I just saw this clip from the Colbert Report and I had to post it. I think this is an amazing form of subversive action in which we can incorporate into our daily life as both a form of activism and art. Speaking of which... I'm currently collecting Daily Acts of Revolution - tips and actions - in which we can do in our daily live to make a difference in the world. Please post of send me your list at feminapotens@gmail.com
xo
madison

Click Here for the clip

Call for Submissions

Femina Potens Art Gallery is currently taking submissions for our 2009 Visual Arts Exhibition season. We are looking for art works in all mediums: painting, photography, mixed media, sculpture, performance artists, video artists, installation and new media. Please fill out an online artists' application (at www.feminapotens.org) and submit a proposal for art works. Include an introductory letter of interest, artist resume, bio, artist's statement, and 10 images on CD and printed for review by our curatorial staff. All submitted art works will be considered for group shows. In our 2009 season we plan to explore the following thematic shows; if your work doesn't fit into one of these shows please still submit works, as these are only suggestions.

Ritual - Art work on the subject of Tattoos, Body Modification, Scarification, Piercing

Green Living - Art work around inner peace, animal rights, veganism, environmentalism, yoga, meditation

Welcome to the Big Top - Ariel performance, contortion, and circus themed art works

Lube me up - An exploration of women, bikes and leather culture

Pop Pop Fizz Fizz - Classic pop art and pop surrealism

Femina Potens is also looking for works that relate to the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health of the queer community as well as site specific installation artists that can create works for a commission around such subject matter.

Submission deadline is September 1st, 2008. Please send proposals (make sure that all materials are included in proposal) to: Femina Potens Visual Art Submissions, Tina Butcher, 1305 Franklin #600, Oakland CA 94612.

Thank you,
Tina Butcher

Join the FP team no matter where you live

Hello All,
My art gallery - Femina Potens- is looking for new volunteers. Some of these positions can be handled from outside of the gallery so if you are not in San Francisco but wish you could help to fuel the queer feminist sex positive revolution...well..now you can. Please pass this on to anyone you think might be interested and skilled in volunteering. Femina Potens is doing a lot of growing right now and can use all of your help. Below is a list of positions we are currently staffing. Please respond to feminapotens@gmail.com with interest,availability, if you are in town or available to work from home. All positions that are available to do from home are stared.
Thanks.
Madison
www.feminapotens.org

Marketing Assistant – is responsible for absorbing what ever he/she can from the marketing coordinator. Collecting contacts for the coordinator, taking care of viral marketing, updating email list, creating surveys for audience and web visitors, email blasts, posting video clips. Assisting with whatever needs the marketing coordinator has. The Marketing Assistance goal is to learn all the necessary skills needed in order to take the position of Marketing Coordinator in 6 months. For reference - arketing Coordinator is responsible for all press releases regarding upcoming events, visual art events, performance events etc. Also responsible for design of fliers for events, updating the web site and calendar with events, updating the email list, sending out email blasts, myspace bulletins, face book notes, sending messages to yahoo groups, coordinating with video editors regarding promotional clips, posting video clips on you tube, myspace, and our web site, building press kits for online and printed press kits. Overseeing advertisements for the Guardian. Sending promotional items and press releases to artists. Working on larger feature stories in magazines. Overseeing and sharing information with the Marketing Assistant


FP Edge Assistant -
FP Edge Assistant responsibilities include doing research on new artists for FP Edge representation program, gathering images from potential artists for review, gathering images for artists for venues to review, obtaining artists label information, overseeing the entry of all art work inventory for insurance purposes, Putting together information packets for venues and artists, updating FP Edge data base with artist contacts, assisting with installation of art exhibits, assisting with scheduling follow up meetings with artists, sending thank you notes to artists and venues.

**Volunteer Coordinator –
Volunteer Coordinator responsibilities include overseeing all volunteers. Creating a weekly schedule and sending it out to the list. Reviewing and contacting new volunteers. Recruiting new volunteers. Creating relationships between FP and different colleges and universities in SF in regards to interns. Talking with volunteers about their needs so they are placed in the right position. Finding volunteers for upcoming events and gallery rentals. Posting volunteer positions on craigslist and volunteer match services.

****Web Maintenance -
Femina Potens web maintenance volunteer responsibilities include input of all new DIY store and Art Store items into our php based web site, along with input of all images from rotating exhibits. Making sure all press is current and uploaded, all upcoming events are added to the calendar.

**Video Tech and Editor –
Femina Potens is looking for a video editor to create short video clips from our performances and art shows to post on YouTube, Myspace and on our web site. We are also looking for a video tech to oversee implementation of a web cam in the gallery and live feeds of events at the gallery.

**Development and Fundraising –
Femina Potens is looking for someone to handle development and fundraising. This volunteer position would involve developing relationships with sponsors, developing funding materials to hand out to potential sponsors, seeking sponsorship for individual art shows at FP. Overseeing fundraising projects.

Art Sales Persons –
Friendly out going persons needed to greet customers and help them with purchasing art and/or zines/etc, help them with any art work they may be looking at,help them to make a final decision on pieces, start a conversation with customers. Create an atmosphere in which people will want to buy art. Make sure there are fresh flowers that art is displayed not hidden, Make sure there is music on in the gallery.

DIY Store and Art Store Manager-
Working on DIY Store inventory, bringing in new products for the DIY Store and Art Store, working on promotional ideas for the DIY Store/Art Store. Researching new products for the store, reviewing products for our online blog, looking into Google, Adsense and Myspace advertising for our online art store. Working on increasing traffic to our online web store.

**Gallery Rental Assistant

Physical Space Manager

**Visual Arts Coordinator

**Devolopment and Fundraising Assistant

**DIY Store and Art Store Assistant

Drawn Bad; Kinky Art Salon

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We've got some really exciting events scheduled for the beginning of June, with some awesome people coming in to speak. Hopefully you guys will be able to make it out for some of them.

On Friday, June 6th at 8pm, we're hosting a sexy film screening and panel. We'll be showing some of the hottest queer films and porn titles on the market. After that, (almost) all of the cool San Francisco queer porn people will be speaking on a panel about...you guessed it: "Making Your Own Porn." The presenters include Shine Louise Houston of Pink and White Productions, Dana Dearmond (director for Vivid Alt), Julie Simone (director for Abigail Productions and Julie Simone Productions), Trouble Royale (No Fauxxx), Trannywood Pictures, Madison Young (director for Madison Bound Prouductions) and Morty Diamond (director of "Trannyfags" and "Trans Entities)." Phew! THEN, we're having an open screening where you can bring your own hot erotic films and DIY porn. We'll be serving vegan cookies and wine, so it should be an all-around awesome evening. Space is limited, so buy tickets now, online here. Admission is $10.

On Saturday, June 14th, we've got two events centered around the new book Live Through This: On Creativity and Self-Destruction by Sabrina Chapadjiev. The first is a writing workshop with the author. Sabrina will lead people through the themes in the book and talk about why she felt a need for the book to be published- touching on the myths of women and madness, and starting to lead people in creating visual and written work based on their own struggles. The workshop starts at 3pm and admission is $10-$15 on a sliding scale.

The second is the June edition of SIZZLE, the monthly Bay Area award winning literary series. SIZZLE heats up the Castro on the second Saturday of every month with noted queer and erotic authors, spoken word artists and performers as well as an open mic for all who dare to make their voice heard. This month, cutting-edge artists featured in Live Through This will explore their use of art to survive madness, abuse, incest, depression, and the impulse toward self-destruction manifested in eating disorders, cutting, addiction, and contemplation of suicide. We've got some really cool people on the panel including Daphne Gottlieb, Carol Queen, Cristy Road, and Inga Muscio. The event starts at 8, but doors open at 7:30. If you want to speak at the open mic, come early and sign up. Admission is $10-$15 on a sliding scale for audience and $5 for open mic performers.

Femina Potens is located at 2199 Market St @ Sanchez, San Francisco 94114 in real life, and online at feminapotens.org. Email us at feminapotens@gmail.com.

I'm really excited about this Kinky Art Salon. I've been wanting to do something like this for a while and can't wait to see how it turns out. Hope to see all of you there.

This Saturday May 24^th from 3 – 7pm at Femina Potens engage in a hot and sweaty debauchery of art and the erotic power of flesh and body. Femina Potens Art Gallery will transform into a cozy bohemian artist den while we invite artists armed with their weapon of choice ( camera, charcoal, pastels, pen and ink, watercolors – whatever suites your fancy). Femina Potens will provide 3 hot creative models who exude sex and powerful eroticism including fetish model Raina Degre and hosted by award winning bdsm performer Madison Young. Sweet nibbles and sangria will flow freely through out the day. Space is limited so buy your tickets online now at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/35201.

Femina Potens is located at 2199 Market St at Sanchez in the heart of the Castro. For questions please email feminapotens@gmail.com.www.feminapotens.org. Tickets are $20.

You could cut the tension with a knife...or a hacksaw

Last nights opening for " I touch Myself" was brilliant. Femina Potens was packed full of artists and art lovers enjoying an evening of incredible art and performance. Ellen Staggs photography is captivating a stunning capturing luscious women in the throws of self love as well as several photographs from her series "Jerking Off" of hot men in mid ejaculation and coming for the camera. The men's faces are cut off so we only see their bodies and hands stroking their cocks. This gives the viewer that feeling that they are the subject cumming in full force and it also objectifies the male subject with is so often the viewer and on the other side of the camera objectifying women. Cristy Roads powerful illustrations of her journey to an orgasm hung proudly on the wall while Suzanne Shifflet's lush sensous paintings give us a graphic peek into self pleasure. Chrystal Powell's window installations combined safer sex materials., text,melted lip stick, 3d sculptures of hands and cocks for a powerful explosion of emotional and physical intimacy. And twincest... the crowd was on pins and needles while the collaborative couple screened slides below a suspended rack of beef. The couple performed in an open bathroom, dressed in button up white shirts,breasts peeking out, wearing tighty whities and red unicorn horns on there head. One of the performers sat on the toilet while the others body spooned gently betwen their legs. We wittness a cello like erotic performance as a hacksaw bows the other performers cunt until blood is seen through the underwear. With each motion of the saw the "cello" moves into their lover. We are wittnessing and exchange of power and erotic energy set to the soundscape of "God Speed You Black Emporer". Yes.. If you didn't come last night you missed out on a hell of a show. Our fabulous volunteer Lexi came to the gallery bearing gifts of delicious bakery goods for the reception which were consumed at a record breaking speed. FP Volunteers are the best. We couldn't do this with out all of you.
- Madison

Touch Yourself

May is here and it's National Masturbation Month. Femina Potens is celebrating with the show I Touch Myself, featuring women artists exploring the subject. Ellen Stagg, Suzanne Shifflett and Cristy Road offer stimulating visual art, along with powerful performance art by Twincest.

Femina Potens' display windows will feature a provocative installation by Chrystal Powell (an artist who is one of the awesome Femina Potens volunteers - Happy Volunteer Week, everyone). It's part of the San Francisco Arts Commission's "Outside Looking In" public arts program, and we're glad to be participating.

Come to the opening this Saturday, May 3, 7-10 pm, to check it all out.

For a tease, Cristy Road's print Emancipation Masturbation (shown above) is available online (only $20!) in the Accessible Art Store, along with a handful of her older works. But you'll have to wait for I Touch Myself to access all of her gorgeous prints.

A shout out to Jennifer Lynne, who has just started a blog for her design label Porcelynne Lingerie. She's revamping the business, coming out with new sexy eco-chic designs and clearing out the old fashions in a big sale. It's nice to hear her plans, and there's a sweet picture back from a time she was a cigarette girl posted to the new blog.

Finally, don't miss Friday's double bill at Femina Potens. May 2 at 6:00 Cake and Kink presents a Q&A with author Laura Antoniou, followed at 8:00 by Open Eyes Queer Film Night with Jed Bell, Samara Halperin, Katastrophe (a.k.a. Rocco Kayiatos), Trannymals, Debra Wilson, and a short film open mic for your creations under 5:00.

-Sandra

Good Reviews

A couple of reviews of Neu Wave Feminism (which you can still visit, until April 27):

Hot Like Neu Wave Feminism from Pixel Vision: Arts and Culture Blog of the SFBG. "Gender and sexuality -- not tired!"

Neu Wave Feminism at Femina Potens, a Shotgun Review. "In promos, Neu Wave Feminism describes itself as an art show in which 'three feminist artists explore identity, gender, and sexuality.' This description fails to hint at the intensity of this mixed media tour de force."

Thank you Marke and Isabel for the kind words!

-Sandra

Dating and Thinking and Thinking of Dating

Our fundraising speed dating event is coming up tomorrow and it promises to be popular so get your tickets in advance online at Brown Paper Tickets (an awesome fair-trade ticket service).

Remember when times were simpler? Remember when it was easy for girl to meet girl and fall in love? Remember when you had time for love, before your three jobs took over your life? Well, now you have time for Queer Speed Dating!

Queer Speed Dating is a fun and quirky night for single and poly women, femmes, dykes, bois, grrls and transmen to hang out and meet one another. We are breaking the ice for you, providing a safe space for queers to interact and expand our community, while also promoting the accessibility and mission of Femina Potens. Whether you are looking for a new friend or something more, Queer Speed Dating is the place to be for socializing, sangria and sexy snacks.

April 17, 8:00 pm $15, 18 and over.

If you hit it off with someone, consider planning a date at Femina Potens on the weekend. Saturday we're hosting a thinkPhilosophy Salon that poses a hot question: "What do the rich owe the poor?" Dr. Rita Alfonso leads these "rigorous intellectual workouts" for your brain, this Saturday on a topic that's fitting at tax time. Here's some info from Reason Magazine to get you started. The event description:

What Do The Rich Owe the Poor? Knee pads? Education? Charity? Jobs? Sympathy? Food? Entertainment? Pillows and blankets? Social Security? Housing? Thanks? Or, perhaps nothing at all? As we consider this question together, we’ll look at different rationale – from utilitarianism and communism to “trickle down” economic theories. So come join our community of truth seekers, explore your beliefs about wealth and worth, and test your ideas about social and economic justice against a room full of experience.

Appropriately, tickets are Pay What You Want. Doors open at 7:30 and thoughts will start to fly back and forth at 8:00.

Maybe the rich and the poor alike don't owe us anything, but we encourage everyone to buy more art!

-Sandra

Join FP Edge

In order to bring more exposure to both queer and erotic artists and the queer, feminist, wellness and sex positive communities they operate within, the Femina Potens Gallery recently formed FP Edge. FP Edge is an artists network that represents artists and connects them with art spaces throughout the bay area. These diverse spaces include businesses, community centers and other galleries that Femina Potens has established relationships with after six years in San Francisco.

Once an artist has joined FP Edge, their work and information will be promoted to potential venues and showcased on the Femina Potens website. FP Edge also offers consultation services, which assist members in developing a portfolio and other submission materials. After an exhibit has been contracted, FP Edge handles all marketing, installation and logistical issues for a small per-show fee - this system ensures that artists do not pay anything until they are guaranteed a venue space. Artists more concerned with selling or displaying work online may also join, and pay a one-time membership fee after selling their first piece.

If you would like to join or for more information, please contact us at FPedge@gmail.com. All artists interested in representation should send a short bio, 3-5 work samples or a URL link. Thank you for your commitment to increasing community exposure to queer and erotic themed work!

Porn Stars, Sexperts, Bondage Models and Activists Oh My!

Tonight we have an absolutly amazing line up of fabulous performers at the gallery. Our Award Winning performance and spoken word evening,Sizzle, starts at 8pm and features artists Nomy Lamm, Lorelei Lee, Violet Blue,Raina Bird, a Live No Fauxxx photo shoot, a hot slide show from Cutter Zine, and a sneak peak at bondage model Madison Young's memoirs. Hope to see everyone tonight Saturday April 12th doors at 7:30.

Neu Wave Feminism

Wow! That's all I can say is a big Wow! This weekends opening for our Neu Wave Feminist Art Show was everything I hoped it would be and more. The event was packed with friends and art patrons, passers by and femina potens die hard fans. The installation is beautiful. We will post photos from the event next week. I'm so happy with all of the art work and just how beautiful and powerful the work is in examining gender and sexual politics. The show will be up for the remainder of the month so please come by and check it out during gallery hours at 2199 Market @Sanchez. You can see and buy many of the installed images on the feminapotens.com web site under store and rotating exhibits. We've already sold work from the show and have been selling pieces from our art store like mad. It's really nice to see people coming in and bringing art into their homes.

Also we have a mind blowing line up of amazing writers this saturday April 12th. There will be an photo slide show from Cutter Zine, a live fetish photo shoot w/ No Fauxxx, Madison Young, Lorelei Lee, Violet Blue, Raina Bird and Nomy Lamm!!!! So hold onto your hats and buy tickets now at www.feminapotens.com as they are going fast.

Or if erotic spoken word isn't your thing check out our queer film screening on friday at 8pm with Kami Chisholm.

Lets Get Physical Day number 2

Today was a total success. We totally made a physical difference at the gallery and all thanks to our amazing volunteers. SOMARTS was awesome enough to donate around 30 or so chairs to the gallery which we really appreciate. We were in desperate need of more seating for our events. But the chairs that were donated had fabric bolted onto the plastic chairs and the chairs had been sitting out side so they were in need of a little lovin' Today we gave those chairs so serious love. We removed all fabric,scrubbed down the chairs, used a rust a way solvent on their legs and removed the bolts from the seats so they don't poke anyone in the arse. Our chairs weren't the only things in need of love. Our gallery basement was a disaster and we hadn't had the chance to work on it. So today we organized, swept, got rid of massive junk, and set up our inventory for our diy store. I'm pretty exhausted.

Our volunteers were amazing today. Francesca, our fundraising guru, showed up to help out along with three new younger volunteers from Marin - Melissa,Kyle, and Lauren. They were a big help. Later in the afternoon we got a pleasant visit from the fabulous Raina Bird and Melinda Adams. Raina apparently has a fetish for cleaning which came in handy as we attempted to get the basement to glisten and as we all know basements are very stubborn about glistening. We will be working away on the gallery again tomorrow so if you feel like dropping by to get physical, come on by t o 2199 Market anytime btwn noon - 6pm.

If you play...they will come

The end of another beautiful night here at Femina Potens. Earlier today the gallery was a flurry of activity. Lex and Lexi were in the gallery working away. I got the office in the back finally set up and our donated desktops have been connected to the web which will allow our volunteers more computers to work on. While Lexi and I were busy being handy Lex worked on promotions and press releases.

Eddie from Fresh Meat came in to take photos of the show Changing Landscapes (deinstall starts tomorrow). Then the wonderful group that is doing a theater piece in April came in to plot out the installation of their massive performance art tent which they are creating to do their performance in.

Later Boston based musician Julie Lloyd came by to set up and to perform for a very intimate but very affected crowd of Femina Potens patrons. Julie asked the audience members what they were going through in their life right now and then would play a song that related to the topic. It was really great to see her interacting with her audience and listening to them and talking to them. One young man who is about to go off to college in the new england area asked her what kind of support there was for queers in such a conservative area of the country. He mentioned he was transitioning from ftm this year and wanted to know if she thought he would be ok. It was really sweet to see him asking her and reaching out and was great to see her reach back out and be able to provide him with answers, I mean that is what community is about right?

We sold several of Cristy Road's post cards and 2 posters today. One of a young girl holding a dove close to her body while she is surrounded by a city of chaos and destruction.

Coming together

I'm a happy art slut. Things at the gallery went really well today. We sold a couple prints including a really cool print from Cristy Road where the girl is on a bathroom floor in a puddle of blood which is dripping down her legs, she is grabbing her breasts and screaming out into the night "Fuck off and Die". Hot. Now that is a great piece of bathroom art. We also sold one of Laurenn Mccubbin's beautiful prints. Our amazing volunteer Sandra has almost all of our art store available online so you too can buy these awesome prints even if you are not in SF. We also had a wondeful new handy girl start at the gallery, Lyndsay. We can never have enough handy girls :) All I can say is this girl is a wiz with Ikea assemblage. We now have a brand new glass desk and really cool coushiony bench that matches the ribbons on the curtains and an assortment of containers and orgazinational supplies for our new office in the back of the gallery - which I spent all day putting together. The gallery is really coming together and looks really beautiful We will soon be adding flower boxes which I'm very excited about. I love to be surrounded by plants. Which is exactly what I'm doing this holiday weekend. Femina Potens will be closed this friday - sunday for Bunny day and I'll be hopping off to Santa Cruz to decompress. Hippity Hoppity.

Online store

Woohoo! Yesterday I spent all day at the gallery working on the web site. Now you can donate online, buy a VIP membership that alots you free entrance to all FP events for the year and 10% off all art work and you can buy gift certificates online as well as buy art work. More art work will be added this week. Go check it out at feminapotens.org.

One of our new volunteers Lara came by this morning. She is going to help us get the gallery in tip top shape so you will be seeing alot of new improvements at the gallery very soon.

Oh also something else new on the site is on our store section you can now buy advance tickets for our April events. Go check it out.

Tina

Lets get Physical!

Femina Potens is doing some handy gal and handy guy work at the gallery on Saturday the 29th of March. There will be free vegan pizza and pbr for everyone who comes and picks up a hammer or helps to put together ikea furniture. There is a lot of work to accomplish and the more people we can gather the better. So head on down to FP at 2199 Market on saturday march 29th.

Also I'm so completely excited we just found out we will be screening Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the oh so amazing Parkway Theater http://www.parkway-speakeasy.com/index.php.
There is nothing like a cult movie classic at the Parkway, sit back on the couch,drink beer and eat pizza. Join us there and help to raise funds for women and trans artists.

Today we had a little rain here at the gallery. But the sun finally poked its head out. We have a new volunteer who has joined us at FP - Alexa - and we have been working on fixing up the 30 chairs that SOMARTS donated to us.

New Prints in the Gallery!

We have some amazing new Laurenn Mccubbin(www.LaurennMccubbin.com) prints that just came into the gallery along with some amazing Cristy Road(croadcore.org) posters. I'm so excited about all of this great new work that we have available in our art store. We also have some Nicky Mclure posters coming in this week which I'm totally psyched about.

We are still hunting for a some more volunteers so if any one in the bay area is interested please drop by our web site at www.feminapotens.com and fill out our volunteer application. Skills we are definetly interested in are volunteer coordination,handy guys and gals, it and web assistants, and bookeeping.

Its a beautiful day here in SF. The door to the gallery is open bringing in a nice breeze and a steady flow of people to gaze at the art work. Our current exhibit " Changing Landscapes" has some beautiful pieces on Japanese paper by Jackadandy that seem to have a calm gentle way of living and breathing on their own that is catalyst by the the gentlist wind coming in from the San Francisco streets.

I've been working today on coordinating our May and June shows. We have such a great line up for the next couple of months so keep your eyes open and check out FeminaPotens.com for details.

Welcome to the blog

Hello all ,

And welcome to Femina Potens official blog. Femina Potens interns and volunteers will be posting here about all the happenings at the gallery. So please join in discussion and check us out at www.FeminaPotens.org.
xo
Tina Butcher
Femina Potens

Some cool stuff going on at the gallery that you should check out:
Madison Young is featured on the cover of $pread Magazine this month, interviewed about art and porn. So check that out. $pread Magazine is available at your local sex positve retail store or at www.spreadmagazine.org.