Who Does She Think She Is?

Who do you think you are?

Have you heard that said about you?

Have you had someone say that to you?

Worse, have you said that to yourself?

Do you believe that you don't deserve what you have, that you don't have the right to paint, draw, play the piano, dance, write, run, lead a class, gave a talk, publish a poem?

Do you believe that you don't have the right to choose ______________(fill in the blank).

Above all, do you long to transform your life creatively?

In October, Art Is You, sponsored by  Naval Jelly Studios, Dime Store Emporium, Artgirlz , and Artistic Emporium, will give a screening of WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE?,  a documentary film that weaves together the stories of several lives of women artists and the spiritual, emotional, and practical choices they made in order to pursue their passion. In a world that only values profitability, women in the arts are even more invisible and need even greater dedication than men to declare themselves artists to the world - and to themselves.

After the screening, I will be facilitating a roundtable discussion of the movie with our own workshop teachers and participants  of  the challenges we face and the joys we experience by choosing the arts as our authentic path. 

Pamela Tanner Boll, the director and producer of the film writes about why women are inhibited from transforming their lives through the arts: 

And why don’t we?  Well, it is hard.  It is hard to be a beginner, to try to draw, to sing…we are so invested in the notion that only certain of us are talented.  We think that only those who are “the best” at something benefit from doing it.  The rest of us are content to be observers.  Also, even if we think we might want to capture a beautiful sunset in paints, we are afraid to appear foolish.  We are afraid that we will be laughed at, fall on our faces.

 And yet, trying to express our selves in these unfamiliar ways can make our lives so much richer, and possibly more joyous.  Even if we do fall on our face, even if we don’t produce an award winning drawing, if we continue to try, despite the initial failures and feelings of foolishness, then there are rewards. 

The movie is currently being showcased around the country and you can read more about it at the producers' blog.

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