Tuesday 26 November 2013

Appreciations for Feminist Create


"Thanks for letting us know about Feminist Create, it looks great!" LEEDS FEMINIST NETWORK



 "Thanks for creating such a wonderful space with really inspiring stories. Your blog is fantastic!" BATTLE OF YOU










"Awesome!" FEMINIST INDIA


 "Thanks for creating this stage for creative feminists, it really great to know and realise how many great feminists are out there." DORONE PARIS









"The blog looks wonderful!" NORTH EAST FEMINIST GATHERING


 "Stay powerful!" LIZ GREENFIELD










"Awesome!" TAKE THE LEAD WOMEN


 "I'm so excited about the FC project!" SIAN NORRIS












 "The site's lookin great .. Well done :0) Good to see a guy on there too!" SOPHIE BARRAS






"All the best for the project" SWANSEA FEMINIST NETWORK

"BEAUTIFUL IDEA! Good luck" TRUE LEBANESE FEMINIST


 "I think the blog really great. The idea of promoting artistic content and expression on line is brilliant." YAS NECATI











"This is great! We should collaborate..." LADYFEST BAY AREA


 "Great idea for a website!" CARMINA MASOLIVER












"Thank you so much for sharing your blog with us" LADYFEST BRISBANE


  "I love the blog that you've started - I think its a brilliant idea to connect creative feminists." STEPH PIKE










"I would love be involved with your blog" JAN MARTIN

"Brilliant!" LADYFEST MANCHESTER

 "I found your website through the Manchester Feminist Network and I think its pretty cool...AISLING EFTHIMIOU


 "Thanks for being ace!" GRACE DENTON


Tuesday 19 November 2013

Profile: Battle Of You




Lives in: East London

Create: We are an alternative pop band who are 2 women, 3 men, part queer, part straight. All parts wonderful. And most of all, musicians who make loud, glorious pop and honest music. We are completely unsigned, and have been together just over a year and a half.

Our ethos is the "Battle Of You" the concept that everyone has to fight their personal battles to be who they are. Our music we hope is universal, and through that which we are so passionate about, we stand strong and honest in front of audiences all over the UK.

 We have just been given a residency at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, a historic and wonderful space for queer and feminist work that we adore. We curate a night there monthly, hand picking the artists and art that we care strongly about and also performing ourselves.




Feminisim is important to us because...  it is a constant reminder that as a woman, the battle for your personal rights and expression is intrinsic to leading a life both off stage and on stage.

@battleofyou

Here is the direct link to a download and stream of our single on Soundcloud.

 

Friday 15 November 2013

Interview: Jen Steiner


A few months ago Jen Steiner, Founder of Feminist Create interviewed me, Grace Denton (you can listen to that interview here). My immediate thought on finishing the interview was that I wanted to know what Jen had to say about a lot of the questions, and what prompted her to start the project.

We decided that a good way of conducting the interview to fit around the hectic nature of our lives and bodies, would be to text the questions and answers to each other via what's app. This proved a good way of doing it, it felt like a conversation, but one where you could take longer thinking gaps and put off thinking of an answer or a question for a little while if you were scared!

The following interview took place over the course of a few weeks, and as I'm writing this introduction I am sending it back to Jen with a new question at the end so she can finish it off before posting it on the blog...

Grace: Hello Jen! Welcome to our interview. So one of the things you've been doing a lot recently is writing, specifically about music and Bristol and the DIY community. How's this going? What inspired your interest in it? And can you give me a brief intro to DIY Voices?

Jen: Hello Grace Denton! Weeeeell first of all, I love writing... The main writing I did as a young person was letter writing and stories, then over my 20's it was songwriting and a daily diary; I never considered that my writing or ideas could be interesting to other people who didn't know me.... I used to read mainstream music magazines but they were usually about blokes and I didn't find anything of my self in them.. Since I moved to Bristol 3 years ago I was impressed (as in an impression was made on me) and inspired by the local music and DIY culture and scene. I saw people creating and getting it out into the world by any means.. I decided to risk approaching a local music magazine with an idea for a monthly feature on Women In Music and the editor was really excited about it, this is where my music writing first got published.

Now I also review EP's, albums and live gigs for Drunken Werewolf. It's pretty fun (after initially being terrifying ) thing to do, I started thinking about how to be able to do it more, but in a more local, indie focused arena. Music is great but the music industry isn't all that great especially for women, what I love about DIY and independent ventures is the way creativity and relationships are central, not profit and image.

DIY VOICES is an attempt to write and get other writers; local and worldwide; to talk  about the gigs they're seeing or playing, zines they love, events or talks they've found inspiring- and the blog is platform for that to occur. It's a great idea, somehow getting other people inspired to share their own writing is seemingly quite hard. Time to put my thinking cap on.

Grace: Amazing! So how have your experiences of the Bristol DIY scene affected how you present/distribute your own music over the last few years?

Jen: Well, probably the first thing to say about my own music is that I'm a disabled musician who is regularly unable to play as my health dictates when and where. Late nights (most music events) are not usually a reality for me, and so that thing I was saying about the DIY power being in relationships, hasn't been that easy for me as I'm not out and about whenever I want. The ways I've been able to present and distribute my own music have been DIY to the extreme of.. Solo functioning... So far, that is. I'd like for it to change.

I'd like to be more immersed in my local scene as a musician, especially in terms of distribution and gigging... Funding a release without support of even a small label or venue is difficult to say the least. Fortunately this year I've been able to gig out more regularly, at least once a month (which is relatively a lot for me) and I think I'm building up more relationships locally as a musician. I suppose the biggest influence my local DIY scene has shown me is that it is theoretically possible to be an independent musician, I don't feel like I've worked out how to do it my self quite yet!

Grace: Can you tell me about your writing process? I know you often work with traditional tunes and interpret them in your own way. How do you approach songwriting and composition in general and in relation to these tunes that inspire you?

Jen: Weeeeeell... I come to songwriting in several different ways... One is with my guitar; if I have the necessary solitary time and inclination to sit down with my guitar, I'll play a little something and invariably if I open my mouth, part of a song comes out... All it takes then is a bit more belief in my self to keep singing (not always easy) and, if I remember, take a digital recording of it. Sometimes songs are so catchy it seems unbelievable that I won't remember them, but I do forget! Others are just imprinted immediately and never leave.

Another way I write is just hearing or seeing a phrase, or thinking of one, and kind of holding onto to it until it becomes an internal song... A few weeks ago I finally wrote the song 'Song Of Stone' and I've literally had the main part of that for 7 or 8 years... Just waiting... It was cool to finally find its place!

Another way I write songs is just randomly singing whatever's in my head or something that I'm doing, these are usually short and silly.

Sometimes I use old songs or stories to make new versions... I'm quite into nursery rhymes; I find bits of them quite disturbing and they're usually so deeply ingrained that playing with them, or changing elements, is pretty damn satisfying!

I'm really into repetition, simplicity, stories and last, but not at all least, using my voice as an instrument in such a way that any song I sing, I make it mine. My voice is the core element in my life, something I've always had and used, in some way or other, to give me life. That sounds a bit dramatic! But I think there's some connection between our voice and our spirit, literally the inhalation and exhalation of living. I feel very alive when I am singing.

This past year I've been using a loop pedal to play with both guitar and voice; one of the nicest things about it (apart from it being super cool fucking fun) has been making songs or sound pieces (whatever you call them) using only my voice... Wow...




Grace: Nice. Yeah I get a sense when watching you perform that you're really happy when performing and using you voice, specifically. You say you've used your voice your whole life, but when did you first perform and sing for others?

Jen: Ha ha! Yeah, I love it! I first started singing along to tapes my parents had in their cars, lots of Fleetwood Mac, Whitney Houston, Meatloaf, wow all that good shit! We travelled a lot between my parents houses, so the first person I sang with really was my older sister. I loved singing with her. We made a recording with some of our friends when we were young teenagers of "Lean On Me". before that I'd never considered whether my voice was good or whatever, but when we listened back it was like, woah.... That's a great voice! We also went to church every week (not exactly what i wanted to do but no choice at the time) and that's the first place I sang in front of other people; it wasn't exactly performing cos it's ... Well, it's not a gig, but it was definitely singing for other people!

Since then I've always sung alone actually, singing with my sister was my favourite- I always sang the melody and she sang the (harder) harmony but one day I suddenly understood how to sing harmony and that was really cool. Singing solo is somewhat awesome but singing with other people is really what I love to do..

Grace: That puts the loop pedal in context, singing with others but maintaining control.. The dream!

Jen: It's not really about control as such, more like I've never been asked or asked to sing with anyone else... That's not true when I was art school, I sang with a couple of people; my dream of being a country singer and singing Joleen was fulfilled! Also I sang with another friend of mine which was heaven but... I guess art school is a bubble full of people who want to sing with each other...

Since then, well isolation can be a pretty key in disabled people's lives, as it can in everyone's, but if a person is limited with times they can be around other people and most other people work at jobs during the day... then it takes a lot to push out of that set up... The loop pedal is a compromise rather than a dream

Grace: It's in a way quite appropriate that we're in conversation here because it often feels we approach things very differently through necessity or because of our own circumstances. It's very easy to see the world through your own lens so it's good and important to me to hear you discuss your disability so openly. I often wish I could give you some of my energy, and because of my addiction to being busy/inability to say no to things that excite me (although I'm trying to get better!) I find myself craving the solitude you talk about.

In your room I noticed a long list hanging from the door of things to do like take a nap, write a song, Google your friends. I really identified with the need for this list and I imagine it’s there to help/remind you to use the time you have at home in a way that pleases you. What other methods have you found to inspire your creativity or keep you focused?

Jen: Hmmm.. Well, the list IS a reminder; I suppose, more of a reminder to be there in the moment... Things to do when you've forgotten who you are! Some of the things on the list are creative, some are silly and fun, some are just to remember that other people exist!
I think I'm generally an inspired person; given the space, sometimes solitude and lack of physical pain; I can produce to my hearts content!

I do find it can be a cyclical thing though, creative energy seems to rise and fall with my hormones...

And reading is always a massive creative inspiration for me too...

Grace: Cool. What are you reading at the minute?

Jen: It's funny I said that cos Actually right at the moment I'm not reading anything! This never happens, I usually have a pile of books I'm dipping in and out of.. But I've really been getting into audio books; very recently listening to fan-read Harry Potter (am almost at the end of Deathly Hallows) and before that I was listening to Dune, Orlando, something by David Sederis, an autobiography of Dorethea Lange and anything I could lay my hands on (ears to) read by Jeanette Winterson! Actually, I noticed recently that even the sound of Jeanette's voice inspires me! I went to live up North when I was 8 until 18 and lived in the corner of East Lancashire that Winterson is from. I was still learning to write when I was 8 and for some reason just the sound of that accent/dialect sends out these creative sparky feelings in my brain... It's like I suddenly can remember part of my self :)

But still listening isn't quite the same as reading... But you can do it with your eyes closed or in the dark!

Grace: Ah yeah I love audio books! Not listened to one in ages. Always like the fact you can do other stuff like tidy up or knit while they're playing.

So how does being a feminist affect your creative life? You've done a lot of work showcasing creative feminists through FeministCreate so I imagine it's something that is quite central to your self and your creative output...

Jen: Well... The effects of sexism and internalised sexism have and continue to in some areas, kept me quiet and ashamed in many parts of my life... Let alone all the other "ism"s.. I never felt like I wasn’t a feminist but I started to get more of a perspective of what that means to me in my life and how I can see that affects in other people's lives too.

One massive area, in terms of creativity, feminism and also activism, is isolation. Part of the way the world is divided up into production and consumption has to do with sexism and domination; I wanted to start to combat that isolation and one of the ways I was able to was to offer up the platform of Feminist Create as a space for us to be central, to be loud and connected as creative people who believe in, and act towards, the idea that all people are equal and deserve to be seen and heard, regardless of gender.

That concept is central to my life, so whether the work I produce is actively showing that or not, that's where I'm coming from and heading towards.

Grace: So when did you become aware of the idea of feminism? In relation to when you became aware of the reality of sexism?

Jen: Hmmm well feminism was in my life early on in a way, but not necessarily what I might call feminism today... I think I had an idea that feminists were just strong women, not all women were strong women so not everyone was feminist... It seems funny to remember what I thought! I mean, this was when I was a child. When I was a teenager feminism was not in my life, although sexism was I wouldn't have not what to call it until my mid 20's really... I called my self a feminist by then but more in a I-feel-outraged-by-something-I-cant-explain, than in any thought out, theory based way. That only happened about 4 or 5 years ago...

Grace: Yeah I know what you mean. It's only recently that I've realised some of the blindingly obvious hypocrisies in our society that stem from engrained sexist thoughts and behaviours. Can you tell me more, if you feel comfortable, about some of the ways and the areas in which sexism made you feel you had to be quiet and ashamed? And how have you overcome that?

Well that's a big question... But it's just hard to answer anyway cos some of the ways sexism is normalised just makes me not quite be able to tell if I'm making stuff up!

One thing is just how differently boy babies and girl babies are treated... From Day One! Girls are praised and cuddled for being cute, for being precious, for being beautiful... Even if their behaviour is no different, the kind of praise boys get is for being strong, for being a lad, for being 'naughty' even. From day one that is usually the set up and it's unusual for those messages not to get stuck in our heads so we can pass it on to babies we're around too...

And what's the difference? A willy. That's all. It seems outrageous that one piece of a persons body could give others around them, and eventually they would internalise, the message that if you've got a willy you're important and worth listening to. If you haven't, then you're just not that important, (although beautiful and precious) and you should listen to and be guided by those important people who have got one.... Totally weird. Please! What a load of bullshit. But deeply ingrained bullshit.

( I haven't answered your question VERY personally as I guess it feels too hard, I'm talking in a generalised way about sexism and internalised sexism here,)

One way I've worked out how to overcome that message? Well, I haven't fully overcome it and even when I notice its presence in a relationship or conversation; it's hard to interrupt it in a way that people can really hear (cos of course we all feel defensive). The best thing I've learnt (or re learnt) is crying. Not right then in the middle of a weird sexist situation but..  Crying, shouting, getting angry... In a formal way I mean, not just generally but specifically, deciding to listen to another person’s stories, really listen and let the other person express what they need to, then in return they listen to you and your story. I do this in some of my friendships and also in a setting called Re-Evaluation Co-counselling or RC. It's a long winded way of saying co-listening. The deal is You listen to me without interruption and then I listen to you. It's a really simple but very effective tool and I've found that my life and my relationships go much better when I can really listen to another person. The idea is you can talk or session on anything that you want to. Unsuprisingly, there's a big Women's Liberation movement in RC and also a big community of men dedicated to working on their sexism. It's quite a hopeful idea!
.

Grace: Thank you so much for answering these questions as openly as you have done. Putting ourselves out there in this way can feel very intimidating. Even just in the few weeks we’ve been conducting this interview there have been controversies over the way women like Miley Cyrus ‘use’ their bodies, and the way women like Lily Allen and Caitlin Moran popularise the idea of feminism without explicitly taking class and race into account. It can sometimes feel like putting your version of events out into the world is a risky thing, you can face criticism and abuse that seems to far outweigh the perceived wrongs. How do you feel, this far into running FeministCreate, about being a visible part of feminism (specifically online)? And finally, how do you feel reading this interview back before posting it on the blog?

Jen:  I think some of the messages I have in my mind is that nothing I do is very important or visible and that includes a lot of my creative work and this blog. I find it very difficult to notice that this might REALLY MATTER. I guess it's helpful to remember that people all over the world have been reading this blog since I began. It's hard to believe that I can be fully welcomed as the whole of my different identities and I'm quite quiet about those identities. One way I'd like to start working is in a more face to face way, the internet is great but it's not a reason to stay isolated behind our screens. I've got some ideas about this so watch this space..

Re-reading this interview before posting it has been excrutiating and also exciting, the feeling is I've said too much !!?? I am quite nervous to publish it... But, here goes...


By the way, here is my online stuff:

Twitter/thejensteiner
Facebook/thejensteiner
Soundcloud/thejensteiner
Bandcamp/thejensteiner




Sunday 3 November 2013

Interview: Sophie Barras


Hi Sophie Barras! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by Feminist Create. Can you tell us something about your daily life at the moment? 
Hi.. Well daily life is a mix up of trying to keep up as a mother, IT geek, artist and person trying to make sense of the world.. but mostly its a big mix of all those personal commitments and responsibilities.. I prefer some roles more than others, but mum time is the daily common factor.. Work and creativity are always in there somewhere

Does creativity get to be part of your daily life?
Sure - I have my day job as an IT Techie / Systems Analyst, so coming home or to the studio to switch off always involves a pencil and paper, a print in process or a paintbrush. I do creative work for design jobs or for my own portfolio or shop space, in my evenings and weekends

What do you love about what you create?
I love the process of print making, from the initial doodle, through to the layout, the screen processing and the eventual impressing of the image onto the paper, or fabric. I love working with paint, pushing myself to try new ways of working and experiments, but I also love being able to slowly work with an image or an idea, in a way that is totally different from the way I need to consider building up IT systems in a logical and useful way.. Too much logic makes Soph a dull girl

Where or how did you learn you creative practices?
I went to Dudley College of Technology, then to Bournville Art College (Birmingham) after school, but took a 15 year break from creating visual arts whilst my daughter was younger.. She's now much more independent at 17 years old and has been studying Textiles and Art at School and now A-Level so she's used to me making stuff around her and has chosen to find her own way of working.I've also taken a few adult education courses to refresh my screen printing and studied Photography at Ffotogallery (Cardiff). Aside from the classroom based stuff I think that more is learnt from the physical doing, trying and practising of the actual creation of items, which brings about true progression in creative works. I am lucky to have a partner who is also an artist, who's very honest with me and my work, helpful but allows me to make my own mistakes.
You will only get better if you keep doing.. I'm still learning.. Some days I make things I'm pleased with, but other days my work truely sucks - Ensuring the ego is kept in check and that you stay critical of your own strengths and weaknesses is essential, to ensure you keep progressing at your style

When did feminism come to be a part of your life?
I dont think I initially saw it as Feminism, but the idea of strong women, promoting womens rights and their ability to play the game in the same way or work in the same environments as their male counterparts, had always appealed to me. Not to be better than men, not to put men down or point out personal flaws, purely based on gender, but to be able to live, work and enjoy life with the same choices as men. I grew up in a close relationship with my brother and always wanted to be able to do the same things he could. As I grew up and found myself pregnant and on my own, differences in responsibilities between men and women started to hit home a little more.. It opened my eyes to the choices for women around the world and within our own communities, as I spent more time with support groups that helped to retrain me and get me back on my feet.

How would you describe how creativity and Feminism combine for you?
Ummmm... I don't think it's as a conscious or proactive step but I used to write songs that directly dealt with my feelings as a young woman, dealing with life.. These days I guess I choose pens, pencils and paint to discuss that, or share feelings
I think it's fair to say though, that most people who know me will also know I'm unwilling to be represented or marketed in a way that I feel is detrimental to women.. I have my own ethics and a teenage daughter to consider when making decisions on routes to take and projects to get involved with.

I'd love to hear about something you are really excited about and pleased about you and your life at the moment?
Another Ummmmm... Well yeah I have been lucky to have been supported for the past few months by the Dark Mavis stall in Cardiff Fashion Quarter, so I now have a physical store selling my clothes and prints.. I've just done a series of illustrations for a production of Romeo and Juliet showing at the Crescent Theatre in Birmingham and have some great projects coming up, so yeah it's looking ok at the moment!