I was asked to participate by a board member, at the 11th hour at an exhibition of women artists in Belize. I found out about it less than a week before the opening, and rushed to create a lovely piece titled: Three Women, Inspiration, The Idea, Creative. I wish I could say that the exhibition at the Bliss Institute went well, but after driving 3 hours with my very irritable husband, and then listening to speeches from women about how we shouldnt apologize for who we are, and how women in general are under represented and especially in Belize it is a mans society running the art world, I found that my painting, which I had painted specially for this exhibition and sent 2 days before the show opened, had not been displayed, but had been thrown into a storage closet. I hadnt even received a courtesy email telling me, and there was no excuse, since it was easy to find in the packet of information I sent along with the painting. I was told this by a very smug Bill Skinner. There was plenty of floor space, and they couldn't drag out an easel?????So I sent my very irritable husband to the storage room with the very smug Bill Skinner to get the painting and I got back into the car and drove 3 hours in the night back home. Not exactly a good day. ´
So, I was schooled:I thought things would change with the new administration. With the last government, the art scene was run by men, and it showed. I had hope for this new administration, but now I am as confused as with them as I am by Obama's rhetoric. You can give speeches on women's rights and how we are underrepresented, but if those same people are disrespecting you and schooling you, teaching you a lesson, they are no better than the last.
They schooled me and taught me that:
YOU ARE NOT IMPORTANT
YOUR WORK MEANS NOTHING
YOU ARE NOT A PART OF OUR SCENE
So, Dear ones, I don't need anyone to school me, I already feel shitty enough about myself as it is, you don't need to add to the anger and hurt. I lost a day that could have been spent creating beautiful things in my studio. I lost money on gas and expenses to attend, freight charges to send the painting via airplane. But you schooled me, and that is the important thing. THANK YOU.
Photo was added on March 12, 2010. Thank you Natalie for sending it.
