by Amanda Firenze
Yes, um, not meant to be printing, no, but, um…SOMETIMES I CAN’T HELP MYSELF 🤣
Upcoming Print Change zine due for release just in time for @zineverleigh (3 June peeps…get it in your diary!).
This was my day last Thursday…putting up Paper Women as a public exhibition for probs the last time at Centrepoint Arcade, with many thanks to @creativegeelong for giving me the space. ❤️
After two years of ‘touring’ the women are starting to look a little worn out and at the moment my wrists are simply not up to printing them anew. So I’ll be turning them into artists books next, which will be then donated to the State Library. I’ll still be accepting responses for sure, and will make new volumes as I get enough new responses through.
It has been an honour and a privilege exhibiting this work. Starting conversations about men’s violence against women isn’t an easy thing to do, but it is something that desperately needs to be done.
Thank you to the brave women who trusted me with their stories and to the venues who gave it space. And thanks to each and every one of you who shared and supported this artwork on its journey. Trust me, it’s not over – it’s just time for an evolution. 🥹
PS I would like to thank Big W for their corporate sponsorship…that trolley was my best friend on the day. 🛒😂
#AmandaFirenze #Writer #Artist #PrintChange #SharedStories #ChangeTheWorld #PaperWomen
Sometimes in the busyness of everyday life, you loose perspective and forget about the how and sometimes even the why. The wonderful Janet from @hyggeligphotography took these photos and when I saw them I got that perspective back.
Last Wednesday, on International Women’s Day in Australia, myself and other artists took to Hosier Lane in Melbourne. Hosier Lane is an iconic street art location and on this day, women and non-binary folk took over and put up our works.
On the day itself, it was about how the hell to get the paste ups to stay on the wall, without literally covering every bit of my apron, tunic, jeans…and hair 😆…with glue. Particularly as I was off to other meetings afterwards and had to have some semblance of respectability…well at least as much as I can normally manage hahaha.
But afterwards, looking past my personal worries and seeing what others would see when they saw me and the other artists working on the day…well, what we were doing was awesome. IWD started as a way to protest how women were treated and how they are not able to live freely and equally is this world…it was as far from corporate cookies as you could imagine. And in my little corner of the world, the Paper Women artwork is a protest too. For me and for every woman who has shared their story for this artwork, it is one way of us of standing up and being counted. Of saying this happened, but it should not have. Of saying enough – it is time for change.
Thank you so much to those women who have shared their stories with me…including the two who have submitted their stories since the paste up went up last week. Every time I post on the socials I add the hashtags #SharedStories #ChangeTheWorld and I believe it with every ounce of my being.
#AmandaFirenze #Writer #Artist #PrintChange #SharedStories #ChangeTheWorld #IWD #HosierLane #StreetArt
So in the next installment of my amazing last couple of weeks, hold on to your hats peeps and get ready to read about something else I’ve been up to…
Wouldn’t it be awesome if zine makers had their own space in Geelong to display free zines permanently, as well as have a regular opportunity to sell them too?
Wouldn’t it be even better if that space was part of the Geelong Regional Libraries, so the space was secure and lockable, and the Geelong Regional Libraries Corporation were already in talks about what that space might look like and how it might tie in with community arts opportunities like a monthly zine fair, zine workshops, wall hanging space for artists etc?
Wouldn’t you like to jump on board with a community group to run G Zines…Geelong’s very own zine space? With a founding member in Amanda Firenze (me…that’s me 😉) who is prepared to write the project brief, get the auspicing agreement in place, apply for grants and run most of the monthly zine fairs by myself, but who appreciates any/all help and input I can get, what have you got to lose?
Want more info? Of course you do! DM email me on geelongzines@gmail.com.
PS the name G Zines is negotiable, as is the structure of the community group, the amount of time you would need to put into it etc, so this really will be a space created by and for Geelong’s zine community. The only non-negotiable is my involvement…unfortunately you are stuck with me! 🤣
#AmandaFirenze #Artist #Writer #ZineMaker #PrintChange #SharedStories #ChangeTheWorld #GeelongZines #GZines
Another amazing thing that happened to me recently is that my day job resulted in me finally getting to go into the Powerhouse in Geelong, something I have been longing to do for quite some time.
I promise I tried to listen about planning controls and issues…but this small collection of the many, many photos I took, probs tells the more fuller story of where my attention was at. 🤣
I spotted works by artists I love, and some more by artists that I would like to know more about. One day I hope to go back and explore every nook and cranny at a more leisurely pace…one day! ❤️
#AmandaFirenze #Artist #Writer #PrintChange #SharedStories #ChangeTheWorld #ButSoDoesStreetArt #Powerhouse #Geelong
So during my hiatus over the last couple of weeks, I have had some lovely art stuff happen. This was the most important and special. A fabulous friend of mine (@seeyasista) made this gorgeous artwork out of recycled materials a little while ago, and knowing I loved it, she recently gifted it to me. Honestly it just made my heart sing when I unwrapped the box on Thursday. 🥰❤
Now Di will be reading this going WTF, I sent that AGES ago! And here is the embarrassing bit. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship going on with the local PO in that I love having a PO box, but hate going to collect mail only to find out that it is just junk mail. I have requested in everyway possible for them to not send me 15 texts when it is a just a random brochure, but the new owners don’t quite seem to manage it. In the end they said they would stick up a little sign that said ‘Only Mail Personally Addressed’ but their staff seem to simply lift that up and pop junk mail underneath. Sigh.
So the embarrassing bit? Even though Di gave me the heads up this was coming, I promptly forgot because my head was firmly down with the writing course I am doing. I thought that the texts I was receiving would be just for more junk mail and I simply ignored them until weeks later when I finally got a chance to meander into the PO, ready to roll my eyes at the staff over their ineffectuality. To my horror, it was a real parcel addressed to me. The ineffectuality this time was all mine!! 🤣
So to the wonderful Di Boyd…the artwork is as stunning as I imagined, I am grateful beyond words and thrilled to have it hanging on my wall. To the staff at the local PO, I am sorry too and I promise to be less tardy and presumptive in the future!! HAHAHA.
Have a great week ahead if you can folks. xx
#AmandaFirenze #Artist #Writer #PrintChange #SharedStories #ChangeTheWorld
So I have been AWOL for a couple of weeks, with the main reason shown in this picture! This is something I have been wanting to do for awhile and when I say awhile…I mean it lol. The last time I tried to officially do a creative writing class was in 2003 in Hobart, where I managed to enroll, but scurried home after the second lesson never to return after I got some feedback that wasn’t 100% positive 🤣.
Fortunately I am a whole lot braver and a whole lot less sensitive now, so it is going much better this time round. The first few weeks were busy, but heaps of fun. Week 3 has gotten a little more challenging but I’m sticking with it and already dreaming of the novels I will write…cause why not? Life is short, and you won’t be surprised to know that I have plenty to say. 😂
I’m still busy working on Print Change stuff too and I have got some brilliant news on the zine front that I will share with you as soon as I catch up after the writing course finishes. Hope you are as well as can be and taking good care of yourself too. xx
#AmandaFirenze #Arist #Writer #PrintChange #SharedStories #ChangeTheWorld
Look at me being all modern and tech savvy! 👏 Wait, what’s that I hear you say? QR codes have been around for decades? Hmmm…apparently change comes slow in some quarters!! 🤣
Nonetheless, me and my new QR code will be making our way to Oxygen College on Gordon Ave, Geelong West, tomorrow lunchtime to install Paper Women in their visual arts building’s front window. Very grateful to the amazing Glen Smith – Artist for the opportunity.
I know I’m preaching to the converted here because otherwise you would have deserted the page long ago lol, so there is every chance you’ve already seen Paper Women in person. But pop along for a looksee if you haven’t and if you could spread the word to anyone who might be interested I’d be grateful. I have just received another Paper Women submission this week – so the message is still getting out there. I wish it wasn’t needed, but unfortunately it is. 💔
Take good care and have a wonderful night. xx
#AmandaFirenze #Writer #Arist #PrintChange #SharedStories #ChangeTheWorld #PaperWomen #Exhibition #OxygenCollege
Hanging out at The Space Gallery for the last few weeks has been…enlightening.
It’s been a long time since I spent so much time in a gallery space – for the last five years or so when I have been exhibiting, it has been more either just hand the artwork over or put it up and then go pack to pull it down again afterwards with some brief interaction at an opening event.
But there is something to be said for being the person in the space who deals with customers (questions, comments, feedback) whether you want to or not, because you are the only person there. It is different from an opening night where patrons tend to be polite (at least in my experience 😂) and supportive, because a lot of the time they know you and they like what you do or they probably wouldn’t turn up. When a customer just wanders in with no expectations and wants to chat about your work (or you overhear what they are saying!) you have to explain yourself…why you make what you do and why you think it should be out in public for others to see.
I don’t try to make art to please others and it has been a long time since I’ve really cared enough about what others think to let it influence my practice. But having to explain myself while working in the gallery space has made me reconsider what I do and why – I’ve realised that my mind set has been changing, perhaps without me even being aware of it until I was forced to say it out loud.
And what came out most clearly for me? I used to be an artist who added words to my works to help my artworks tell their story. Now, I realise that I am a writer using linoprints to frame or support mine and other people’s stories. It’s a subtle change, but an important one for me and how I define myself. It also makes me think about what I will make in the future and where that work will ‘fit’.
Of course the interpretation of what is ‘art’ is an exhaustive subject that isn’t readily resolved…that’s half the fun of it for arty people! But maybe the reason what I make doesn’t feel to me like it fits into gallery spaces anymore is simply because it doesn’t and I am moving in a different direction altogether. And perhaps I needed this time in this gallery to figure that out.
One more week of Adaptim to go peeps…make sure you check it out before 14 Jan! I’ll be there all this week (10am-4pm), ready to discuss all sorts of arty things with you should you wish! Now I’m off to work on my Bearded Lady illustration for The Privilege-O-Meter. See…saying that didn’t hurt even a little bit!! 😆
#amandafirenze #writer #illustrator #printchange #sharedstories #changetheworld #adaptim #exhibition #thespacegalleryandworkshops #gallerydays
…and Happy New Zine!! 🤣
Seriously folks – I know I have been MIA, but having a new job tuckered me out. It was to be expected, but it is always a little disappointing as I quite seriously believe I am Wonder Woman lol.
Then of course came the holiday season rush, plus an exhibition launch (Adaptim is still on at The Space Gallery, Newtown until 14 Jan – if you are in Geelong, I urge you to pop in and see it because it is really, really good…even if I do say so myself!). But I made it through xmas relatively unscathed (with thanks to the family who did all the xmas heavy lifting 💜) and I have had some really solid time in the gallery getting caught up on art and writing, so I’m feeling much better about life in general. Kind of a xmas miracle really hahaha.
Anyway – the new zine is ready. Please click here to check it out – it is heaps of fun, covering art, media monopolies, poetry and memories…everything you want in life really! 😆 If you like it, please spread the link far and wide.
I hope you are as well as can be – safe, secure and well-resourced if possible. Take really good care and I will be back in touch soon. xx
#AmandaFirenze #Artist #Writer #Zinester #PrintChange #SharedStories #ChangeTheWorld #PrintChangeZine #PCZ3 #Zines
Print Change 