Women's Day Art Show
Inspired by International Women's Day and launching the same day as our IWD community fundraiser, we present a female-led art show by 6 Vancouver artists. Come by the restaurant to see the show until April 21st!
STEPHANIE GWYNNE
#relationshipgoals, ink & paper, 2018
Framed prints for sale ($25, proceeds to the cause)
From the Artist: "I love being able to support fellow womxn, non-binary and trans folk. I wanted this print to reflect my love for the queer community. Showing best friends or lovers in their daily life, relaxing and enjoying each other’s company."
Instagram / @pigment.pulp
MAELY DOYON-SARGENT
From the Artist: "When I paint figuratively, I draw from real life experiences and past relationships. I consider the figures loose self portraits, and the general theme of my figurative work is power dynamics. Inspired by Prudence Heward's strong and broad-shouldered women, I paint my figures to take up the picture plane. I want my women to take up space.
I also would like to say that I am an intersectional feminist and my paintings represent one woman (me) but all who identify as women are important and deserving of a voice and of representation."
Email / maely.d.sargent@gmail.com
LAURENCE PATENAUDE
Laurence Patenaude is an emerging artist from Montreal currently based in Vancouver. She is constantly exploring the links between nature, body and emotions through various medias. Part of her work consist of flowing line art which can be referred to as ''organic abstraction''. Her creative process is rooted in intuition and self-discovery. She aims to lead the viewer towards a sense of awareness and tranquility.
From the Artist: ''I am happy to be part of this show for international women's day in order to celebrate women's achievements as well as the efforts towards gender equality. I hope my work can be inspiring and show empowerment through creativity, acceptance and self love.''
Instagram / @100luna
Email / laurencepat@hotmail.com
Website / http://www.laurencepatenaude.com/
SHOKO SONADA
From the artist: "My name is Shoko Sonoda. I was born and raised in Japan. I have been tattooing since 1997. I moved to Vancouver and have been tattooing here since 2000--currently tattooing at Sacred Heart Tattoo. Most of my designs are inspired by Japanese traditional art."
Instagram / @shokosonoda
Email / shokosonodaa@gmail.com
Website / www.sacredhearttattoo.ca
LENSLIE PAOLA VARGAS
Artist Bio
“I want to give birth to the creation of myself “
Lenslie Paola Vargas
Born and raised in Mexico City (defeña) emigrated to the Unceded Coast Salish Territories in her teens. Studied Fine Arts & Spanish Literature at UBC.
Lenslie shares her creative vision using different mediums (performance art, painting, photography & writing)
She has done murals in both; Vancouver and Mexico City. Currently, she is a member of the Ayotzi68 collective; a sociopolitical, artistic collective focusing on Latin American/Coast Salish issues.
Lenslie's themes in her work focus mainly on the idea of deconstruction /reconstruction of the self.
As a Female advocate, most of her artwork deals with ideologies of feminism, the female form, and the "female " artist.
Lenslie has done art workshops for ISS of BC (Immigrant Social Services of British Columbia) and at the MOA (Museum of Anthropology)
As an artist, she holds great curiosity in human behaviors, contradictions, dualism and myths.
Artist Statement
The main objective of this series is to deconstruct the idea of femininity and its portrayal thus allowing the creation and birth of a “new” concept of femininity. A femininity that is born from our personal explorations and journeys. It is not constrained nor does it have to follow any social , political or cultural norms.
Each painting explores different themes;
1) Solidarity and Resilience in the painting “Tree of resistance”. This painting uses the Mexican craft; Tree of life and deconstructs it, by giving it a new meaning:
“From the womb our hands are born as we create our own reality.
We are the metamorphosis and at the birth of our creation; the universe opens.
We plant seeds in the world, to grow, to evolve, to be who we want to be.
We will continue the struggle of our sisters; our sisters who have been raped, harassed, disappeared and whose voice has been taken from them. Your struggle lives in our voice and we say NO MORE! We are the light that emerges from the darkness, and this is our tree of resistance.
Dedicated to all women warriors.”
LPV
2) Self creation, in the painting “CreArte” . This painting reinforces the idea of autonomy through introspection.
“I want to plant the seeds that give birth to the creation of myself , under my own terms” LPV
3) Self expression, in the painting “RAGING BEAUTY”. This painting attempts to break break down the conditioning of our gender and the domestication of our emotions. The painting holds two dualistic visions of womanhood; A flower; alluding to connotations of passivity, sexuality and aesthetic values of femininity yet it is contrasted and challenged by an enlarge portrait of a raging beauty. A liberating experience, in the beauty of our anger.
It is through the exploration of these themes that I empower not only myself as an female artist but hope enter an empowering dialogue with many sisters around the world.
These paintings are dedicated to the love of my life; My grandmother who taught me so much and whose personal story of resilience inspires my every step; Sabina Berber.
--Lenslie Paola Vargas, 2018
Instagram / @levapart
Website / www.lenslie.com
MEGHAN WEST
From the Artist: "Guided by many women of the feminist art movement such as Hannah Höch and the Guerilla Girls, I work from a distinctly female perspective and hope to disrupt the male gaze by challenging society’s ideals and expectations of women. Exploring gender in both historical and contemporary contexts, and often embedding my own body into my practice, I aim to contribute to the feminist discourse by critically emphasizing the polarity of the standards women face. My work responds to the female body as site and subject of sexuality throughout history. I question the impact of society’s saturation of images established for the gaze, with an interest in the opposition between the naked and the nude."
Email / meghanpaigewest@gmail.com
Instagram / @OldMegggg