Make Stuff, Build Community & Smash the Patriarchy
Months ago, I found a treasure trove of magazines from the 1920's-1950's at a local neighborhood rummage sale. As a documentary filmmaker, I am fascinated by ephemera, particularly photos and advertisements that capture the cultural zeitgeist of a particular time. I eagerly bought the magazines, with a plan to create collages highlighting the representation of women in magazine journalism & advertising during that 40-year period in U.S. History.
I surrounded myself with my crafting supplies twice, ready to begin the art project, instead I found myself completely absorbed, poring over the magazines and reading intently for several hours. The third time (is a charm), I invited my Crafty Chicas group to my house to work on the project together. Although my friends did have to remind me to stop reading and start making a few times, we created beautiful and powerful work together.
My piece, a commentary on the evolution of the feminist revolution, is titled "You Make the Most Delicious Sandwiches in the World".
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
The same weekend as the #craftychicas gathering, two dear friends got married in a gorgeous park, sunshine streaming through the redwood trees illuminating their joyous celebration. Everything about the day was imbued with the spirit of community and connection that our friends nurture with intentionality every single day.
The wedding was Hawaiian & (LGBTQ+ Pride) rainbow themed.
We chose colors of the rainbow and were given free (purple) rein to design three tables as we saw fit; I was on "Team Purple".
The morning of set up & communal crafting in preparation for the wedding was super joyful, a perfect blend of creative flow & anticipatory celebration. Teammates helped each other with last minute design details and admired each others’ work. We were inspired last minute to de-genderize the bathrooms signage, collectively creating “Mer People” signs that blessed the park bathrooms throughout the day. With a spin on Woodsy Owl's advice to "Pack it In, Pack it Out", we decided to leave our signs behind, leaving the park a little more radicalized than we found it.
When we take time to be with our people, to use our hands to create, our hearts tend to open up, creating space for honesty & vulnerability (and lots of laughter!). The act of making together nurtures individual creative expression and communal connection, helping us build a more vibrant, empathetic and interconnected community.
