Showing posts with label midweek features. Show all posts
Showing posts with label midweek features. Show all posts

Wednesday, 23 March 2011

Midweek Features - Strength and Weakness - 16/03/2011

Looking at the art that has come in over the past week or so, I found there were many portrayals both of the strengths and weakness that we all feel from time to time. I thought it would make the perfect theme for this week.

I am starting with this powerful portrait, full of fire, passion and confidence.

Firefly by © skye oshea


But what if it is all for show, or even worse, delusion?

One Woman Show by © wordthrift

Once,
at dinner,
you showed me,
the “proper” way to steep my tea.
“Not like that,
like this”, you said.
And as selfish proclamations go,
they’re only a small part
in your endless one woman show.
You will never know all the things I know.

The next image struck me like a woman looking at herself VERY closely.

orange by © Manana11



Followed by this fab poem about a woman trying to avoid mirrors altogether.

Her bits and pieces ….. by © SimplyRed

pretty as a picture so young and so firm
all of the fellows they did confirm
she was a looker and that was for sure
until age came knocking at her door

first thing she noticed was her lovely bust
no longer looking pert , a bra was a must
swimming in water was such a delight
the breasts went all pert again
even stayed upright!!!

a nice taut tummy was what she once had
a little swelling there wasn’t sooo bad
best viewed front on rather than the side
must start walking or take a bike ride
fooled herself for a while indeed
no full length mirror did she need

sideways glances were not on her mind
she hadn’t noticed that thickening behind
her firm butt was as hard as cement
lots of pinching, for men it was meant
still no long mirror for this ageing duck
if it got broken seven years bad luck….

next thing she noticed these small little crinkles
under the eye there where most folk get wrinkles
a small crease it was…not noticeable at first
another appeared it was a damn curse…
those few lines looked cute for a wee while
her face paralysed she didn’t want to smile
I swear each night as she went to bed
a new crease would form right there on her head
so crows feet she had and this she was to accept
new lines started forming she really could o’ wept

one day she did noticed it caused her no harm….
when she read the phonebook she’d stretch out her arm
smaller and smaller the writing was getting
off to th eye doctor she now was a sweating
for it seemed that the print wasn’t shrinking
she needed glasses oh what was she thinking

after a few years she adjusted and felt clever
breasts pert and firm …gone now forever
tummy not flat and butt not so hot
even liked her specs which she wore when reading
a hearing aid she would surely not be needing
for her ears they worked well for many a year
nothing else could go wrong surely not Dear!!

in her forties and the top lip felt hairy
into the mirror for a look that was scarey
for upon the top lip lay a tale of woe
hormones were going she now had a moe…
so to the chemist shop she did scurry
raced home with a waxing kit now in a hurry
what’s next she thought as she made her lip bare
Oh Fuck it all …..is that a grey hair!!!!

I think we’re all guilty of lying to ourselves now and again, be it about that wrinkle just being a laughter line or the big red elephants…


If you can’t lie to yourself, who can you lie to? by © Ina Mar

However, here’s a poem asking for the truth to be faced, and, personally, this totally resonated with me.

mortal by © Cynthia Lund Torroll

I’m an inconvenient
truth -
a girl who
passion ate

I’ve a heart that
runs
on fumes -
and is rarely ever
neat

You had said
I came for you
but tell me
are
you sure

that you want
a girl like me -

who arrives
without
a
cure

Courage is one of those strengths that is hard to achieve and even harder to maintain. Maybe this should be on every fridgedoor and next to every bathroom mirror?

There Is No Virtue In Silence by © unbeknown


It is so much easier to deny what’s happening to yourself and others…

Denial by © singerchick

Disregard the naked truth
Evading its cloying taste
Never mind compelling proof
Instead, present your bogus case
And trust whatever fills the hole
Little lies, warm milk for the soul

What more truth than a self portrait, especially one like this where you accept yourself inspite or maybe because of your weakness?


When I Need Protection by © Laurie Search

And here it is, all the protection and haven one could ask for.


Twilight Moments by © AnniG

Serene is the twilight hour
when I wait for you to wrap me up
in wordless conversation
comfort me with your calming presence
inspire me with your ethereal aura
simply sit with me as we share the silence
staring through shattered windows
of an erstwhile existence
patiently waiting with firm intent
for swift transportation
to a sacred place in infinite space
exalted, untouched


from the mysterious nebulous shadows
I atone for multiple sins
as you wash the grief from my heart
with clear crystal tears
readily spilling from angel eyes
revitalizing my weary mind
with jubilant rhapsodies
effortlessly dancing upon your lips
sweep me up, raise me on high
to glide along wispy skies
slowly restoring trust
in the truth of kindred spirits


in the crepuscular dimness of dusk
you shelter me as I curl into you
finding safety in your guarded haven
while countless shimmering knights
appear in primordial heavens
the mellifluous song
of raven skies and babbling brooks
lull us into gentle slumber
twinkles picked from effulgent dreams
of sanguine encounters
and lucid memories conceived
under a twilight tree


satisfied magical memories
of twilight moments


However, in the end we are all a secret to be discovered, made up of our own unique strengths and weaknesses.

Secrets of My Soul You Will Never Understand…angry red, passion blue, but mostly shades of green by © CarmenHolly

couldn’t resist this poem. Someone discovering a new aspect of themselves. Perfect to end these features, something to think about.

exercise by © Lisa Jewell

The atom living in breast foam that desperately clings to a pure squeaky shore is lonely.

My pace slows as I approach a simple restaurant on a less than simple street. This slowing occurs each workday. Time is 5.15 pm. He is always there. An elderly man seated at the same table at the same window. He is eating soup. Each day I slow my pace that bit more, so that I might catch his eyes. My craving to know him is escalating. I have thoughts racing through my mind. But the most significant I think is. Is he alone out of choice or is he alone because his wife (partner) has left him, or has died.


You don’t miss what you don’t know. Is that really true? The logic seems sound but what of rumour? Or a vivid imagination. Or that little ache that bubbles into an eruption of wanting a one. And what of the living after death. Gone. Sugary life goes on clichés are plastic. Plastic might last but what of aesthetics and character? It can’t be the same. It is not. I see it in the way he places each spoon into his mouth. There is ache and lonely.


The sadness is building in me. It is the type of sadness that brews from that deep part. No metaphor, analogy or symbology to convey. You know it. And what startles me is that I can feel the sadness building and it is me but I am living and happily so. Life is so fucking peculiar. There are times I feel I must be living two lives concurrently. I can’t possibly be happy and sad at the same time. Can I? And what of this man?


I hope you enjoyed these features. Please let the artists know if you did.
:-)

Sybille xo

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Midweek Features 22/12/2010

There is so much wonderful art and writing coming into the group at the moment, that choosing just six of each is proving all too difficult. All of these are great examples of strong and powerful feminist art. I hope you will enjoy them.

Feminist Art Evolution of Woman by Maggie Vlazny



“Evolution of A Woman by Maggie Vlazny” is an image so full of vitality and hope, that I could not resist it. “Our mouths and bodies speak for us in a new language, as the trees shake loose a rain of petals that stick to our slickness like skins we will wear forever. And just like that, I am changed.”
— Libba Bray (The Sweet Far Thing)”

Mandy Oversees A New Recruit’s Haircut by Margaret Bryant

The whole Mandy series by Margaret Bryant, are images that are filled with fun, yet each one has a poignant and strong message. I love the whole take -off of Barbie who is being given a whole new persona in this wonderful series. Here, “Mandy watches as a new recruit to the Inner Circle of Mandytude recieves her initation buzzcut. Mandy does not believe that hair makes the woman.”

Alone by Anita Inverarity



“Alone” by Anita Inverarity, is a poignant view into a woman coming to terms with disability. Part of the ‘Style Stealer’ series, Anita illustrates a range of emotions so beautifully. This one moves me to tears.


To the light… by m-mission 


“To The Light” by m mission takes us on an abstarct journey from darkness to light. I love the way she uses her precious gems to describe so well a whole range of emotion. here, it is a depiction of ‘fragments of a woman’.

Unspoken by Lacey Scarbro



“Unspoken” by Lacey Scarbro is a lithograph on bright white rag paper.This image portrays the deep, dark, haunting feeling that comes with the inability to free what is secretly kept inside the soul. The dramatic black and white abstract really does convey the whole range of feelings of not being able to express yourself.

I Can Take Care of Myself by Katz Karma


A feminist, fun-filled Red Riding Hood which I could not resist. I just love her attitude and the strong message that accompanies it.

The poetry featured this week is moving, emotional and strong. I love every one so much.

“Understatement” is a sparse, emotion filled poem that manages to say so much in so few words. I love it.







I am such a fan of Beautifuldreamer’s poetry. I think she has so much to say about growing up in an abusive environment, and she says it with a voice that we have to heed. Here is another very short but emotion packed poem that is incredibly powerful and moving.





I chose ‘Helua’ for its originality and power, bringing new insights into the goddess. Although I am still not convinced that if God had been a woman she would have allowed so much badness in the world!






I think that ‘The Lucky Country’ is Valentina at her best, reminding us of the differences between what happened to the early immigrants into the US and our current views and mistreatment of the immigrants who want to arrive now. It is a triumph.



“My Ever After’ is a stunning reflection of a woman coming towards the end of her life. Full of musings about life and how she would like to be remembered. It is moving and powerful.




A gentle and haunting poem, bjeliMis reminds us of those beautiful moments of first meeting. Using few words to leave us with the haunting beauty that was first love.





Congratulations to you all, and thank you for submitting such wonderful work to Pink Panther.

Wednesday, 15 December 2010

Midweek Features 15/12/2010 - Sisterhood

Christmas is close and it makes me think about family – not just the people that share the same part of the gene pool with us, but also those that have become family.

Usually half of the features would be writing, but just this once there are only pictures – I will follow this up next week with an all writing feature. :-)

The image that started me off on this journey is my own picture and, again, just for once, I am featuring one of my own and I’ve paired it with a picture of a braid. Why? I hear you ask, well, because so much about sisters seems to be about hair. I can’t count the times I did my sisters’ hair. LOL

Sisters by © Sybille Sterk
Sisters by © Sybille Sterk

b r a i d . by © hilde wegner
b r a i d . by hilde wegner

And then there are the many ways we ‘make’ family. Remember your very best friend? The one you went through thick and thin with? And then there’s the family we inherit by marriage and the birth of a grand child. Sisterhood knows no age nor bounds…

East and West… by © Berns

East and West… by Berns


Two Grandmas by © lovelyrita
Two Grandmas by © lovelyrita


There are the things we do and the things we share that make us sisters too. Remember the secrets told and the experiences we shared?

Friendly Whispers by © iamelmana
Friendly Whispers by © iamelmana

Friendship by © autumnwind
Friendship by © autumnwind


And then there are the hobbies and traits we have in common be it a star sign (most apt, Gemini) or the things we do together.

Gemini by © Anna Shaw
Gemini by © Anna Shaw


Fan dancers by © Linda Sparks
Fan dancers by © Linda Sparks


The work we do every day and the love that keeps us together.


coming home by © fehmida haider
coming home by © fehmida haider


Sisters Love by © eoconnor
Sisters Love by © eoconnor

The naughty things that make us laugh and the secret places we’ve discovered…


OMG – I Can NOT Believe I Just Did That… by © Kallena Kucers
 OMG – I Can NOT Believe I Just Did That… by © Kallena Kucers

Melbourne’s Laneways & Alleys 7 by © Trish Woodford
Melbourne’s Laneways & Alleys 7 by © Trish Woodford

Add your favourite images of sisterhood. :-)

Wednesday, 8 December 2010

Midweek Features 8/12/2010

This week’s features are selected by the way we see ourselves and the way we’re seen by others. Enjoy!

This image caught my this morning when I was moderating. Fabulous diptych (yes, I am into diptychs at the moment) with a meaning so true and harsh but wonderfully depicted.

Don’t Pull My Strings by Geraldine (Gezza) Maddrell
Don’t Pull My Strings by Geraldine (Gezza) Maddrell

This poem hit me – the way our mothers influence us. The way their displeasure lives with us forever… and it also shows the differences from one generation to the next.

Holy Ground by © Beautifuldreamer
Your anger, mother,
is as quiet as your hands
folded mutely in your lap at church,

hands that ( not unlike your anger)
will not fidget or move a muscle
to do this that or the other,
whether good or evil.

What’s the matter, mother, that you can’t stir yourself
from suburban apathy
long enough to rage,

can’t rouse yourself
from your greed induced stupor
long enough to knock that grin off my face
to knock me into next week or,
as promised, beat me till I can’t sit down for a week?

In your pew you never miss a beat—-
a bent knee, closed eyes
lowered head, humble mumble,
on-key singing—-never miss the slightest outward form
of dignified rectitude
while at home you are blinded to
my hunchedback walk of shame,
and my inability to make eye contact.

Oh mother, it’s not your puckered brow
which worries me so,
but your sour puckered soul
spit-shined once a week,
dressed in smart garb
to match the solemn decor of our church:

muted colors in tasteful undertones,
non-offensive like your anger,
the anger which no one sees but me,
and I’m not even trying;
I’m staring at your heels
as we leave the sanctuary.
I blink at the incongruity
of their keen clickety-clack
on cemented walk.

Oh mother, take off your shoes,
The ground on which you’re standing is holy ground.

Although Geraldine already has a featured image in this ‘show’, I had to include this. It was impossible to resist, especially as it fits so neatly with my theme. So forgive me for featuring Geraldine twice today…


Ribbon & Lace Maketh Not The Girl by Geraldine (Gezza) Maddrell
Ribbon & Lace Maketh Not The Girl by Geraldine (Gezza) Maddrell

So many truths in just one poem. Religion and women has always been a ‘hot topic’ and religion has done a lot (of harm) to the way we think of ourselves, not just as women but as human beings.

To Be or not to BE by © tinhearts
Should I stay or should I go
Too many ignorant stones to throw
Filling our bodies with filth and lies
No wonder so many people everyday die
One does not know until they break through
Tears fall short of what the rain can do
Washing the memories that we wish to ignore
Still leaves us crying and craving for more
We live our whole life in Sunday school
Praying and obeying all man made rules
Just to find out it’s been all wrong
Religion is one powerful sorry song
Who starts the anger in the hearts of men
Who strikes out against crying babies and women
Who starts the wars in the name of peace
Money rules through a rich pockets piece
If there is justice in this world
Sing me a song and give me a twirl
I don’t fall for words of men
Time and time I’ve been lied to again
It’s time to find out what’s actually true
A spiritual being begging inside of you
Craving to love
Calling from above
What religion does
Is kill dreams we dream of
Peace be still
That voice is instilled
Listen to what is really revealed
Instead of what religion has muted and sealed
Listen to the spirit the seed your aware of
Everyone knows it’s what we should take care of
We all have the light of love in our hearts
That’s why we are here repenting through art
Live for the life inside of you
Find your true identity that you were meant to do
Excuses come cheep to a fallen soul
To lazy to believe what will make them whole
Nobody cares to seek the truth
Teaching that money buys happiness to our youth
Fall on your faces and beg if you dare
To give up your selfish wanton cares
I’ve had it all and still wanted more
Now I have nothing worth locking the door
Finally a whisper I listened to
Removed the disease I’d been enslaved through
Love is the answer can’t people get it
Knock yourself out and start to get with it
Denominations
Segregation
Man carves in stone
Give up the fight and allow love to rule your throne
Tears can pave if you don’t want to change
Hell is inside man being arranged
Nobody cares if you live or die
People everyday over tombstones cry
Do you want to live, really live your life
Follow your heart where love has no strife
No ears will hear what the Spirit is saying
Stiff necked people selfishly praying
If you have eyes to see
God bless you I pray to thee
Love is free
For you and me
Choose life intimately
Peace and joy ultimately
Do you want to be
Or actually BE

LOL You just have to love this. I think it should be hanging in every girl’s room. Wouldn’t make our job (as mothers) easier, but it’d do a lot for the independent strong woman of tomorrow. :-)

My rules by salena
My rules by salena

And here it is – the wanting, the need to be yourself and shine… what more can I say?

The Wanting – 1 by © chitrali
I want.
I want it all.

.

I want to be Rich and Powerful,
I want to be Glorious and Triumphant,
crushing all those who denied me before..

I want to be Loved, Admired,Respected by All: The darling of ‘Society’.
to show ‘them’ that i can be loved after all.

.

(I want to Love)
(and be loved in return)
(I want to be held and feel safe)
(I want to protect and soothe him in turn)
(I want to see the warmth in his eyes)
(I want to know it’s for me – and be contented)

.

I want.
I want it all.
I want all of that,
from just the one man,
not,
The whole world.

There’s something captivating about this image, that draws you in. It’s a view, a perpective of the inside and it’s naked and vulnerable. Wonderful. :-)

Timor Servilis by Cynthia Lund Torroll
Timor Servilis by Cynthia Lund Torroll

I read this and imagined…

one woman by © doreen connors
i imagine today if more women’s hearts had been expressed (or viewed) in the past, through their art…imagine the centuries that missed out on this

of course, we cannot imagine the past or the future… in truth…
there are no ‘what ifs’… no ifs ands or buts…In deed!!

there is another truth that exists, right here, right now… anything is possible..
the past is changed, and the future never comes

this heart is expressed in the fullness of its magnitude which is limitless
...in this moment

I love images of strong women, and how much stronger can you get than this – full of colour and vibrancy with a stern look that seems to say ‘now, look here, this is how it goes…’ another version of ‘my life, my rules’.


Funktified Fantasia by Agent7

Funktified Fantasia by Agent7

I loved the giddyness and excitement about this – the fulfillment and happiness. It’s lovely and a picture all in itself.

driving home by © clancy214
x over the moon
the song remains on a loop
i should have kissed you.
warm and sweet like
honey and midnights.
all in the kitchen sink
w/ winks and nudges and
heels and head over
spilled room temperature
tap water.

This is a fabulous image of the torment that sometimes holds us in a tight embrace and won’t let us go.

Tormented Elegance by pepper08
Tormented Elegance by pepper08


I had to include this. Apart from being one of my favourite poets on RB, Lianne has managed to put so much wisdom and heart into this and put a new spin on the breaking heart that has me in awe. A fitting poem to finish this feature.

Hearts Were Meant To Break by © Lianne
Hearts were meant to break
Love…requited…bursts them wide open
expanding them ever outward with the
awesome power of the big bang,
photon upon photon of love light -
an endless grace, that energy moving toward
the sacred consummation of intimate union.
And when stars cavort and gaily pour
the glittering dust of diamonds
into the space that love has opened
to receive it, a heart so fills with light
that it must split asunder to make room
for the more of love, the overflowing
river of it, the numinous, luminous constellations
of love light dancing through the cosmos.

[...] read the rest of the poem on Redbubble (click on the title of the poem to go to the RB page)

Please visit the artists’ pages and tell them how much you liked their work. Appreciation from our peers is wonderful and makes it all worthwhile. :-)

Sybille xo

Wednesday, 24 November 2010

Midweek Features 24/11/2010

We're finally finding our stride and here are the midweek features - a mix of art and writing.

Mixed Feelings by ©Agent7

One of my fave images this month. There's so much to see and understand in this. The technique is fab and the look and feel are great. Perfect to start off the features.

Mixed feelings by Agent7

Sixty Ticks Of Nothing by ©acquaridan

All the business of life and all the things we need to do, that are expected of us and so little time to just be - perfectly expressed in this poem.

I’m not crazy
Not at all

Seriously

I keep telling myself that
I may just believe it

One of these days

For all intense purposes
No one would suspect a thing
My friend and I we work
In simpatico with each other

We have an understanding
An agreement if you will
To co-exist in a state
Of perpetual normalacy

Normal
What is that

Really

Responsibilities and rules
Governed by obligations
Distinguished with deadlines
Which necessitate compliance

Appointments to keep
Places in which to be
Conversations to be had
Agendas to follow

Stop
Timeout

Sit on the bench

Remove thy mask
Disrobe the facade
Moments of solitude
Minutes of nothingness

Longing to take a breath
With no where to go
Wanting to sit a while
Nowhere to be

Hold it
Wait for it

Release the valve

Stay a while and be
Content with yourself
Let seconds pass you by
You’ll catch up the hours

Take in that which you miss
You must it has missed you too
Absorb the tranquility
Arouse each sense

Craziness
Is not taking a moment

When you need it most

Being consumed by too much
To not know solace and comfort
In moments of serenity
360 degrees 60 ticks
Of peaceful nothing

Thoughts For Company by ©Geraldine (Gezza) Maddrell

There are so many different aspects to women and the introspection and thoughtfulness in this lovely image touched me.
Thoughts For Company by Geraldine (Gezza) Maddrell

the weight of life moving forward without you by ©ShadowDancer


A thoughtful and beautiful poem, perfectly encapsulating the mood Geraldine's image (above).

While butterflies make love on the tips of sunbeams,
my toes sink into the moist moss near the creek,
its crystalline waters move into a symphony
as it soothes its own speckled rocks,
and the scent of honeysuckle seduces the world.

I watch this day pass in slow motion;
I feel the weight of everything that surrounds me,
tasting the heavy flavor of life moving on…

and I wonder
will we ever be together?

Back to earth by ©catrinarno


And here's yet another aspect of what it means to be a woman. There's romance but there's more to this. It's back to earth with the prize held tightly. Fabulous image, wonderful colours and just that little something extra. :-)

Back to earth by catrinarno

Word Versus Word by ©H M Bascom


An amazing poem full of truth and the duality of life.

I read a word
it was not a big word
four letters
no more

but this word
though not a big word
had power
to hurt

I wrote a word
a really big word
four letters
no less

and this word
was such a big word
with power
to heal

Feel by ©dorina costras


And here is sensuality and enjoyment in it. The colours and movement in this are wonderful and the message is just what we need to hear, guiltfree and beautiful.

Feel by Dorina Costras

When You Were Born by ©Kristin Reynolds


This really touched me. I still remember that first moment of laying eyes on my son, of holding him. It's something you never forget.

The moment that my eyes laid claim
to every atom that makes you
beheld upon your ancient face—
each pore, each crease, each shining truth!—

was when my journey to this time,
this when and where became love clear,
that every hurt which spat me out
was meant to bring my love to here.

Each lifetime I give birth to you
(my greatest gift and work of art!)
and as you search my fervent eyes
I see within my own true heart—

it is this now, right now I see
in your sweet face that time is naught,
we have but now, this perfect breath;
you’re every answer I once sought.

And as we lay skin touching skin
beneath this sky we are but one,
just you and I, love, always here:
a mother and her newborn son.

Run your fingers, through my soul by ©madworld


I have to say, the first thing that attracted me to this image was the poetic title. Don't we all wish for this closeness? The image perfectly shows this. The simplicity of it makes it all the more touching.

Run your fingers, through my soul by Madworld

Pecking Order by ©Jenifer DeBellis


Intriguing and thought provoking poetry.

It was just plain Weird

to witness nature in action
completely out of context.

A sea of words
can paint
a single gesture
of body language,
yet how many will see
the intentions
of a premeditated mind?

To find a place to hang
the hat of reason
is the kind of challenge
most won’t even
go out on a limb for.

While breadcrumbs leave a trail
on the floor of a hungry babe’s
fountain of understanding,
only the light of revelation
will illuminate
the tree of knowledge.

Papa bird waits for
Mama’s call of warning
that never reaches the wind
in time to derail
the runaway train.

Here the tide washes in,
reeking in ways
that can’t be explained
with a small handful
of pearly, cute-shaped words.

The night owl
watches from a branch
just beyond sight,
mumbling warnings
about the day’s last flight
into the dawn of reality.

It was the weirdest thing
to witness, and weirder still
was the eerie silence.

Even the wind died on deaf ears.

i don't mind waiting... by ©clancy214


And here the finale - what a lovely image, so full of longing and hope and fulfillment. Perfect to end the features. :-)

i don't mind waiting... by clancy214

Bitter Sweet by ©Vickie Bodie


Beautiful poem, thoughtful, and, yes, bitter sweet. Do you remember your first kiss?

Should each bit of Life
Be tasted like a Kiss
Bitter Sweet

Yet linger on
the end of the tongue
tasted off the lip

Full of desire and Passion
with the purity
of the innocents

Or

Should it be like
the fire that burns
within that first kiss

Should that first kiss then
be the only kiss
and remain
Bitter Sweet

Enjoy!