This newsletter is divided into the following articles. To read any one of these articles, please click on the text of the article title.

Letter from the Directors:

New opportunities are coming Woman Made's way each day. As we move forward with our mission and goals, people from all over the United States (and far away lands) are learning about, visiting and supporting our gallery. Our growing notoriety has resulted in collaborations with other women's groups to present provocative exhibitions to the public. Two of these groups are Awareness Alert: Breast Cancer and the Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CADC). By working with other women's organizations we are not only able to fulfill our mission of promoting women artists but also to expand our influence by advocating for women on important issues.

The first collaborative project will take place in May at Woman Made Gallery. The gallery will present works dealing with breast cancer, curated by a Minneapolis group, Awareness Alert: Breast Cancer. They have consolidated a national exhibit of works, some which will be concurrently displayed at Chicago's Daley Center. Woman Made will exhibit the artworks, which due to their reflection of scars and nudity, have been filtered out of the Daley Center show. Also displayed at Woman Made in May will be artists' works which comment upon one of our society's icons - the "Barbie" doll. The exhibition title, "It's My Doll and I'll Do What I Want To", came about as a result of legal advice suggesting that WMG drop the "B" word from all artwork and exhibit titles or risk being sued by Mattel. The gallant toy making company evidently feels they need to protect "Barbie" from any views that might blemish their golden girl's image. Tarnishing the images of very real, normal looking girls of all colors, shapes, economic backgrounds and sexual orientations is obviously insignificant compared to the lovely, plastic Ms. B. There is still a risk of a lawsuit, so just in case, please note - this exhibit is not sponsored nor sanctioned by Mattel.

The second project that Woman Made is collaborating on is an exhibit addressing domestic violence, which will take place in the Capitol Rotunda in Springfield. The October exhibit will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Woman Made has been invited to curate this exhibit and we are calling for entries now (see Call for Artists section). If you know of artists working with this difficult subject matter please refer them to the gallery.

In addition to these events, the gallery will be participating with all the cultural institutions in the Prairie Avenue district to bring exciting programming to you all summer. These events are part of the Department of Cultural Affairs program, Downtown Thursday Night, and will include programming such as readings in celebration of Gay Pride Month in June and women in blues in August. If you do not live in the Chicago area but are planning to visit, please make Woman Made Gallery a stop during your travels. We are interested in meeting people from all over the world and introducing them to our unique women's gallery. In the meantime, if you have any ideas that could benefit our organization (from programming to funding possibilities) please let us hear from you. May this spring be a fertile time for your creative spirits.

Beate Minkovski, Executive Director & Janet Bloch, Gallery Director

Tips for the Professsional Artist

How to package your work

Two-dimensional work:
Wrap your work in clean paper, a layer of plastic or a towel, sheet or pillowcase. Use different colored tape when wrapping with plastic and use it sparingly. Sandwich protected work between two sturdy cardboard pieces slightly larger than the artwork. Place protective cardboard corners over corners (available in framing or art-supply stores). Wrap all this in bubblewrap (use colored tape sparingly) or any other soft material to absorb shocks. Place wrapped work inside sturdy, reusable box or crate. It is preferable that the container is not too large for the piece. It costs more and the piece needs to be padded further to avoid shifting back and forth. If further padding is necessary use crumbled newspaper or, if you must, use Styrofoam popcorn pebbles, place them in garbage bags which are taped shut securely and then fill up the empty space around your work. Indicate with marker which way is the top of your box and along which seam gallery personnel should cut open the box.

Three-dimensional work:
For sculpture we recommend two separate cardboard boxes, in good condition, one placed inside the other. Wrap your three-dimensional work inside plastic or fabric and place it inside the smaller box padded all around for protection. The piece should not be able to move at all. Put a layer of crumbled newspaper or packages of Styrofoam pebbles on the bottom of the larger box. Set your smaller container inside the larger container on top of the newspaper or Styrofoam pebbles. Add newspaper or Styrofoam pebbles to the sides and on top of the smaller container until it will not be able to shift around. Close larger container securely with strong tape. Indicate with marker which way is the top of the box and where gallery personnel should cut open the box. If your work is very heavy, use strapping tape to secure your package.

'Walk This Way' Walkathon

On Saturday, May 16, 1998 members, friends and supporters of Woman Made Gallery will walk for women's equal opportunities in the arts. Walkathon proceeds will help us more effectively advocate for women struggling in a male-dominated art world. We need to raise $5,000. What can you do? Call the gallery for details at 312-328-0038. Raise the most money, get the most sponsors, or come in first at the finish line and win fantastic prizes.

My Other Mother © Ginny Sykes

In Memory of Janice G. Goldsmith

I was one of the lucky ones
How many of us
have two mothers?

As my mother slipped away from me
there,
there she was,
arms open wide
to mother me.

Any lingering distance disappeared
in that moment.

She had lost a daughter, and I, a mother.
We found a place to take our aching empty hearts
a place to live
and give and give and give...

Now she's almost gone.
My other mother.

Whispering I love your between parched lips between long distance lines
body stilled with morphine

I rambled my love yous forever and ever--
but she was already slumbered

I have had two mothers.
Dead, the first, my birth,
nearly thirteen years gone.
Any day my darling other shall pas
and beside two gravestones
I will grieve.

written September 16, 1997
postscript: Janice, my mother in law, died peacefully in her sleep on September 19, 1997

Worthy Organizations

The Feminist Writers Guild was founded in 1980 and became a nonprofit corporation in 1988. FWG is open to all who write seriously, whether they write little or much and whether or not they write for publication. The guild also welcomes the membership of women non-writers and men who support feminist writing. For further information call: 708 672 6630.

Looking for a Few Good Women

Woman Made is expanding their board of directors. We are looking for women who are committed feminists with time and skills they can contribute to our organization. Especially needed are a lawyer and an accountant. Please read our mission statement carefully and if you feel our purpose is worthy send a cover letter and a resume to Margo Jeanchild, Board President, Woman Made Gallery, 1900 South Prairie Avenue, Chicago, IL 60616.

Please and Thank You

We would like to thank all those who have become members since the last newsletter printing, and those who have donated money and/or their resources and time to help us:
Noerena Abookire, Jan G. Anderson, Marna Bastian, Elizabeth Bowles, Lorell Butler, Candace Casey, Susan Wyn Cherco, Elaine Collina, Gigi Colson, Lois Coren, Gail Crandus, Margy Crary, Carole Crowley, Julia Cuba, Barbara Daly, Karen Keene Day, Dana Daydodge, Digital Network Development, Ingrid Neuhofer Dohm, Fran Edmondson, Ronit Elk, Barbara Ezell, Mary R. Fabri, Kathleen Fox, Pamela Frederick, Susan Frolichstein, Tamaya & Bruce Garner, Nancy Gordon, Pamela Greenfield, Kathy Greenholdt, Carrie Gundersdorf, Patricia Hernes, Pearl Hirshfield, Amy Huisinga, Erica Huntzinger, Doris Jacobs, Paula Katz, Bonnie Keyes, Alicia Kopec, Loretta Wilson Kost, Nancy Landin, Dr. Ruth Lax, Bonnie Lopez, Barbara Lynne, Marilyn Maas, Valerie Mangion, Joyce Matuszewich, Jeanette May, Janet McGreevy, Marian McNair, Roberta Lindegard Meier, Terri Messinides, Dale Miller, Michelle Morrissey, Audrey Morrison, Cathleen Nagel, Elizabeth Neubauer, Anne Nordhaus-Bike, Rita O'Hara, Louise Olderman, Andrea Ondish, Sherry Payne, Corinne Peterson, Maggie Phillips, Luisa-Maria Potter, Ruth Praser, Naomi Pridjian, Marjorie Durko Puryear, I. Carmen Quintana, Cecilija Rasimas, Jeni Reeves, Wanie Reeverts, Monica Rinderer, Sally Ruddy, Jerry Ruiz, Janet Schill, Zeva Schub, Karcheik Sims, Marlene Skolnik, Stell Sokolski, Cynthia Staples, Joyce Thompson, Anne Vanker, Elaine Wagner, Deborah Weber, Irene B. Wilson, Dr. Wendy Wolf, Jodi Younglove, Kathleen Zorko, Kathleen Zuchniak

A Special Thanks to

Our Anonymous donor from California, Warren Hazelton and Tenneco Packaging, High Point Services, Andy Pappas, Pamela Callahan, Lindsey Berkun and Goods of Evanston, Toni Henle, and Odeh Yassin from World Fruit Market, 2434 W. Devon for donating food items for our Holiday Member's Brunch.
ALSO, THANK YOU TO:
Shereen Boury for designing our newsletter.
Dan Fensin of Blackman Kallick Bartelstein, 300 South Riverside Plaza, Chicago 60606 for donating audit and tax services to us.
George Gehrken of Digital Network Development for computer maintenance.
Jim Maurer of Sir Speedy at 226 East Ontario, Chicago, IL 60611 (312-280-4781) for donating part of the printing costs of this newsletter.
William Rabe for designing our exhibition invitations and signage.
Antje Gehrken

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