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Animated text is overlayed onto a watercolor painting of a bright blue sky with soft white clouds. The "Art & Mind" logo is showcased. The text is enveloped with green vines and bright yellow sunflowers with curly leaves. Text says: Art & Mind: I Know Who I Am! Journeys of Women of Color & Femme-Expressing Creatives

Due July 1st

"I Know Who I Am!" is a virtual Zoom event occuring on October 5th, @6:30 PM EST showcasing a collection of women of color and femme-expressing folks of color finding solace and healing in art.  This call is international. Five chosen artists, through narrative videos, will discuss their lived experience with subjects around race, gender, disability, sexuality and more, and how art serves as a healing tool for them.

This will be addressed through a 20-minute documentary compiling these short films. In collaboration with Brain Arts Org, we're using this event to raise funds to develop a mutual aid project for marginalized artists.

Sponsored by Brain Arts Org, all selected from our open call will be compensated a total of $200 USD each. 

Payment

In July, artists will receive a $100 USD (50%) down-payment, and receive the remaining $100 USD by October 6th the day after the Art & Mind virtual reception (October 5th @6:30 PM EST). Artists will need to join our Discord server to receive updates.

Art by Amaranthia Sepia, Linlin Yu, Nabila Nugroho

Image text says - “Art & Mind I Know Who I Am! Journeys of Women of Color & Femme-Expressing Creatives”  OPEN CALL - FIVE FINALISTS PAID $200 USD EACH. SUBMIT A FOUR-MINUTE VIDEO ABOUT YOUR ART AND HOW IT HAS HELPED YOU HEAL  Sitting with legs folded on the far left and far right are two full-bodied dark-skinned women. Their bodies are styled in an abstract mosaic of swirls colored various shades of green, brown, peach, red and orange. Their heads are represented by sunflowers. The one on the left has an orange sunflower head, while the one on the right is a mix of yellow, orange and white. Their centers are reddish-brown. Their arms are encircling a light blue circle containing text, with their arms curving upward and downward. The right woman is an amputee - this arm is pointing downward. Both women are sitting in fluffy grass filled with herbs and ferns. Behind both of them, curving upward, are chamomile flowers, tall grass and lavender.  The Brain Arts Org and Dancing Queerly Logos are at the bottom overlayed on a bar of white. The Brain Arts logo is a graphic of a cartoon brain with it's right leg stepping on a purple spray paint bottle gushing out a puff of paint. The Dancing Queerly logo is a white rectangle with purple and blue designs on both ends containing the text “Dancing Queerly”  In the corner is the Sista Creatives Rising logo, which is a circular yellow logo with a black outline. Inside is a large Black woman meditating. Her hands are cupped with a sprout inside. Her head is a pink lotus. Behind her is a drawing of a stylized sun with rays shooting outward. Above the sun says “SISTA CREATIVES RISING.”
This opportunity is international and is limited to 18+ due to the heaviness of topics covered. All art forms, including performance pieces, are accepted.

 

Visual artists and performance artists have differing guidelines for their videos, and are expected to follow prompts to ensure disability accessibility. Visual artists will be able to submit up to two artworks alongside their video. Artworks and videos will be showcased in a virtual gallery called Kunstmatrix and at our Zoom event.

The event will focus on disability, health disparities amongst BIWOC, femmes of color, and COVID-19.
White sunflower outlines repeated on a navy blue background.

Initiative Statement

Watercolor painted sunflowers on a mustard yellow background. Blue  leaves are painted like they're floating around the flowers.

Intergenerational dysfunctions linked to race, sexuality, and gender can subconsciously impact the lives of women of color and *femme-expressing folks of color, complicating our relationship with ourselves. The basis of several of these issues can be linked back to the chaos and destruction caused by colonialism. Confronting these issues through creative and artistic endeavors can catalyze us to embrace ourselves as whole, healthy beings.

 

We're developing a disability-accessible virtual gallery and virtual reception where creative women of color and femme-expressing folks of color can discuss their experiences with issues such as race, immigration, health disparities, lack of access to resources, queerphobia, femmephobia, misogyny, trans-misogyny, misogynoir and more. We're looking to showcase stories of how you've used art, in any form, to empower yourselves and heal emotionally and/or spiritually. We hope our efforts to bring folks together to tell these triumphant, empowering stories will spark healing discussions across cultures and communities, resulting in solidarity.

*Femme is a term used in LGBTQ+ circles that describes one's gender expression. It further explains how a person exists in society, such as a non-binary femme or trans-femme. 'Woman' describes gender identity, where 'femme' is a gender expression.

Learn more

Blue watercolor background

Documentary: "Get Ahead of Life Before Life Get's Ahead of You"

In addition, a 25-30-minute documentary will  showcase co-founder Claire's cancer journey. 

 

 

Sponsored by Dancing Queerly Boston, Claire faces her trauma by navigating physical and occupational therapy to be one of the 1% that can walk again after high-risk surgery. This showcase reflects how stereotypes, misogynoir, and expectations placed on Black women of the diaspora can manifest as health crises. It will highlight the fear several Black women have of American healthcare.

"Art & Mind" Event Page: Welcome
soft green background with dark green vector style vines.

Meet The "I Know Who I Am!" Team!

Select images to learn about each member

soft green background with dark green vector style vines.

Our 2023 Speakers

A light-skinned Black woman with black and blonde braids, nose ring, and black shirt. Smiling! Close up picture.

 

(She/Her)

Providing support and resources for women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ 

MA, LCMHC, CMHIMP

 Black non-binary person in their mid-30's with shoulder-length auburn locs is smiling at the camera. The photo is close-up, with a gray wall and green foliage visible in the background. They are wearing a denim jacket and a floral button-down shirt.

 

(They/Them)

Advocating for social justice and equity for marginalized peoples.

MSW

light-complected Black woman shown shoulders up wearing hair in bun atop her head, blue button earrings, makeup with red lipstick and smiling. She is wearing olive-colored blazer and blue and white patterned blouse with long necklace of various blue-colored pendants

 

(She/Her)

Boston Disability Activist living with Muscular Dystrophy. Emerson College Graduate. 

Accessibility

We will develop a disability-accessible gallery through Kuntsmatrix.com, a virtual gallery platform. We are utilizing guidance from Amaranthia Sepia's disability-focused residency Socially Distant Art.  Amaranthia joined the cohort in August 2022. ProBono ASL will be utilized for our live event.

Our team of change-makers, including activists from Indonesia, Australia, RI, CA, PA, MA, and NH will accomplish tasks such as live captioning and tech assistance during the Zoom reception, video editing, graphic design, free mental health guidance/resources and more.

All featured videos will be captioned, and all gallery works will be accompanied with image descriptions and video descriptions (and audio descriptions if necessary.)

A pattern design showcasing vector art of disabled folks doing regular activities with their friends and family. Some poeple are in wheelchairs, playing with their kids while using objects of accessibility such as walking devices, etc. The colors are vibrant.
Two large women with sunflowers as heads worship the sun and sky. On the left is a woman with a yellow sunflower head facing upward.  Her arms are upward like she's celebrating. Her right hand is amputated. Her body is a combination of swirls of yellows, golds and browns, and she's covered in green vine and leaf designs   On the right is a woman with a red and yellow sunflower head. Her skin has similar patterns, but she has darker brown tones mixed with reds. Her hands are clasped together like she's praying. In the corner is the SCR logo.
The Sista Creatives Rising logo is a circular yellow logo. Inside is a large Black woman meditating. Her hands are cupped with a sprout inside. Her head is a pink lotus. Behind her is a drawing of a stylized sun with rays shooting outward. Above the sun says “SISTA CREATIVES RISING.” Art by Amaranthia Sepia
"Curls and Curves"a digital painting. Three voluptuous Black women with thick natural hair.

Contact

General Inquiry
Art  & Mind Inquiries
Virtual Workshop/Presentation Inquiries
Virtual Speaking Engagements
Virtual Media Interview

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Thanks for submitting!

"Art & Mind" Event Page: Contact
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