Opening on July First Friday at Counter Point in the Crossroads Arts District, this exhibition presents the visual component of Rachelle Gardner-Roe’s year-long Femin • Is project. This salon-style series of portraits is derived from a series of interviews that Gardner-Roe continues to publish on the KC Art Pie podcast (www.kcartpie.com) of creative self-identifying women. Each participant collaborated to create their portrait by selecting a text of personal or historical significance. Through writing, Gardner-Roe used the submitted poetry, essays, mantras, and more to create imagery reflecting portraiture conceived not of photographic likeness, but rather, an expression of identity through values and ideas.
This process allowed the Gardner-Roe to further learn, beyond the direct interviews, what inspired and influenced the women who came before her as well as those working alongside her. The goal is to present a body of work that dives beyond the superficial and aspires to this: May we be defined by that which we hold dear and hold to be true.
Portraits of individuals include:
Shea Gordon Festof
Elisabeth Kirsch
Janet Kuemmerlein
Jennifer Lapke Pfeifer – Rightfully Sewn
Linda Lighton
Paula Rose
Rosy’s Bar & Grill – Joyce Downing, Linda Kay Davis, Carol Smith, Tamara Severns
The Wild Women of Kansas City – Geneva Price, Millie Edwards Nottingham, Lori Tucker
Gloria Vando Hickok
This project is supported by an Inspiration Grant from ArtsKC.
Friday July 7th, 6-9pm
Counter Point
1903 Wyandotte St.
Kansas City, MO 64108
Rachelle Gardner-Roe 