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Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (novel by Jeanette Winterson)

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"When all is said and done, the only real wealth of the Church is in the faith of its people." Gordon B. Hinckley

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Orbit

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Over the Garden Wall

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Froggie Tries On Femininity And (It) Is Found Lacking

Uh oh! You came back from class and saw Froggie got into your makeup… Are you upset? Maybe your makeup is expensive, not to be wasted on frogs. Or are you relieved Froggie is finally interested? Is this something you hope Froggie will grow into or out of? Well Froggie, now that you’ve tried it, what do you think? Froggie?

Oh well, guess we’ll never know what Froggie thinks. What about you? 

Froggie used the spot healing brush tool as if it were similar to foundation to attempt to smooth out the fuzzy texture of Froggie’s fur. (I also used it to remove the plastic I applied the makeup on.) Froggie applied some blush using the lasso and brush tools. (And to change the lipstick colors.)

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I am taking my bath.

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Close Call!

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Freshly Minted, Unashamed

“Freshly minted, unashamed” is a line from the poem “Eden” by Emily R. Grosholz. The poem is about the anxieties of a mother who cannot protect her child from everything that he thinks she can. I chose this title because I wanted to capture the innocence and joy of being in Eden that exists in everyday experiences of women. In the poem, the mother shoulders the weight of knowledge for her son. In the pieces in this curation, instead the women get to experience joy without shame. The pieces in this exhibition remind us what it was like to be “freshly minted,” and show us what it is like to embrace the “gross” side of ourselves. They show women being their unapologetic, natural selves, that we are often made to be ashamed of. Each piece was also selected for its vibrant pinks and yellows. I wanted the exhibition space to complement the colors and feel like an everyday garden of Eden. A warm, homey space fits perfectly with the theme of being at home in your body and everyday life. 

Several of the artworks show nudity outside of an erotic context. This is one of the goals of Kiki Smith’s Pee Body. A sheela na gig, as referenced in Margaret Meehan’s work, is traditionally a carving from the Middle Ages that is believed represented fertility and provided protection from evil spirits. Haley Josephs has many pieces depicting girlhood and birth in a wonderful and unsettling way. I chose The Mother because it shows nudity of an elderly woman and birth is not censored. The title could apply to the grandmother helping her daughter give birth, or the new mother herself. Picnic belongs to Caroline Wong’s series of pastels called Cats and Girls. Each work shows women behaving like cats, and considers pleasure and disgust. Joana Choumali’s work combines photography with embroidery. Let It Out represents childhood joy and the ability to be loud and take up space.

Details (top to bottom)

The Mother, 2022, Haley Josephs, oil on linen, 96x74 in

Picnic, 2023, Caroline Wong, pastel and charcoal on paper, 234x133 cm

Let It Out, 2023, Joana Choumali, embroidery on digital photography printed on canvas, 50x50cm

Little Miss Sheela na Gig, 2024, Margaret Meehan, earthenware, glaze, and wood, 9Hx14Lx14W in

Pee Body, 1992, Kiki Smith, beeswax and glass beads, 27x28x28 in