The Art of Knitting

The origins of Knitting are hard to trace simply because fibers are biodegradable, however there are several theories. Some assume knitting began in Persia and others believe it started in Israel, Jordan and Syria. While others are convinced knitting started in the mountains of North Africa, Japan or China. Another theory is knitting grew out of the knitting of fishnets.

Women choose to pick up knitting needles for different reasons. Some women long to create while others want to make visual expressions of love for the people they care about.

 Knitting can also have a spiritual quality that allows women to feel more in tune with their spiritual self.

Something comforting and magical happens for some women when they knit because knitting is about the hands creating something visual, which gives the brain a brake. This break can assist in solving a problem that is being experienced in another area of life. Knitting can allow the subconscious to be tapped in a way that is normally unavailable to us in our busy lives and knitting can be done almost anywhere and any time, it is socially accepted without appearing to be rude.

Today yarn is created from so many rich and lavish colors, natural and synthetic fibers that permit knitting needles and the hands to create beautiful lively colored sweaters, throws, scarves, hats, etc.

Why not take a break from your busy life by picking up a pair of knitting needles and some yarn to create something rich in color that is soft and silky to make you feel good?

To see the Cha Cha Scarf Knitting Kit click on image: 

 Cha Cha Scarf Knitting Kit Copper Pennies By The Each

Impressionism Art Movement

Impressionism is a movement in art developed in France in the late 19th century by a group of artists who rejected traditional principles and practices taught.

Impressionists learned alternative brush-strokes and the use of color to represent an intellectual idea of a subject. Building on the use of more brilliant color, wider tonal range and broke brushwork permitted a more authentic play of natural light on objects. This new role of light and color as organic elements of painting natural scenes was to question academic theories of composition, drawing and the hierarchy of subjects. To capture the momentary and transient aspects of light he Impressionist chooses to paint outdoors rather than in a studio environment.

Mary Cassatt was a woman among a hand full of male Impressionists who were at the forefront of the Impressionism movement. She was and American painter known for her bold compositions and fine detail in scenes of mother and child in day-to-day living. A mix of strong lines and soft palettes characterizes Mary Cassatt’s work. Some of her best-known paintings are The Morning Toilet (1886), The Bath (1891), The Boating Party (1894), and Mother Feeding A Child (1898).

Every woman’s life is an Impressionism painting because of the beauty (brilliant color), trials and tribulations (wide tonal range and broken brush-strokes) she experiences during her lifetime.

To see Ladies of Leisure III by Olivia Maxweller click on image:
 Ladies of Leisure III by Olivia Maxweller, 22x30

Art Therapy For Women

Art therapy is based on the idea that creative activity can be healing and has proven itself to be noteworthy in assisting women with their healing. 

Generally speaking women who experience disorders, diseases or disabilities will benefit greatly from art therapy. A wide variety of physical and mental symptoms including, but not limited to pain, anxiety and tension can improve or even completely disappear with art therapy.

It is a known fact that chronic stress is harmful to both the mind and body. To achieve relaxation and relief from stress art therapy can be used alone or with other relaxation exercises to help relieve stress and anxiety.

Women who are experiencing or who have experienced a traumatic incident or illness can come to terms with their feelings and work through anger, resentment and other emotions by participating in art therapy to rejuvenate their spirit.

The creative process of art is what sets art therapy apart from traditional therapy. Every woman can benefit from art therapy even without the aid of an art therapist. Art therapy is something that can be done on your own for self-discovery, empowerment, to express yourself when you find it difficult to do so, etc.

Engaging in a creative activity is very powerful because it can give women a sense of control over her feelings.

The benefits of art therapy are broad and can help improve the quality of living by improving all women’s emotional, physical and mental states. If art therapy can aid you in improving the quality of your life in someway it is well worth considering, especially if it can be a catalyst for your healing.

To see an Art Kit click on image: 

 Colossal 315-pc. Art Kit

Women and Beads

Beads have been significant in almost every culture and they have been worn as talismans and amulets to protect the wearer or to bring good fortune and wisdom. In the past beads have also been used as currency. Today beads are still used as amulets to bring wisdom and good luck and as talismans to protect the wearer from ill fate.

The word bead means to pray (bidden) or prayer (bede) and is an Anglo Saxon word. Prayer beads are known worldwide and are used to keep track of the sequence and number of prayers being recited. Worry beads are also common around the world and are used to assist in making decisions and keeping the hands busy during times of uncertainty.

Women from around the world have been crafting beads for centuries and for some cultures beads have been used as a form of communication by utilizing specific colors and shapes to send messages. The Zulu women of Africa have been practicing this form of communication for eons.

In our contemporary times most of the traditional symbols used in beadwork are predominately made for sale rather than personal use. Traditional techniques and designs are still being used in bead craft, but many women throughout the world make beads as a means for survival to support themselves and their families.

Wearing beads is a wonderful way of celebrating yourself or honoring a rite of passage into womanhood, motherhood, or cronehood. Beads can also be worn to acknowledge other life-transforming experiences and for their beauty alone.

 To see a Kirra Multi Row Jace Bracelet click on image:

 Kirra Multi Row Jace Bracelet - Brown X No Size

Sculptress

Sculpture is three-dimensional art created by shaping and/or combining materials such as: clay, metal, glass, stone, wood, plastic, textiles, polymers and found items. The term sculpture has now been extended to works that are comprised of light, text and sound.

For many women sculpture is a valuable form of art because it permits them to discover who they are and reflect on their life’s journey; the triumphs in a woman’s life and struggles a woman faces with her body image, as a woman in the world, and in the workplace, etcetera, etcetera.

Sculpting is one of many art mediums that is multi-sensory and can be very therapeutic for the sculptress and the viewer. Through sculpting a woman can overcome self-hatred and experience empowerment through acceptance and self-love.

To see creating with polymer clay click on image:

  Creating with Polymer Clay Bk & Kit

The Value of Women Artists

Why is it that most women artists do not receive the same pay and are not provided with the same opportunities and recognition as their male counterparts? Women have been creating art since the beginning of time just as men have and the feminist art movement created more opportunities not just for women, but also for men with regards to new and different art mediums.

What is it in our global culture that indoctrinates men and women to believe female artists are not entitled to the same dignity as male artists? In general women are not valued and rewarded for their vital contributions to society, so how can women be held in the same esteem as men?

Maybe the first step is to examine why society is not questioned regarding our value. There are more women in the world, more women in the workplace and more women who are head of their household. How do women arrive at a balanced partnership with men in our society, where women are valued equally as men?

There are more female artists than men who create art from countless mediums and yet most art created by women receives little acknowledgement if any. With this said, I would like to recognize a few of my women artist friends now.

Ruth Barrett who is an incredible musician, Falcon River who is a remarkable artist of many talents, Jane E. Ward who is an amazing painter and multimedia artists, Kerry Krittell an astonishing metal smith, Fern Mary Pinecrone who is an unbelievable film artist, Darcelle Foster who is a great wood worker and Pam Stern who is an awesome sculptor.

To see Viva La Charra by Kathy Sosa click on image:

Viva La Charra by Kathy Sosa, 22x28

Women At The Forefront Of The Baroque Era

There were just as many Baroque women artists as there were during the Renaissance period. Most Baroque female artists came from artist families, who were trained in their father’s workshops and worked along side their fathers on commissioned pieces.

Women artist of this period changed the way women were depicted in art. Female artists during the Baroque era were not permitted to train form nude models because all nude models were male, but they were very familiar with the female body. Therefore, they created images of women as conscious beings rather than detached muses.

Still Life emerged as an important genre during the Baroque era and women were at the forefront of this painting trend. Since women could not train from nude models, Still Life was particularly suited to them because they could easily access the materials for still life.

The high point of painting during this era was history painting, particularly large-scale compositions with groups of figures depicting historical or mythical situations. To create such paintings, artists studied casts of antique sculptures and drew from male nudes. Women were limited or had no access to academic learning and as such, there are no large-scale history paintings by women from this period.

Some women made their way, as artists through other genres by creating portraits and other women were innovative in their ability to compensate for their lack of training, by painting allegorical scenes they were able to sell.

Women artists of the late 18^th century had made important strides forward by being accepted into academies and being permitted to showcase their work in exhibitions. Once again, women were being accepted as academic students.

To see a Baroque Art Print Poster click on image:

Baroque I by Ahava 24"x24" Art Print Poster