She Project
She Project is a wonderful community based art project started in 2005 by Lauren Ohlgren, Corvallis artist extraordinaire. On a designated night, women download a unique She Phrase from their computers and then either gather collectively or covet two hours alone in their sacred space to create an 8×10″ collage piece based upon their She phrase. An exhibition follows which is essentially a great evening of bonding at a local venue.
I have participated in the event since it’s inception and each year I am awed by the outpouring of creativity from the circle of women in which I geographically reside. Amazing, amazing women with rich stories to share and the knowledge that a voracious sense of humor must be properly fed.
2005: She Balanced on the Fence…
My first experience with She was a solo event as I was leaving the next morning to spend Mother’s Day with my Mom in Iowa. I did happen to find some great china at Goodwill a few days beforehand but otherwise had accumulated little in the way of materials.
Then came the unveiling of my She phrase, the pondering of what I might do with it, and two hours of wrestling my inner demons who tried to discourage me and tell me that I wasn’t good enough. Entanglement with an attachment to outcome.
And then the realization that this was totally about participating with joy!!! After the voices fell silent, a woman with a magic wand surfaced. She said that she’d had it with being stuck on the fence. She LEAPT from the fence, took flight and left her demons on the other side.
2006: She Exposed Her Dreams…
I hosted a large group at my home in 2006. I spent so much time cleaning beforehand, preparing food, and then getting up and down to locate glue, an extra pair of scissors etc. that I had virtually no connection to my She phrase by the time I sat down with it. In the final minutes I nabbed a writing assignment of my daughter’s and retreated to my safe place of pointillist dots. Combined it with a photograph of her sweet little face with her two front teeth missing and called it good.
2007: She Really Did Snore…
She really did snore. Snoring…She…who could possibly come to mind other than Annie?!
Attuning to your body, breath and mind to the
unforced rhythms of the natural world is a powerful
means of establishing yourself in “good space.”
Create the Life You Deserve
FIND YOURSELF
and take time to play with the dog…
I hosted a smaller group this year with the clear understanding that I had released my inner Martha and that it would be a quiet evening with little fanfare. My niece, Kelly, also joined us which made the night extra special. And although the girls were too young to participate, we set them up with their own phrases so they could enjoy the evening too.
2008: She Grew Bored of Her Kodak Moments
Whew! This weekend was a whirl of urban renewal meetings, speaking at North Lincoln, a few scattered moments with neighbors, some gardening, a desperate quest for new walking shoes and of course Mother’s Day! When I received my quote, I immediately thought of a photo from my baby book. And then I thought of what a Kodak moment is today. LOVE my digital camera but the technology end of things can be my undoing. So here I sit on the right surrounded by quotes from my instructional manual in both English and Chinese!
2009: She Was Rich in Character…
Oprah could have kept her thoughts to herself but I found it admirable that she chose to raise her voice in the last Presidential campaign. I liked the spin on being rich in character. She is obviously well off financially. It took a richness of her own character to encourage people to vote. She donated support to someone that she felt was also rich in character. It made for a nice duality for the phrase.
2010: She learned a new language…
My response for this year relates to the new language that I am developing with regard to my health and well-being.
A fellow student in my yoga class shared these words…
With wise reflection I eat this food,
not for play, not for intoxication,
not for shaping nor for beautification,
only to keep this body alive and healthy to support the aligned way of life.
Thus I let go of all unpleasant feelings and do not stir up any new ones.
Thereby, the process of life goes on,
blameless, at ease and in peace.
THE SHE PROJECT BOOK:
In 2007, Lauren worked with Growing Art Press to publish The She Project: How She Inspired A Community. It’s a stunning coffee table book featuring the work of those who participated in the first She.
To purchase your copy or for more information about the She Project, please go to www.sheproject.com
