Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women

City: Brooklyn
State: NY
Country: United States

Dimensions: 22 x 16
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: The first time I saw another woman’s vulva I was 5 years old… It was a photograph of the Venus of Willendorf (The 5” stone carving from 30,000 BCE.), looking at an art history book with my dad. She didn’t look like me, huge breasts and round, faceless head, but we shared a hairless little crotch with a centered fold, a line. “Vulva Series” takes my early, little girl’s imprint of my own and all women’s anatomy and boils it down to that single, vertical “line” then pairs it with gilded shapes that indirectly, almost secretly express the pleasures and pressures…the depth and complexities... of living a female body… I have previously done work that delves into the difficulties and politics of living as a woman: saying things that "needed to be said." With this work I wanted to create a counter-balance: The title, materials and concept celebrate feminine embodiment and sexuality in a playful, abstracted, even indirect manner...without imposing a specific narrative or history on that feeling/experience. Series in progress. Ink and Palladium gilding on Bicchu Torinoko Gampi paper.

City: Westland
State: MI
Country: United States

Dimensions: 20 x 16
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: The saying "popping a cherry" creates an idea that hymens pop or break when penetrated. In my photograph, I wanted to show that cherries do not pop (and neither do hymens). They can be squished, poked, ripped, but not popped. I also wanted to bring into light the act of female genital mutilation by stitching up a cherry. I wanted to show how female sexuality and the female body are so misunderstood and mistreated.

City: Summerfield
State: FL
Country: USA

Dimensions: 48 x 36
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: The Venus of Willendorf is a figure that dates back to 25,000 BCE. She is one of the oldest known examples of the feminine form. Her exact purpose is unknown, but she could be a symbol of fertitlity, good luck, mother goddess, or an aphrodisiac. I reimagined the Venus in a modern form dancing and celerbrating life. I attempted capture her feminine attributes and the celebration of womanhood.

City: Summerfield
State: FL
Country: USA

Dimensions: 48 x 36
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: This painting represents the awakening of the Mother through the balance of divine femininity. An invocation of Venus and her attributes of love as the great nurturer. She represents all the archetypes that reside within the Collective Unconscious. She is the Great Mother, the Maiden, the Triple Goddess, and Crone. I view her as an awakening of all these traits that reside within the divine feminine.

City: Ocoee
State: FL
Country: US

Dimensions: 26 x 6 x 4.5
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: Many of the decisions we make can change our lives more than we think.

City: Ocoee
State: FL
Country: US

Dimensions: 14.5 x 14.5 x 7.5
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: I choose to honor the bravery and spirit of Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross, c. March 1822–March 10, 1913) was an American abolitionist and political activist. Born into slavery, Tubman escaped and subsequently made some 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 enslaved people, including family and friends, using the network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. During the American Civil War, she served as an armed scout and spy for the Union Army. In her later years, Tubman was an activist in the movement for women's suffrage. This one is a younger version of Harriett. I call this sculpture Minty, the nickname given to her by her parents.

City: Winnetka
State: California
Country: United States

Dimensions: 11 x 14
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: A woman is a vase where life, flowers, beauty grows and is nourished. Venus must rise so life can bloom.

City: Winnetka
State: California
Country: United States

Dimensions: 11 x 14
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: Women wear masks to both conceal and morph their inner beauty into something to please others. But one cannot hide from the final mask.

City: Jacksonville
State: Florida
Country: United States

Dimensions: 12 x 9
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: I was inspired by a story I had heard of an African woman that had watched her child die as she was unable to get the necessary medication for their illness. This is a reality some people live each day. When the most unspeakable tragedies occur true courage can be seen. This type of strength comes naturally to the women of this world and is not given the admiration it deserves.

City: Elburn
State: IL
Country: United States

Dimensions: 18 x 12
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: Our golden goddess is rising above the planets with determination and the strength of all the women who went before her. Nothing can stop her.

City: Ocala
State: Florida
Country: United States

Dimensions: 28 x 22
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: This South African lady is coming out of her environment and going to work. She represents the importance of seeking a better life.

City: Ocala
State: FL
Country: United States

Dimensions: 8 x 8
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: I love the subtle image of a ladder on the edge of this piece that speaks to the "rising" and the process of being transformed little by little, one day at a time.

City: Hernando
State: Fl
Country: USA

Dimensions: 37 x 12 x 12
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: My art piece, Venus de Metalo, depicts the Greek mythical version of Venus de Milo, skepticism and assumption of her current presences. This piece represents strength, anger and the overall spirit of pride of being a woman.

City: Ocala
State: FL
Country: USA

Dimensions: 48 x 24
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: This painting using watercolor and mixed media is of a time where I felt broken. As a woman, we must rise from the ashes.

City: Ocala
State: Florida
Country: United States of America

Dimensions: 24 x 18
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: She is born of water, created long before she was known, and discarded. She was found where the pits of hell attempted to swallow her whole. Only with Divine Love was she put back together; perfectly imperfect. She is beautifully and wonderfully made.

City: Dunnellon
State: FL
Country: United States

Dimensions: 60 x 30
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: Philosopher Frederick Neitszche asked “Suppose Truth were a woman, what then?” To which I respond: “To me, she is the sun.”

City: Ocala
State: Florida
Country: United States

Dimensions: 30 x 24
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: She’s your mother, your lover, a friend, a teacher, a cousin, a long-lost friend. She has passion, patience, love, and understanding. She takes no guff from anyone. She’s strong, sharing, and important. Our lives would not be what they are if not for the women we see and engage with everyday of our lives—leaders, thinkers, professors, influencers, a boss, an artist, a preacher, that special woman at the grocer’s. They nurture us, feed us, teach us, and show us right from wrong. For each us, a woman is our beginning.

City: Summerfield
State: FL
Country: United States

Dimensions: 20 x 20
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: I choose to combine this iconic photo of Marilyn and her famous quotes, that are inspirational to women of all ages!

City: Lithonia
State: GA
Country: United States

Dimensions: 20 x 16
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: A mixed media piece, "Woman, Past, Noise " uses acrylic and collage elements as the background to a woman's silhouette, based on a 1950s photo taken by famous fashion photographer, Lillian Bassman. This piece speaks to the female's role in society during that time period (delicate, elegant, yet subservient), and how even though women may have overcome such societal restraints, they still face the overwhelming background 'noise' of remaining strong, yet feminine, in the present day. Several words are present within the collage elements of the piece, highlighting what the artist views as the challenges perceived by women today, words such as 'compliance,' 'choice,' 'demands,' and 'violence." "Woman, Past, Noise" is a celebration of how far women have come since the prototypical 1950s housewife archetype, as well as the strength of women to continue to persist in the face of loss, tragedy, disrespect, and the everyday demands of living, working, and raising families.

City: Ocala
State: Florida
Country: United States

Dimensions: 36 x 48
A short statement of the proposed artwork's relationship to the theme of "Venus Rising, A Celebration of Women (150-500 words).: The title of this piece is "Elation". The theme of this piece is a brief capture of that moment when a leap of faith has occurred. The euphoria of freedom from an oppressor or situation into the unknown all while being bathed clean in a most natural state.