Show explores women’s issues through art

Mother-daughter relationships, nice girl-
oe girl stereotypes, cultural expectations
of women’s roles; these are just some of
the topics about women, and affecting
women, explored in the WomenSpeak
Through Art Show which runs October 14
to November 10 at Douglas College’s
Amelia Douglas Gallery. The show’s Octo-
ber opening, part of Women’s History
Month in Canada, will help inaugurate the
new WomenSpeak Institute. The locally
based institute has been started to organize
lectures and other events to address topics
and issues about women.

The art show features work by 12 local
women artists and uses media ranging
from quilts to paintings to installations
with portable stereos and birth control
devices.

"The show is intended to touch on issues
that affect women," said Womenspeak
founding member Irene Bouchard. "We se-
lected pieces which speak to issues such as
mother-daughter roles, or the stereotyping
of women in the past and the impact that
has had."

Sheila Norgate, one of the featured artists,
takes a satirical look at that stereotyping in
her series of Bad Girl/Nice Girl paintings.
The works look like pop posters in bright
colors with messages that proclaim "Bad
Girl: Car in Park, Body in Drive" and
"Nice Girls Take Small Portions".

"When I showed this piece last November
I was amazed at the response from the
women who saw it, many of whom came
to me with stories of their own trials and
errors, choices, freedom, power, and also
the sense that now with this freedom we
also take on most of the responsibility that
goes with it,” said Schalk.

Another featured artist will be Jennifer
Goodwin, whose show Veiled Truth was
recently at The Ferry Building in West
Vancouver. The opening reception for
WomenSpeak Through Art will be on
October 14 at noon. For more information

; ; : call 527-5528. A
In her series Contraceptive Shrines, Bea-

trix Schalk confronts the freedom and
responsibilities connected with birth con-
trol as well as the relationships between
women and institutionalized religion.

 

A budding building engineer

 

 

 

The Douglas College Early Childhood Educa-
tion Centre has been providing child care for
children of students, staff and faculty and for
community families for 10 years. It offers full-
time and part-time enrolment options for
children aged 3 to 5 years. The Centre sup-
ports growth and development by providing
time and materials for children to practice
and play. Staff in the Centre encourage the
children in their care to feel competent and
confident within their day care group, their
families and communities. The Centre is
open weekdays from 7:30am to 5:15pm
September through June. To inquire about
current space availability or to register a
child for January 1994, call Zivana Mic at
527-5480.

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Douglas College
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