Profile: Lucienne Boyce

Name: Lucienne Boyce

Lives in: Bristol

Contact: lucienne@lucienneboyce.com

Create: In 2013 I published The Bristol Suffragettes, a history of the militant suffrage campaign in Bristol, which includes A Walk with the Bristol Suffragettes and a map. I have also set up a Bristol Suffragette Project on my website, which offers further resources. I also hope that people will get in touch to share their suffragette stories. I have given numerous talks about the women’s campaign, looking at the history and how it relates to activism and women’s status today. I’m currently researching the impact of the First World War on the women’s suffrage movement, with a special interest in the peace movement – which goes back to the days of Greenham Common (when I joined demonstrations though I didn’t live in the camp). In 2006 I completed an MA in English Literature with the Open University, specialising in eighteenth-century women’s literature, particularly the work of Frances Burney and Charlotte Smith.

Other creative stuff: My first historical novel, To The Fair Land, was published in 2012. A thriller set partly in Bristol, it’s about a voyage to the South Seas.

I’m currently working on a murder mystery about a Bow Street Runner investigating a crime near Bath, and doing research for a novel to be set in 1910, during the suffrage campaign.

I’ve written a play about the suffragettes in Bristol (Follow the Colours).

I blog about suffragettes, fiction, the 18th century, theatre, books etc.

I’m a member of the Women’s History Network and the Historical Novel Society, and I set up and run the HNS’s local group for readers and writers which meets monthly at Bristol Central Library http://hnsbristol.wordpress.com/


One thing you love about Feminism... the energy and creativity. 

Website - http://www.lucienneboyce.com/

On Twitter - @LucienneWrite

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lucienne.boyce

Profile: Erin Gutknecht

Lives in: Chicago, IL, USA

Contact: erinegutknecht@gmail.com

Create: Music is therapy to me. I write music to come to resolution, to express internal struggles and share those struggles. I fight with anxiety and depression and share my music hoping it will help others to not feel so alone. 

Other stuff: I love to paint, write poems and plays, dance, and act! I'm going to school for theatre, actually, though music is the artistic passion I plan to pursue. 

One thing you love about Feminism is... it reminds me that we are all sisters and brothers, rather than enemies. Feminism helps me to see other people as human beings rather than assholes or bitches. It helps me to accept myself for who I am, rather than trying to be someone else.

http://www.soundcloud.com/erin-gutknecht

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.

 www.facebook.com/battleofyou

@battleofyou

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

https://soundcloud.com/battleofyou/rebecca-the-single

 

Profile: Elizabeth Mizon

 

Lives in: Bristol, UK.

Contact:

emizon@ymail.com

Create: I am currently making my first documentary feature about the political economy of the media. We're taking an in-depth look at the history and the inner dynamics of the industry to illustrate that the UK (and global) media's failings are not the result of an accidental decline in previously upheld standards, but the logical outcome of the densely capitalist industrial model that it is built upon. If that sounds quite heavy, then good! It's a big topic, but film is an effective medium for explanation and engagement.

Other creative stuff: I blog about once a month, mainly on media representation; though I have occasionally veered from this topic, that's the current vein. However, my next few articles that I have mapped will certainly break from this subject, as I want to make a conscious effort to expand my output to cover the other aspects of communication and industry that I am rapidly learning more about.

I also write feminist film reviews for The Vagenda, and post to the community blog on feministing.com, and I have my eye on writing for a favourite site, Cracked...it's relatively mainstream and on a tangent to my usual style so that's still in the pipeline, if they'll have me.

I am the only current female member of the Bristol Radical Film Festival team, and I also volunteer at the amazing Cube Cinema; an entirely voluntary-run, horizontally integrated cinema and arts hub in Bristol city centre. Also, I love taking pictures, and I'm almost great at it now.

One thing I love about Feminism is... Feminism is about agency, and as agents of their own self-expression, people will define themselves in wildly different ways under the same/different labels. I love movement towards gaining better understanding, making connections with other people, and preventing injustice and suffering. I reckon feminism is one of those movements, and feminists are the people who act to make it happen. I love feminists who will promote feminism in the face of opposition, from ridicule to violence.

elizabeththethird.wordpress.com

@elizabethethird

vimeo.com/emizon

Profile: Charlotte Chorley

Lives in: Cambridge, UK

Create:  I am currently working on a poetry blog (www.salompoetry.tumblr.com); at the moment it features only my work but, having a few artistic/creative female friends, I am hoping to broaden it into a collective medium where people can post their narratives and art work. My poetry is inspired by classical mythology, my travels around the world and by contemporary political issues.

Other creative stuff: I am the Women’s Officer at Pembroke College, where I get to engage with the higher level of university women’s politics and am surrounded by a fun, active network of women who always keep me aware of what’s going on in the world.

What I love most about feminists... is the inclusiveness. ‘Feminism’ does not marginalize or exclude; the group of women I get to mingle with in Cambridge’s Women’s Forum are so welcoming, so positive and so inspiring. They bring out a political fervour I never knew I had.

Profile: Swallow

Lives In: Paris, France

Contact: liz.online@gmail.com

Create: Swallow is a free online comic telling the story of a young American woman in Paris whose spirit animal is social networking. It's interested in being 20-something in a big city, and our intimate relationship with technology.

Other creative stuff: I'm also a poet, writer and performer. At one point I did a bit of stand-up while eating cake. (http://vimeo.com/48696695)

One thing you love about Feminism... Gender equality is crucial to a knowledge-economy and the key to human dignity. I don't know if I'd describe myself as loving feminism. It's just totally unimaginable to live without it, like food and water.


https://www.swallow.fr
https://www.lizgreenfield.com
https://soundcloud.com/lizgreenfield

Profile: Dorone Paris

For Utopia no.1

Lives in: Dublin, Ireland.

Contact :doroneparis@gmail.com

Create: I'm an Israeli-born contemporary composer and a professional saxophone player living & working in Ireland. Being raised and educated in Israel, influenced my political ideas and affected my musical creativeness, aesthetics and philosophy. I am the founder of PATH art: an organisation dedicated to convincing my people that a peaceful coexistence between Jews and Arabs in Israel-Palestine is both possible and necessary.   Living in Ireland and being directly involved in the abortion legalisation debate, PATH's mission has expanded as an artistic human rights movement. 



Other creative stuff: as I mentioned before, my creative work in Ireland deals (for now) with the abortion rights needed in the country. Therefore, under the wing of PATH a new project called For Utopia has emerged. The project, which is this time in based in Ireland, aims to separate religion from state laws.

The first performance of this project, 'For Utopia no. 1', took place on Friday 7th of June, on Grafton street in Dublin city. 
This piece  raises the subject of women’s rights specifically in relation to the ongoing abortion debate. We preach for the protection of the lives of Irish women over archaic religious legacy. 
The piece is composed for a female singer Justine Murphy, guitar & pedals Edgar Grunewald and tenor saxophone (myself)  .
The singer wears a veil throughout the piece as a symbol of mourning for the basic human rights that were taken away from her. She opens the piece by walking down Grafton Street while singing dramatically texts from various feminist groups supporting abortion. 
As she continues walking down the street, the liturgical melody of Kyrie from the Catholic requiem mass is being played, for the remembrance of the women whose basic human rights were taken away from them. I hope that by this combination of text and melody, people will acknowledge the sad fact that the singer is actually begging for the rights of her own life. 
When the singer finally meets the guitar and saxophone she loses her voice almost completely, which is a metaphor for blocking and ignoring women's rights. 
As the piece progresses the guitar and sax lose their conventional sound  and become a raging chaos which joins together to the singers cry. 



Here is a link to the performance on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXUi_OCw5v0



Feminism... is the most important movement there is. Genesis begins by separating the man from the woman and discriminating her.This is the most ancient discrimination in the world and sadly the most persistent one. Therefore, feminism is not only important but  it is a crucial movement for human rights around the world. 



Links:  www.DoroneParis.com

Profile: Eesie Lee

Lives: North London.

Create: The difficult with being a trained director is that you can't - on waking up at 4am with a brilliant idea - go downstairs and direct a play.  So I simply have to sing, to write, to draw, so I can flow (or occasionally vomit) out whatever is making me wriggle, whenever I please.   I'm irritated by the quantity and quality of female characters in the fantasy/sci-fi genres, and am currently working on a collection of five-chapter novels which I hope will challenge that.  Think feminism meets time-travelling zombie dragons, etc.  I'm also partial to penning a poem or two, I sing/songwrite in collaboration with my other half and I really REALLY want to illustrate my own graphic novel.


Tell us any other creative things you do:
Pianist, Cellist, Director, Actress, Painter.


One thing you love about feminism or feminists.. I love feminist for how diverse a group we are!  With every conversation there is something new to learn, a new perspective to consider.

Contact: eesielee@gmail.com


'Zombie Love' 

Profile: Joelle Circé

Lives in: Sainte-Béatrix, Québec, Canada

Contact : joelle@circesart.com

Creative: Circé’s creations primarily consist of work in oils.  Her process is instinctive and she is unerringly drawn to expose and reveal the image and the moment contained therein to its fullest potential.

  

Circé is a queer femme artist of transsexual origin. Her drawings and paintings reflect an integrated queer feminism that is political, social, and often emotional in nature.  

Circé’s passion and exploration of queer realities is motivation for what she commits to being a lifelong exploration.  Part of this process for Circé is in working with known and familiar models for her work.  As with many artists of the past, whom would use family and friends for their important pieces, Circé also works best in the creative embrace of intimacy and connectedness.

As an Artist, Circé wants to explore the “reactive factor” as she explores women's issues and lives.

Other creative stuff: I grow vegetables in our garden, love to drink good wines and indulge in cannabis edibles ( for health reasons of course ). I'm fairly active on Facebook.

One thing you love about Feminism: Feminism has helped me give voice to my experiences as a woman.

1) Smashing Images

    oil on canvas

   30in. x 40in.

This piece is all about how many women try to come to grips with issues of self-loathing, often brought on by the constant media bombardment showing unattainable body types. It is also about breaking those stereotypes.

Smashing Images

2) Yellow Wallpaper

    oil on canvas

    24in. x 36in.

Inspired by Charlotte Perkins Gilman short story " The Yellow Wallpaper ", Circé explores a scene from that story while adding elements that displays through image the  " descent into madness ". A descent that has been driven by isolation, abuse, stigma, " hysteria " and other " female neurotic maladies " that historically have been used to label to label, pathologize and force treament for the " mental health " and “ well being “ women.

The vague shapes visible in the wallpaper brings us to the understanding that in freeing ourselves, we are freeing others, and our struggles are irrevocably connected. In her attempt to free the shadowy figures in the wallpaper, she is also working to free herself. Circé notes that the heroine is fierce and her capacity for survival, as with all women, is equally fierce.

Yellow Wallpaper

3) Rope Play

    oil on canvas

   24in. x 36in.

Rope Play

www.circesart.com

Profile: Cherry Styles

 

I am an artist based in Manchester. 

e-mail: cherrystyles@hotmail.co.uk

My art practice is multi-disciplinary, the processes I use are often experimental and I see much of it as ongoing work.  I make a lot of my photo/collage work into zines and recently I have been using enamel paints on large scale black and white print outs. I have also recently put together a photo book of work from 2009-2011 and am currently making a book of photographs of my friend Christa Harris taken over the last 8 years.  Keep an eye on my blog for details of both and how to get your hands on them!

·         I co-run The Chapess zine with Zara Gardner. We are now taking submissions (deadline is July 31^st) for our next issue which is all about inspirational women!

·         I run Synchronise Witches which so far has only released a few small runs of zines, but I’m hoping to eventually use it as a platform to release other peoples’ work too.

·         I have run workshops and classes in schools and colleges. Through my work with young people, girls in particular I have seen first hand the effect a lack of positive female role models has on many girls’ self esteem, which is totally one of the reasons i make work. I love zines because anyone can make them and share their ideas.

Identifying as a feminist helped me identify as an individual, and gave me a certain confidence in my work. It’s important to remember that without the women's movement very little of what we all do now would be seen as ’art’ - which is why it seems so crazy that a lot of people still seem to struggle with the label ’feminist.’ Do you think men and women deserve equal rights? Great, then you’re a feminist!

 

www.cherrystyles.co.uk

http://thechapess.tumblr.com

www.snchronisewitches.com

Profile: Yas Necati

Lives in: London, UK.

Email: yasthatannoyingfeminist@aol.co.uk

Create:  I'm a crazy blogging activist. At the moment life is revolving around exams and finishing my first novel about a book-loving feminist with neon blue hair.

Other creative stuff: I'm a poetry enthusiast and visual artist. 

I like cats. 

I'm organising a protest to try and put an end to Page 3. (If you'd like to come along it'll be on Saturday 6th July. There will be biscuits.) 

I've made two installations in the past year and continue to splatter paint all over the house.

I write under a personal blog yassayshi.blogspot and I also write for a positive-body-image group in America poweredbygirl.org. I recently started a blog for the cats. Sometimes they like to tell humans how to run the world. I let them share their opinions alongside adorable pictures of themselves feministcats.blogspot .

What I love about Feminism: There is no judgement. We can be anyone. We can be free.

Profile: Grace Denton

Create: My main creative thing is music. I am in a number of bands, mainly The Middle Ones (indie-ramshackle-folk-pop) and EXPENSIVE (electronic-rnb inspired-pop). I am an artist but I don't have one specific practice. I work with film, photography, music and performance, and collaborate on (too) many things.

themiddleones.com

expensiveincapitalletters.bandcamp.com

Other creative stuff: I run a small publishing imprint, Often and MIstakes, with my friend Rose Robbins. We showcase new work of artists through print and video. We are currently branching out into workshops and our main focus is involving hard-to-reach communities in contemporary art. oftenandmistakes.co.uk

Feminism: There's a lot to say about this! The crux of the matter is SEXISM SUCKS. I'm going to go into more detail in a FeministCreate interview that will be posted on the site soon.

Profile: Sophie Barras (Pyklops)

 

Lives in: Cardiff, Wales (originally Birmingham)

Create: Over the past 2-3 years I have been working on creative projects in a wide range of mediums, sizes and shapes. I paint and draw mainly female characters, mainly depicting my moods, inspired by music and my environment. My photography and films are mainly documentary based, and I like to shoot with both medium format and 35mm film.

I'm one of 5 partners who run a Community Print Workshop, 'The Printhaus' in Cardiff and have worked over the past 2 years taking photos and painting with Best Joined Up, a live art collective based in the North West, as well as documenting the the filming process of music videos and short films, as well as my own production

Other creative stuff: I've designed and printed a series of garments, for a sponsored bike ride across Cuba, to raise money for the Women's Workshop in Cardiff.

I mix up my logical and creative self by undertaking a mixture of roles throughout the week, as I'm also an IT consultant and a single mum, to my 16 year old daughter. Many of the things I create or depict have her in mind, as I am keen to show her and her friends a positive approach to life, to encourage others to keep trying new things, learning and not to be restrained by the world, it's pressures or negativity.

 Feminism: I've always been inspired by strong women and resisted the demands to go down the 'good little girl' route. I got absorbed into the early years of hip hop, and later, soul artists. Surrounded by a strong female message has helped me through raising a child alone in my early 20's. The Cuba bike ride is my chance to pay back my gratitude to a tireless group of women, who have worked to help give women like my self the chance to earn a decent living and have faith in themselves. Everyday feminists help the world to inch forward, no matter if their message is quiet encouragement or rooftop wailing..

sophiebarras.blogspot.com

Cuba2013womensworkshop.bigcartel.com

mixcloud.com/lilmizmc

facebook.com/artbypyklops

Profile: Consuelo Giorgi/ Babes in Horrorland

Lives in: London, UK but originally 100% Italian

Create: Mix Feminism and Horror, Gore and Women Power, there is a vision of Horror as mainly male-orientated, I am equally into horror and womens rights. I want to create an horrorific universe on a female and feminist point of view.

No Talent

Profondo Rosso

Discordia

Other creative stuff: Photography, short movies, videos, play bass guitar and screaming in a new band DEMENTIA 13

"Be proud of yourself, your gender, every inch of your body and soul!"


www.babesinhorrorland.com

Profile: Carmina Masoliver

Lives in: South west London, UK

Create: I am a writer and performer from London. I have studied at CSM and UEA. I recently completed an MA in Creative Entrepreneurship with Distinction. I am the Editor of Poetry&Paint, an anthology exploring the relationship between words and the visual arts. I am the co-creator of a Feminist group and arts production organisation 'She Grrrowls'.

Other creative stuff: I sometimes sing in my bedroom and post embarrassing videos of my self on YouTube. I started off writing song lyrics, have sung as part of my poetry sets and secretly want to sell-out to music. That said, I may buy a ukulele but my love for poetry will always keep me going.

  One thing I love about Feminism is... people are trying to change the world for the better! It is a very hopeful thing.


www.carminamasoliver.com

Profile: Edina Husanovic

 Create: Edina Husanovic was born in Bosnia, where they know something about having fun with absurd situations. She is a multi-media performance artist, resident in Brighton and studying for PhD in theatre. She is also known as Lily Lazuli in the weird and wonderful world of belly dance, and has been called a 'political belly dancer', as in her performance where she prayed to the temple of Angelina Jolie, hand-stretched an Axel Rose filo pastry pie and belly danced as David Cameron. Little wonder that reviewers were left 'bewildered', and saying "Orientalists will be disorientated and Disorientalists reorientated. Her mystical eyes are full of irony, so beware!"

 Other creative stuff: organise conferences, write poetry, draw ALL THE TIME (especially when I'm bored at conferences or lectures), sing (badly), dance (well), cook, paint, walk and dream.

 

What I love about Feminists is.. they are human beings who want to make a difference in an unjust world, and that they are women (mainly). I love men, but find that women-only environments give me something unique and special.


meda_eda@yahoo.co.uk

Profile: Steph Pike

  Lives in: Manchester, UK

Create: I am a performance poet and a lot of my work centres on Feminist issues, sexuality and left-wing politics. I have performed across the UK and been published in numerous anthologies. My first collection of poetry Full of the Deep Bits is published by Knives Forks and Spoons Press. I run a spoken word night in Manchester called Word Up, which supports and promotes the work of women artists. I am part of Women in the Spotlight, which is a network of women artists and performers. I am interested in the transformational power of poetry, both personal and political, and I believe that poetry is political activism.

Other creative stuff: I am an activist and have been involved in lots of creative actions, including peaceful direct action and civil disobedience. I write blogs and draw a bit.

Feminism: We dream of a world based on justice and equality, and I love working with other passionate, creative women to work towards making that dream a reality; toward liberation. It is empowering and beautiful.



http://stephpikepoet.wordpress.com

http://youtu.be/Sk3jZDygQ94

Profile: Beatriz Diaz

Reconstruccionll

Lives in: Toledo, Spain

Create: I love any artistic action, but I usually make paintings, photographs or video. My artwork usually talks about a Feminism point of view, about women and how we feel. I am interested in the use of the body and the relationship between that and mind, about violence or rape.

Hilos

Impulso

http://bdluci.wix.com/bdiazlucido

https://www.facebook.com/beatriz.diaz.589#!/pages/Beatriz-Diaz-Lucido/503748286342840

Profile: What The Frock! Comedy (run by Jane Duffus)

 

Lives in: Victoria Park, Bristol

Create: What The Frock! Comedy is a Bristol-based series of events that promotes talented female comedians and welcomes everybody in the audience. WTF! is fast growing. In it's first 18 months WTF! has put on more than 10 shows, been profiled on Radio 4's Woman's Hour, put on a show to 700 people at London's Royal Festival Hall and fundraised around £500 for women's organisations. WTF!'s vision is for a comedy circuit that treats female comedians equally to male ones.

Other creative stuff: Author. Editor. Journalist. Reviewer for theatre, books and comedy shows.

One thing I love about Feminism is..  I have made some of the very best friends imaginable.

whatfrock@gmail.com

http://whatthefrockcomedy.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/WTFrock_Comedy

https://www.facebook.com/WhatTheFrockComedy

Profile: Jacqui Furneaux

Jacqui Furneaux

Lives in: Bristol, UK

Create: Initial rides on a BSA Bantam and a Bultaco failed to alter my views as a nurse that motorbikes are 'dirty, dangerous things.' However a cooling, addictive ride on a Honda 90 during the hot summer of 1976 changed all that and I have owned a motorcycle ever since. Only when I reached 50 did I combine my love of travel with motorcycling, when I bought a 500cc Enfield Bullet in India. I am still bewildered that what started as a holiday became a 7-year-life-change which led to travelling back to Bristol, via 20 countries, where I live with the Enfield, my only means of transport. My motto is 'All you need in life is the right attitude and what you can carry on an Enfield.'

Other creative stuff: I do talks and write articles in the hope that other people will be inspired to follow their own dreams... I particularly like talking to women's groups.

www.jacquifurneaux.com