For my proposal to hold a series of Artist Convenings, here in my Grove Street Art Farm studio. I am bringing together twelve Women Artists, community elders, who have culturally enriched our valley, sharing their vision and strong creative work, over the years, some through teaching, others through performances and exhibitions.
These “Artist Power Convenings” are part of a new program that the YBCA has created for each SF Bay Area County, to benefit and bring artists together, especially after the pandemic isolation. This is a way to give back and to honor the often unseen work of women creatives, who have lived and worked here, in our valley, for decades. My idea for our Convenings was inspired by the tradition of native tribal elders gathering in circles in the morning, to share their dreams, that the dreamers dream for the tribe. Artists are dreamers, dreaming for their community. As Twelve Elder women artists, we are connected through place, as well as through our art and our stories, making visual, musical and poetic art that is narrative, figurative and metaphoric. Our four monthly Convenings, began October 29 through January 29. We gather, each bringing a piece to share that relates to the theme of the month and a short written page of the story that is behind the piece. I chose themes that run through my work, as a starting point, to give our work some cohesion. The themes are: Life as Myth, Something Ancient Remains, Response to Wildfires and Covid, the Personal Speaks to the Universal,
This series will culminate in a local exhibit of some of the work that we shared in each convening. In addition,Yerba Buena Center will be hosting an event when they reopen, for the awardees to share what we have done.
