Velvet Pussy II
Well, after reading this book, I simply had to make a second Velvet Pussy to adorn the cover. (The first Velvet Pussy is in Australia (at a show inspired by Hazel Dooney) - see Velvet Pussy posts here and here).
The book in question is What's Up Down There? Questions You'd Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend, by Dr. Lissa Rankin. You can get the book here. Dr. Rankin created the blog Owning Pink, which is full of inspiring and informative writing about women's issues. And while she doesn't want to be put in the Vagina Box, she did write an amazing book about vaginas.
The book really is written like it's your best friend talking to you over a glass of wine. She solicited questions from people about everything and anything to do with the female body parts and experiences, from periods to pregnancy to many variations of the question: Am I normal? (The answer is usually yes.) It does contain a lot of clinical information, but what I like about the book is that there are no black and white yes/no answers. She explains the range of normal, the range of possibilities, and always says that we should discuss with our own doctor before deciding anything.
My favorite example is her deciding to have a C-section to deliver her daughter early, because her father was dying of cancer and would not have survived past her due date. We hear that a woman should never do that, choosing a delivery date for convenience, but she wanted her father to meet his granddaughter, and after consulting with her own doctor, they determined it would be safe, and all was fine.
Dr. Rankin has a very supportive and loving communication style. Which would explain why she also has a personal coaching business. You can sign up for her free mini e-course here. You can also join the Owning Pink Posse here and sign up for inspirational e-newsletters. And this is the first article that brought me to Owning Pink.
Here is the face I drew for the inside front cover of the book:
It kinda reminds me of Lissa.
And don't worry, I'm all out of my velvet scraps, so no more Velvet Pussies! I only made two. I don't think that's enough to put me in a Vagina Box (Ha! Box!).
Velvet Pussy II
Velvet Pussy I
What can I say? The female body and/or parts have meaning for me as an artist, as a woman. The female nude expresses things I need to express, even if I can't quite articulate specifics. The face is full of emotion. These are the tools in my Artist Supply Box. (I said 'box' again!)
Velvet Pussy I is so beautiful!
Posted by: kristen | June 11, 2011 at 06:15 PM