Blog Vacation

August 5, 2013

A new manuscript sent to the editor today.  No more blogging for a while, but will continue to post on Facebook

• My friend Lee Erickson asked me to write a piece for her blog...it looks good on her page, I hope it will look good here also.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Yvonne Pepin-Wakefield shares a recent MOMENT in her life in Part One - Denial. Part Two, will be forthcoming with the full story of Suitcase Filled with Nails.

  

  Moments – Denial | L.E. Erickson

  leerickson.com

  Moments – Denial Posted on May 2, 2013 by Lee EricksonPart One - Denial On December 30, 2012, after a one-hour trail run in the forests overlooking the Puget Sound, followed by a 75-minute Power Step class, I 

Big Images of the Exhibit

1. “Abaya and Beyond” by Yvonne Pepin-Wakefield. - Yakima Magazine

   www.yakimamagazine.com/.../abaya-and-beyond-by-yvonne-pepin-...

   You +1'd this publicly. Undo

   4 hours ago – A patron views the works of Yvonne Pepin-Wakefield's "Abaya and Beyond." Photos courtesy of the Larson Gallery. Yvonne Pepin-Wakefield ...

When I could ride

Traveler’s Journal
When: 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 7
Where: Sequim Middle School cafeteria, 301 W. Hendrickson Road
(Note: Other Traveler’s Journal Series presentations are at the Sequim High School cafeteria)
Cost: Suggested $5 donation
Presenter: Yvonne Pepin-Wakefield 

Join me...in my presentation from a wheel chair...six weeks on in a wheel chair with a right broken foot and a left broken leg

Censorship in the Arts

Video of My Exhibition

1. Nice Video by Rachel Dorn, YVCC art instructor, of my recent and on-going exhibit.

   
   

   Abaya and Beyond: Dr. Yvonne Pepin-Wakefield - YouTube

   ► 3:25► 3:25

   www.youtube.com/watch?v=n63ZRQYTTFU

   4 days ago - Uploaded by LarsonGalleryGuild

   Larson Gallery hosts "Abaya and Beyond", works by Dr. Yvonne Pepin-Wakefield January 11- March 9 ...

Opening Tonight in Beautiful Downtown Yakima

1. Sheik Taj Hilali, an Austrailian Islamic cleric, compared women who do not wear traditional Islamic head coverings to “uncovered meat," which attracts sexual predators and stray cats. Inspired by his words I painted "His Little Lambchops" It will be on exhibit at the Larson Gallery in January.

   
   

   

   
   

Insightful Review posted on Amazon

New! Mohammad reviewed Suitcase Filled with Nails: Lessons Learned from Teaching Art in Kuwait

 It's not the suitcase that's filled with nails... It's Kuwait! October 15, 2012

In her book, titled "Suitcase Filled with Nails", Ms. Wakefield pretty much nailed the chronic problems that are being inherited and running rampant in Kuwaiti society. As an arts teacher at Kuwait University, for six academic years, Ms. Wakefield did an impressive job painting a picture that underlined the unbiased truth about Kuwait and its citizens. The kiss-and-kill and downright hypocritical, backstabbing culture of Kuwait--which is often, if not always, accompanied with systemic corruption and helpless injustice--is as epidemic to the country as mosquito-borne diseases are to the Amazon river. In other words, it's a hopeless case, but one that needed to be aired for the whole world to hear.

Ms. Wakefield's sense for delivering thoughts to the reader's mind is perhaps one of the key characteristics that attribute to her personality, as an open-minded and thought-invoking arts teacher. She is simply brilliant and I began to love her, even though I've never had the fortune of meeting her.

"Suitcase Filled with Nails" delivers, to the reader, everything he or she needs to expect from even the shortest of stays in Kuwait. Ms. Wakefield's struggle with the tribal-driven and Islamic fundamentalist forces, which opposed her, her work and her students, was a battle that she willingly accepted to fight, for the sake of her principles and for the sake of those who she loved and cared about--Kuwaiti or otherwise. Unfortunately, not many Kuwaitis appreciate the fact that there are many people who are championing, or have championed, for their rights to become truly free and live in an open society, where the only thing they have to fear is fear itself. I just hope there comes a day when Kuwait officially and formally pays gratitude to the people who at least tried to make a difference, instead of rewarding fools like Dr. Badr, who wants everything to be his way and doesn't feel ashamed to lay his hands on servants.

Thank you, Ms. Wakefield, for this wonderful book. I believe you have a gift for storytelling and narration because you managed to create a visual reality in my mind, while I was indulging on this book. I always thought of Seattle as the best city to visit and live in, and now I have an even better reason to love that place.

I hope Ms. Wakefield returns to the Gulf one day. There are some countries that appreciate art more than Kuwait in this region, such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Qatar has a Virginia Commonwealth University arts school in its education city, a place enriched with top US schools. Qatar also has an internationally-acclaimed Islamic arts museum, and Abu Dhabi (UAE) is building an arts museum of its own. I hope Ms. Wakefield gets offered opportunities to either teach or manage arts institutions in either of those countries. Hopefully it would make up for the hardship she faced in Kuwait.

"Suitcase Filled with Nails" deserves all 5 stars and more! God bless you Ms. Wakefield.

Nice Mail

Although, I never consider my self humorous or brave....I just normally jump into things feet first, don't look back and keep a stiff upper lip....I did appreciate receiving the following email: 

After purchasing your book on my kindle app, I could not put it down.

Although I may sometimes have a romanticized view about life there, yours and similar expat experiences have further grounded me in reality, though not discouraged me. On the contrary, if I move to the Gulf and meet obstacles (and I'm sure I will), I will remember your story; it already has inspired me and no doubt it will continue to inform and perhaps inspire others.

You are really brave for having continued to return to Kuwait to inspire your students. I can tell they really love you, and I'm glad you got to experience the humility and generosity of Arabs, despite the other bad apples. I wish you all the best, and please keep writing! I really enjoy your

sense of humor, it is thoroughly entertaining and insightful.

When I asked this reader how she had come across Suitcase Filled with Nails her reply: Amazon's memoirs/biographies section; yours came up first 

Hello Kitty with Revenge

I was invited to submit a postcard - sized art piece to a national women's caucus. I was asked to create art that addresses the following question:What is the pedagogy of Feminist Remixing? What does it look like? Sound like? Feel like?" They did not ask for a title. But I call it "Hello Kitty with Revenge."

Expensive Lesson

I am still reeling from a costly and inconvenient lesson in having Suitcase Filled with Nails, published in Canada.  I believe in jumping on the band wagon of start ups but this time I fell off and got under the wheels.

The flip side is Suitcase has been republished by Book Publishers Network in Seattle and is available everywhere and through mainstream distributors.

A couple of weeks ago Rick Steves, the famed travel writer did two radio interviews with me, to be aired at a later date.  I’ve got readings scheduled July 13 at Eagle Harbor Books on Bainbridge Island and at the University Book Store in Bellevue July 20, plus a string of other events.

From one Artist to Another

Shurooq Amin posted in Shurooq Amin's Art Cafe

Shurooq Amin 9 June 08:50 Wall Photos A brilliant witty book by my friend Yvonne Pepin-Wakefield about her experiences teaching art, deali...

She Asks the Questions I could not

I had these same questions but put them to the back of my mind, fearing if I spoke my mind in Kuwait, I would end up in big trouble, or worse.  I think my answers to these questions are in the paintings I did of women in abaya and beyond. Shurooq Amin 30 May 15:06 Questions. I like questions. They stem from curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. We were created with brains and we were encouraged as children to ask questions. The brain is a beautiful thing; perhaps as an organ it's aesthetically unpleasant to look at, but one would assume your brain is inside your head and so you only need its functional value. You are blessed with a working brain. Use it. Ask questions. Don't be shepherded. Don't "maaaa" and "baaaa". And whatever you do, don't just complain from the comfort of your home and sit back and wait for others to fight for your rights. So I'm asking questions: Would forcing a woman to cover her head with Hijab or Abbaya make her any less sexy? Would forcing a woman to cover her head make her instantly submissive to men or to authority? Would forcing a woman to cover her head create a moral code of conduct WITHIN her to make her a pious, religious woman all of a sudden? Would forcing a woman to cover her head eliminate corruption and immorality from the world or even the country? Would forcing a woman to cover her head solve the problem of hunger, poor economy, mediocre health system, a failing educational system, rape, molestation, pedophilia, theft, embezzlement, or even wife/child abuse? Would forcing a woman to cover her head help the progress of a nation or an entire Arab civilization? Ask these questions with me. Ask them everywhere until they echo around the world. Ask them until "they" (those in authority who are NOT using their beautiful God-given brains) answer with the correct answer. For there is only one correct answer to all these questions. The answer is: NO. I like questions.

Changes

After an expensive and steep learning curve, Suitcase is going into a second printing, different publisher and WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH ALL MAJOR BOOK DISTRIBUTORS, and ebook platforms.

New Cover, Second Edition

More and Even More on Censorship

• What is happening to Shurooq, a Kuwaiti, also happened to me and I wrote a book about this journey

  
  

  
  

  Shurooq Amin

  Dear art supporters: I was invited to MBC Beirut to appear on the program Kalam Nawaen to speak about my journey, about the closure of my show, about censorship & about freedom of expression. Yesterday MBC Kuwait came to my studio and filmed for 3 hours. After I land in Beirut, I'm shocked to be told that MBC was ordered to cancel my appearance & ban me from speaking about this on TV! They received a call from the Ministry of Information in Kuwait ordering them to ban me from speaking! Since when is MBC controlled by Kuwait? Since when is MBC against freedom of expression? Who is afraid of my art and why? It's not political; it's not religious: it's just art! What's going on here?

Slide Show/Book Signing Friday the 13th

Port Angeles Fine Arts Center

For immediate release

Enter Stage Left series runs 4 Friday nights beginning April 13

On April 13 the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center begins its fourth annual Enter Stage Left series, which every spring accompanies the annual Strait Art exhibition of north Peninsula artists. Set against the backdrop of this lively and diverse exhibition of 29 visual artists the series presents programs of readings, lectures, music and theater also from local talent.

All programs begin at 7 pm. Admission is by donation at the door and benefits the programs of the Fine Arts Center.

April 13 • Program 1 vYvonne Wakefield: Suitcase Filled with Nails

Port Townsend artist and arts educator Yvonne Wakefield presents a slide lecture and reading from Suitcase Filled with Nails, the recently published book chronicling her experiences in Kuwait. Leaving a secure career and home life in the Pacific Northwest Wakefield immersed herself in the climate, landscape and culture of this small desert state.

For six years she taught art to university aged Muslim women, and learned to “negotiate tribal and misogynistic land mines set by detractors who are threatened by anyone, especially a spirited American woman, who encourages freedom of expression.”

Suitcase Filled with Nails transcends prevalent Middle East stereotypes and is filled with insights on working, living, and coping in a culture that is in many ways the total opposite of what she had known before.

Four of Wakefield’s paintings drawn from that experience are included in Strait Art. Wakefield holds a doctorate in Human Organizational Systems and has been widely recognized for her art education methodology. She has taught art on three continents to a wide range of ages and abilities. Her own art and articles on art have been exhibited and published internationally.  She divides her time between Port Townsend and the Tieton arts community in Eastern Washington.

More on Censorship

If it could happen to a Kuwaiti, it would have happened to me...this is why I chose never to exhibit the Women in Abaya paintings while in Kuwait.


The Daily Star


KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti artist whose pictures of men were deemed "obscene" by authorities said she would keep on producing art that challenged perceptions of society in the Gulf Arab state after her exhibition was shut down.
Officials sent by the government told the gallery showing Shurooq Amin's work to close her "It's a Man's World" exhibition last month, three hours after it opened, the artist said.
The works were "indecent" and "obscene", a notice from the Commerce Ministry, seen by Reuters, said. Officials from the ministry - which issues licences for art galleries to operate - declined repeated requests to comment.
Amin said officials focused on two of her 16 works - a painting of a woman in a mini-dress sitting on a man's lap entitled "My Mistress and Family" and a picture showing three men playing cards and drinking "grape juice" from a bottle which suggested contraband alcohol.
An Interior Ministry spokesman also declined to comment.
"I am going to continue to paint and I am going to continue to push the envelope. If anything, this is making me more determined than ever and more stubborn than ever," Amin told Reuters.
She has held nine solo exhibitions in Kuwait, including one called "Society Girls" in 2010 about the role of women in society, which she said sparked debate but was not banned.
Although Kuwaitis enjoy greater freedom of expression than citizens in more conservative Gulf countries and have access to a comparatively lively and outspoken domestic press, the state can censor publications and films it deems morally offensive.
Amin and other members of the artistic community said that this was the first time that they had heard of an exhibition being closed down. The Al M. Gallery declined to comment but a notice on its website showed the exhibition was "suspended."
Works seen to be insulting to Islam, the emir, or calling for the overthrow of the leadership are prohibited in Kuwait where pornography and alcohol are banned and adultery is punishable by law.
Opposition Islamists made gains in a snap parliamentary election in February and liberal commentators have voiced concern that political change in Kuwait could lead to restrictions on freedom of expression and public life.
A small group of hard-line Islamist parliamentarians said last month they wanted to propose a law banning flirtatious behaviour and "indecent attire" in public, which would include swimsuits on beaches, according to Kuwaiti media.


Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Culture/Art/2012/Apr-03/169039-kuwaiti-artist-more-determined-after-exhibition-ban.ashx#ixzz1r1QGN6JW
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb) 

"They" tried to shut her up by shutting her down

Scroll down in this article for a concise review of my friend Shurooq Amin's art show, closed down by the police. What happened to her, I also experienced in many different ways in my six years in Kuwait. I mailed her a copy of "Suitcase Filled with Nails." so she could write a cover blurb, for the soon to be released second edition. Just hope it gets to her....the government closed down the Virgin book and music store for good...

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/7eafc450-6d2b-11e1-b6ff-00144feab49a.html#axzz1pTnn4De9

The art market: Dollars and censors - FT.com
www.ft.com

The art market: Dollars and censors - FT.com

www.ft.com

Each year Tefaf – the European Fine Art Fair in Maastricht, Holland – sees the launch of a new report on the art market by art economist Dr Clare McAndrew. Most art market data is based solely on auction results but this report draws on interviews

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