#Sheriden VonHoy

[femmesfollesnebraska]

#whyilovewomenartists: guest post by Andrea Riley

Andrea Riley is an artist and activist based in Nebraska. She runs the LFF Instagram page, and she was interviewed here back in 2013. Today Andrea shares with LFF an impassioned and poignant guest post on violence with regard to recent events and artists’ response...

Another mass shooting. Seventeen senseless deaths. Lawmakers unwilling to fix the massive problems that are glaringly obvious to the rest of us. There is plenty of despair to go around, but there's reason for hope, too. Today I want to highlight women artists who are using their talents and their unique view of the world to publicly process their pain, protest the status quo, and make change. 

After the Las Vegas shooting, poet Dani Fine wrote this note of encouragement to artists:

And Lauren Rinaldi posted this, stating that "the crippling weight of gun violence in America and our refusal to do anything about it literally makes me feel like this". 

and in response to last week's mass shooting, drew this picture of a child being crucified on an AR-15.

Artist Lisa Congdon says it all:

As does Christine Sauerteig-Pillar:

Because what else can you say when something that horrific happens, again and again, and no changes are made?  It makes one wonder what the causes are to such Congressional incompetence. Cait Irwin has some ideas on that. 

We need change. Wendy Macnaughton sees that.

But who will lead us? Who is brave enough to stand up to the politicians, the NRA, the special interest groups, the superPACs, the press, the pundits, the second amendment nutjobs? Enter Emma Gonzales, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas high student and overnight activist, wise beyond her years. She has inspired some wonderful fan art from Sheriden VonHoy and Monica M. Martino.

And I can't end this post without pointing out the work of one artist who has tackled gun violence for years, Vanessa German. Below is just one example of her art, made after the Charleston church shooting. Vanessa works out of her home studio in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, dubbed the most dangerous neighborhood in America, where gun violence is a constant problem. She has a program called Love Front Porch where she invites the children of this neighborhood to come create art as she sees art as a way to counteract the violence all around her. 

This weekend I was thinking about her as so much of her work is about processing the pain of gun violence. I found her on Patreon. Donations to her go to getting her art supplies and getting the kids of Love Front Porch snacks and art supplies. I was at a loss for what to do with the tragedy of last week's shooting so I signed up to be a supporter. It seemed like a necessary thing to do something. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2628909  I hope in some small way it helps prevent violence. Art can do great things.

I also called up my Senators and Member of Congress and gave them an earful as well. We all have to do what we can, today and every day, to stop senseless violence. Thanks to all of the artists using their voices to make change.

(A REVIEW: VANESSA GERMAN AT AIR & AUGUST WILSON CENTER, 2016)

~Andrea Riley, 2018

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Les Femmes Folles is a volunteer organization founded in 2011 with the mission to support and promote women in all forms, styles and levels of art from around the world with the online journal, print annuals, exhibitions and events; originally inspired by artist Wanda Ewing and her curated exhibit by the name Les Femmes Folles (Wild Women). LFF was created and is curated by Sally Deskins.  LFF Booksis a micro-feminist press that publishes 1-2 books per year by the creators of Les Femmes Folles including the award-winning Intimates & Fools (Laura Madeline Wiseman, 2014) , The Hunger of the Cheeky Sisters: Ten Tales (Laura Madeline Wiseman/Lauren Rinaldi, 2015 and Mes Predices (catalog of art/writing by Marie Peter Toltz, 2017).Other titles include Les Femmes Folles: The Women 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 available on blurb.com, including art, poetry and interview excerpts from women artists. A portion of the proceeds from LFF books and products benefit the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Wanda Ewing Scholarship Fund.https://www.facebook.com/femmesfolles/ instagram: @lesfemmesfollesart femmesfollesnebraska.tumblr.com lesfemmesfollesbooks.tumblr.com