists, I was also given the opportunity to meet a few really sweet students from a local high school. We worked together on one of the collaborative projects, and I was really grateful for the opportunity. I've really been wanting to get more involved with community outreach...you know it's so easy as an adult to live a self contained (ie isolated) life...and I feel it's really important to reach past the circle of friends/ family / co-workers and into the community at large...

Ruth Schanbacher
Community Coordinator
www.handmadephilly.com
www.mandismag.com
www.volklibre.org
http://horsey75.tumblr.com

To find out more, check the Upcoming Exhibits and Performances page at www.ruthschanbacher.com

MEMBER NEWS: Ruth Schanbacher

*SHOW #1: HELLO BLUEBIRD*
**

*LOCATION: *609 Penn Avenue, West Reading, PA 19607

*Phone: * 610.750.6642 (shop office phone)

*WEBSITE*: http://hellobluebird.net/
*OPENING:* Feb 4th, 2011 6-9 PM

*CLOSING RECEPTION/MEET AND GREET POTLUCK*: (this event is for handmade
philly members and friends of Hello Bluebird to meet and get to know
eachother....it should be a great networking event!!) -- *Sunday Feb 20th,
2011*

*SHOW #2: SQUARE PEG Artery & Salvage*

**

*LOCATION: *108 South 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

*Phone: * 215 360 5548

*WEBSITE*: http://www.squarepegartery.com/
*OPENING:* Friday, March 4, 2011 @ 6 PM

*SHOW #3: HAVERTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY
*

*LOCATION: *1601 Darby Road, Havertown, PA 19083

*WEBSITE: *http://www.haverfordlibrary.org/
*PHONE: * 610-446-3082
*OPENS:* April 10th (exact date TBA) (April 10-16 is National Library Week!)

National Women's Caucus for Art Conference: LIVE SPACE: women + art + activism (2/10-14)

LIVE SPACE: women + art + activism
NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 10-14

The Women's Caucus for Art 2011 Conference LIVE SPACE is well underway!

The concept of LIVE SPACE is twofold: first, it describes art that is happening in the moment, and second, art that is energetic, stimulating and electric. LIVE SPACE will be happening not only all over NEW YORK CITY, but also in cities across the COUNTRY through blogging, YouTube, Twitter, and live feeds. From live feeds for the Lifetime Achievement Awards and the LIVE SPACE gala, to performance art on YouTube, to live art happenings in front of the Hilton, this WCA Conference will be in the moment, exciting and electric.

DOWNLOAD THE PDF APPLICATION FORM

OR PAY VIA PAYPAL

For the complete conference schedule:
click here

Member News: Megan Kelly and Bonnie MacAllister featured at National Conference Live Spaces Young Women's Caucus Event

YOUNG WOMEN’S CAUCUS: WHAT YOUNG WOMEN WANT

Raandesk Gallery, NY as part of National WCA Conference Live Spaces

February 10, 2011

7-9 p.m.

Live Performances and Films by the Young Women's Caucus Members

hosted by Bonnie MacAllister

1) "on our own volition" featuring:

Artists: Amanda Moyer, J.R. DeMers, Susie Danielson, Stephanie Trevino, Amanda Mears, Dawn Hiltz

Description: Women have traditionally gathered to discuss their desires, their passions, changes they want in the world, and their lives. Women have congregated around watering holes, in kitchens, in bathrooms, over quilts, and at tea tables, just to name a few. Six ladies from Finlandia University will be gathering together in the Raandesk Gallery to discuss their wants and desires for their lives and the world through narrative movement and sound.

2)."Spoken For"

Artists: Marina Kelly, Megan Katz

Description: Marina Kelly and Megan Katz will work with two male performers from The NY-based Notion Collective to create a live performance. Kelly and Katz will collect video interviews of a variety of women talking about what they want. The male performers will memorize the women's words and perform them in the gallery space, live and in synch with a silent video projection of the women speaking.

3). "Requesting Access"

Description: Requesting Access is collaborative photo shoot performance by Chanel Matsunami Govreau (played by Asian Barbie), photographer Martin Solheim and makeup/hair artist Tamara Qabazard. This performance layers the exaggeration of cultural costuming over questionably (un)real storytelling. This is combined with the friction and vanity of flash photography to explore multiracial identity and gender in interracial relationships as it combines with expectations of sexuality and its possible profit.

4) Title: 45th Presidency by Alex Dilks Pandola and Green Light Arts (Philadelphia)

Description: It's January 20th, 2013 and you're invited to the inauguration of the 45th President of The United States of American, America's first woman President, Sarah Louise Palin. If you don't think it can happen, please see the 44th President. Is this the last thing women want? What women? Join Green Light Arts as we listen to President Palin's Inaugural Speech and see how she intends to turn the Mama Grizzlies loose on Washington. Keep your car doors locked!

And in the film room:

"I am the doubter and the doubt"

Artists: Megan Kelley and Suguna Sridhar

and

Title: “Deconstructed Breath Verse”

Artist: Bonnie MacAllister

--

for all press or inquiries, please contact macallister.bonnie@gmail.com and visit the Young Women's Caucus site.

Call for Art: March at International House

Theme: "Women and Water"
International Women's Day 2011
Opening event is March 16, 2011
International House
University of Pennsylvania

Sponsored by:
University of Pennsylvania
Women's Center
South Asia Center
Middle East Center
United Nations Association of Greater Philadelphia
Women's Campaign International
CARE
Philadephia Global Water Initiative
Engineers Without Borders

Open to WCA Philadelphia 2011 Members or National Members who pay $15 chapter dues
Contact macallister.bonnie@gmail.com to sign up