Interview with Ann Rowles

Comic Relief
Crocheted mixed fibers, vinyl tubing, found plastic objects
2014

1. Who are you and what do you do, and what is your background

I am an artist, wife, mother, grandmother and sometimes teacher. I grew up in Hickory, North

Carolina and attended both the Greensboro and the Chapel Hill branches of the University of

NC. I received my MFA in Sculpture from UNC-CH in 1990. We moved to Atlanta in 1995.

2. What's integral to your art and or art career?

I am a 70's feminist. When I was living in San Francisco I read articles and saw work by women

artists; the revelation that I could make artwork about my own life, observations, and

experiences was overwhelming. After returning to NC I found the women artists who formed

"Center/Gallery." I was allowed to exhibit work which would not have been shown otherwise.

This freedom and support allowed me to grow and develop. My "career" has been up and

down, peaking in North Carolina in the nineties, but I have continued to make art, which is what

matters to me.

3. What themes do you pursue and what medium do you use?

My work concerns the juncture of body, psyche, history, and society. I am work in whatever

material suits the idea and my situation in life. When I was a young mother I used broken toys;

in grad school I felt the need to work big, fast, and "in your face" so I made over-life-size chicken

wire sculptures of empty clothing which retained the shape of the absent body - big, fat and

female. When my elderly mother was in decline I began to crochet my sculptures, so I could do

my work in hospital rooms and doctor's offices.

4. What makes you angry, what makes you happy?

The mistreatment of people, animals, or the environment make me angry and sad. My

grandson, family and friends give me hope and make me happy. I'm crazy when I can't make

art.

5. Who and what inspire you in your work and or in your life in general?

My aesthetics did a flip flop when I saw the work of Egon Schiele on a high school trip to New

York. Later I was influenced by Edward Kienholz. When I began to see and read about women

artists, I found an artist soulmate in Louise Bourgeois. I love discovering women artists past

and present. Real life mentors were the women of Center/Gallery, as well as artists Scott

Burton, Kate Erickson and Mel Zeigler, and Faith Ringgold.

6. What superpower would you want?

Peacemaking.

7. What is your favorite artists and or other person?

Too many to list!

8. What advice would you give to other artists?

Listen to your gut; teachers and curators have their own agendas. Don't forget to play or be

afraid to fail. Stretch. Keep working, however slowly.

9. Contact details if any? (those you are willing to have in the newsletter and on blog)

My website is www.annrowles.com, but it is badly in need of updating!

I am on Facebook and my email is annwrowles@gmail.com

Let's get to know our Members--Ann Rowles--Founding Mother

Ann Rowles created WCA of GA in 2000. She is our “Founding Mother.” She runs as Program Chair today and as the Southeastern Regional Vice President on WCA National Board.

Her services to Art and Culture are not limited to the WCA, she served on Youth Art Connection Gallery’s ArtSHARE Mentoring program. She was part of lectures and panels on issues of Body Image and Feminist topics. She was also part of the BeltLine clean up Project in 2010. 

Rowles' work examines cultural and historical questions on the body relating the Psyche. Aging and fat are the two dominant directions she scrutinizes. She says: “I am both attracted and repulsed by the desire to re-form the body through the self-inflicted bodily trauma of surgical intervention.” The betrayal of one’s body and alienation to one’s body comes out in her work. She uses wire mesh, crepe hair, rubber, bone in a combination of silk screened, painted and photos. Her latest work was ignited by caring for her ailing mother. She uses crocheted forms, acrylic and cotton thread and vinyl tubing.

To see more of her work and achievements please visit her Website

Kind Regards
Corlia

Always something to do in Atlanta

Looking for something to do?

This weekend is busy, busy, busy. Here is just a couple of events that I am aware of that some of our members are taking part in.

Lair takes place on Friday, November 18, 6:30pm - 8:30pm. This event takes place at the Abernathy Arts Center.                   

The Little Things Mean A Lot happens on Thursday, November 17, 6pm - 8pm at the Swan Coach House Gallery. This is a group show with more than three hundred small art works. 

Our wonderful Book Discussion finds place on Sunday, November 20, 3pm - 6pm. The Artist Joan Mitchell is this  discussions topic. You can use  and read anything to come and take part in this event. S

For more information you can have a look at the Calendar.

I also have two birthday parties this weekend but I am sure going to try and get to these shows and especially the book discussion. I am thinking of taking my Knitting.

Regards Corlia

The Bookworm Artist

The Bookworm Artist

This is part of the WCAGA Book Discussion Group. 

This weeks book contribution is by Ann Rowles. Thanks!

 “The Power Of Feminist Art”. 

This is a valuable book for anybody who is interested in art history. It is edited by Norma Broude and Mary D. Garrard. It’s contributors list people like Judy Chicago, Linda Nochlin and Miriam Schapiro.  It’s a landmark for for female Art History. It covers female art since the 1940 and also has a paragraph on the Women’s Caucus for Art’s creation. 

See the list of book up to date on the Bookworm Artist Page

Goal of this blog post will be to create a useful, inspiring, and art related book list. The post will go out saying who submitted the book titles and why they find it useful or inspiring or interesting. Please try to keep all book titles related to art, art history, art Stories(fiction), Art Technique, Art Bio or auto Bio, Art Documentaries. The titles of the books will go onto a Blog Page which you can reach by clicking on a tab called the “The Bookworm Artist” at the top of the WCAGA blog. 

WCAGA Board Meeting (OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS)

Sunday April 10
4:30-6:30pm
Eagles Nest meeting room
at Manuel's Tavern
602 N Highland Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30307

All members are welcome to attend the WCAGA board meetings.

We are meeting this Sunday afternoon at Manuel's Tavern to advance current projects and topics.
Also, founder and past president- Ann Rowles will share her experiences with WCA.
Learn the advantages of being a member of a national organization including exhibition, and granting opportunities.
Ann will take us on a tour of the WCA website - see what you might be missing.
hope to see you there.

Judith Segall's: The Supper Party

Judith Segall with her Supper Party

It was with a feeling of excitement that we waited for Segall’s talk on Saturday at the Archetype Art Gallery. How could we not be exited when we know we are part of making, and continuing Art History? Thanks to people like Judith Segall(Creator), Christopher Hutchinson(Gallery Owner) and Ann Rowles(WCAGA Program Chair) that made this possible.

One of the questions Segall wanted to ask with this collection of work is what would make the man uncomfortable or offended? It turns out that there is just one penis work on this table that does just that. You will have to go and look at the collection to find out. 

Segall does not look at the penis as an erotic sexual image of the male. Rather a symbol of Patriarchy or Masculinity. She topples the Head with humor in such a way that you want to know more and there are so much more this work than meets the eye.

Judith Segall talks about the fact that the goddess image was not enough to explain the  issues in today's society. She thought that the goddess image has been used to its fullest.

(written by Corlia)

A word from Ann Rowles - Founder of WCAGA

Ann Rowles attended the exiting WCA Conference in NYC and came back with exiting ideas. She wrote a letter to the board members and there is a couple of things we can share.

"Dear WCAGA Board, etc….

I was happy to meet new officers of the DC and FL chapters in NYC.  They are excited about collaborating with other SE Chapters in the future for programs, exhibitions, etc.  My plans are to travel to visit these chapters as well as those in Charleston, SC, and Louisiana, which are newer. I would welcome companions on these trips, so let me know if you are interested.  Dates are flexible and to be determined.

As WCAGA Program Chair, I would like to know any programs, exhibitions, or meeting we have currently scheduled.  Please send me any dates you have confirmed!

I would like to schedule a program in the near future where I could present information about National WCA to the membership.  I don’t think many of our members realize what opportunities that our membership in National provides!  The buzz at the CAA conference in NYC was the “rebirth” of WCA!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mira-schor/feminist-tea-party_b_821729.html

Check out the above article by Mira Schor on one of the WCA sponsored events!  I was there and met and talked extensively to the two young women featured in the article; they expressed great interest in a “Southern Tour”  and have invited them to come to Atlanta.  Since Mira is a good buddy of Stuart Horodner at Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, this might actually happen.

I also got to know several of the members of the Young Women’s  Caucus of WCA and have ideas about promoting this caucus to younger women in our area.  YWCA is a caucus within the larger organization like JWAN (the Jewish Women’s Art  Network); any member can join it without paying an extra fee.

http://youngwc.blogspot.com/

I would love to meet with all of you, in one large or several small group or individual meetings to talk about the types of programming you are interested in seeing us sponsor or create in the upcoming couple of years...

Thanks,

Ann "

For your Information Ann Rowles fills the Program chair in our local Georgia WCA Chapter and is also the Southeastern Regional Vice President for National WCA.