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Burn The Witch - Curator Jen Raven Emotes
Topics: art, Bakersfield, women, Girls, females, artists, arts, paintings, drawings, pictures, Photography, theater, theatre, Empty Space, Kern County, entertainment, art shows
Posted by theatreaddict Tue Sep 12, 2006 18:13:49 PDT
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An email from "Burn The Witch" curator, Jen Raven...

I haven't been this proud of a project in a long, long, time. It feels really good. :)

Maybe it's supposed to feel like this? Maybe that's why we do it? Maybe this is why we put up with the endless bullshit, extra hours, hard work, and the long string of negatives in the checkbook.

Either it's that; or we're all just suckers for punnishment.

I have never had such a positive experience with an art show. This is the most amazing collection of art and artists. I am so blessed to have had the chance to work with these women! I'm already planning (burn the witch) for next September. It's gonna be bigger! Better! And somehow, I don't know how but somehow, I'm gonna get a real budget for it next time around. I have to. We could have done so much more with just a little more money. And I'm not the only one who spent money on this show I'll never get back.

Everyone went above and beyond. All the artists chipped in and contributed something extra and special to help the show be all it could be. Jenn Williams deserves full props as my partner in crime and co-curator. No way could I have done all this without her. She was the creative genius behind the composition of the hang; she helped keep me sane; she handled most of the press releases; she had a million excellent ideas; she's so calm and creative and efficient; I cannot say enough about this amazing woman.

Also, Amber Saunders-Quiroz busted her butt for this show; and bailed me out more than once in the past several weeks. Nyoka was the picture of poise and professional. Susan Roussel kept my spirits up when I was ready to come apart at the seams, listening to me vent and running around pricing things for me. Alexis Nelson was some kind of Wonderful. Only 17 years old! And she worked SO HARD to pull off all of those portraits of us for the Wall of Infamy. She never bitched or balked. She just smiled and said, "Yeah, I can do that!" Even to people who got in after the deadline. Way, way after. Allison Padget and her mother donated time and money to our big show posters. Theresa Tate set up a separate myspace page dedicated to the art and the show! Even Dave Rock of RAT contributed: he let us into the theatre when we needed to spend extra time perfecting the hang.

Jenn W, Amber, Nyoka and I were sitting around my table one evening talking about what we would do, if we had our own art show. Amber came up with the name. And we decided, that night, to put on the kind of art show WE wanted to put on, the way WE wanted to do it. I believe we succeeded. We had ONE HUNDRED PAYING GUESTS at our opening. That doesn't include the people who didn't pay to get in (the last half hour we stopped charging: the bands had packed up and the food was gone, but they kept on coming!). The place was packed. And we sold artwork! Over twenty pieces, so far!! It's just unreal. :) I'm smiling so hard, my face hurts.

I could go on and on. Really, I could.

Did you get a copy of the Program?  It [sums up] our concept: postitive feminism with a streak of dark humor and the ability to laugh at ourselves.

Love!!

Jen Raven

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