Femina 1: I am as Free as My Hair by Susan Callahan

I am as Free as My Hair

When one considers the word, Feminine or Female there are many images that come to mind.  Old fashioned images of sugar and spice or ruffles and lace, other images of women are illustrated in dresses and skirts. Today’s imagery can be represented in a more androgynous form of bodies in trousers.

I started to think about how I wanted to create artwork that symbolizes my definition of Feminine.  How do I define what my woman looks like?  Or how I feel about being a woman.

I chose to use quotes by women I respect and identify with, and make work to illustrate their words.

For Femina #1 I chose a quote by Lady Gaga, a singer and performer.  “I am as free as my hair!”

Which is exactly how I feel about myself and how I am a woman.  Even though I have very short hair, I love that I am free and don’t worry about my hair at all.

I love finding commercial fabric that helps me tell my story.  I found a fun fabric with many women with colorful hair. This fabric became the centerpiece for my silhouette of a woman with wild hair.  I love the contrast between classical female iconography in the style of a silhouette with a completely contemporary fabric and bronze sequins.