Zsolt Alapi: Underground Women Writers

Underground was truly the key word in the title of Zsolt Alapi's talk, as he introduced us to a world of women writers few of us were familiar with. Alapi, editor/publisher of Siren Song Publishing and the literary journal The Loose Canon, is passionately involved in this non-mainstream, edgy writing world and he provided us with both history and context to what is going on today. I'll post his photos of some of the principle participants in this movement as well as the Powerpoint summaries of their career highlights which I copied by camera rather than by pen.

Diane di Prima whose life Alapi presented in great detail, was really the forerunner of the women who followed her. She lived her life at the center of the Beat and psychedelic revolutions.

Di Prima with Amiri Baraka, formerely known as Leroi Jones

Di Prima's memoir of the Beat years gives a gritty portrait of the times

Di Prima's autobiography talks in depth of her life

Laura Hird, the Scottish novelist and short story writer, who publishes the work of young writers

Heidi James is one of the young writers showcased by Laura Hird

President Leslie Cohen, before the lecture, with the McCord Museum's tech guy, Dave Carmichael who makes all the presentations possible. Thanks Dave!

Jackie Cytrynbaum

Jackie Cytrynbaum, fine art photographer, gave last Tuesday's talk, "The Camera is My Paintbrush", and for those who may have doubted that photography is fine art, I am sure Jackie's work has won them over. About her many series, she explained to us not only her process but also the emotional roots of her complex and layered images.

Before the lecture -- Shirley Cohen (left), Annette Wolfstein-Joseph (right) who organized the talk, and (center, with the camera) Jackie Wloski, soon to be part of the WASM blog team

Layered images composed from several negatives, and based on archival family photographs in The Continuum series

Eikoh Hosoe was one of the photographers who influenced Jackie's decision to do a series of nudes

Here are some images from the stunning series Music in the Metro

From Jackie's Intimate Florals series, inspired by the photographs of Karl Blossfeldt

From the series Spaces In-Between

Jackie Cytrynbaum and Annette Wolfstein-Joseph

Bonnie Stamos Destounis and Selena Liss at Annual Art Show

Bonnie Stamos Destounis, the President of the Montreal Council of Women, was our guest of honor at the vernissage for our 2011 Art Show at Ogilvy's Tudor Hall. This is the second half of her speech where she talks personally about her beginnings as an artist.



Our second speaker was Selena Liss, Marianopolis College professor and Coordinator for the college's Arts Trip, one of the projects that receives help from the Bursary Fund. Ms. Liss also joined the original panel of judges for the final judging for the awarding of prizes.

The 2011 Annual Art Show

The well attended Annual Art Show held its vernissage last Saturday at Ogilvy's Tudor Hall. The show was beautifully hung thanks to the many volunteers on the Hanging Committe and the works delighted and inspired the large viewing crowd. Bonnie Stamos Destounis, President of the Montreal Council of Women and our guest of honor spoke about the ties between Women's Art and the Montreal Council as well as her work as an artist. Selena Liss, Marianopolis College professor and co-ordinator of the Arts Fest and Arts Trip at the college, projects sponsored by the Bursary Fund, said a few words about the students who benefit from the fund. This year, a portion of the proceeds raised by our sale and silent auction will be donated to support students in arts, music and theatre, especially directing funds towards the arts trip.

Bonnie Stamos Destounis

Mary Jane Telfer with Leslie Cohen

This year's Art Show prizewinners (from left to right): Lillian Moore, Diane Cannuli, Jane Wigglesworth, Roxanne Dyer, Sandy Baylin, Leslie Cohen (president), and Bonnie Stamos Destounis (guest of honor)

Shahnaz Bagherzadeh's Nocochi Café Patissérie provided irresistible cookies

Jackie Rae Wloski, Sharon Gallagher, Diane Cannuli

Women's Art in the Gazette

The Gazette photo of Leslie Cohen and Mary Jane Telfer

In case you missed it, or haven't picked up your newspaper yet, today's Gazette had a terrific article by Kathryn Greenaway about Women's Art and about the upcoming Art Show. You can read the article here:

The vernissage is Saturday, January 8th, starting at 2 p.m.

Holiday luncheon at the University Club

The snowstorm did not slow down WASM members from attending our annual holiday luncheon. A great success and greatly enjoyed by all. The music, the food, the company was lively and entertaining, and this year saw a silent auction and raffle with items generously donated by a number of people. A festive occasion all around.

Suzy Charto and Annette Wolfstein-Joseph

This magnificent quilt made by Mary Jane Telfer has been donated to the silent auction to be held at the art show in January. At the luncheon we all had a sneak preview.

Derek Yaple-Schobert and Shirley Cohen, the Hospitality Chair

Alma Faye Brooks and Louis Toteda provided the musical entertainment