Top image, top left: Zandra Rhodes, top right: Celia Birtwell, bottom left: Barbara Hulanicki (founder of Biba), bottom right: Frida Kahlo - some of the designers and artists that have inspired me to study and work in the arts
Happy International Women's Day!
I want to celebrate this in some way because I am a mother to two young girls who, like most young girls do, are looking for idols to aspire to be like.
Having grown up in the 70s and 80s, the younger me really believed that by the time any daughter I may be blessed with had grown up, the world would be completely filled with possibilities and positive female role models, more so than ever before. I have to say, I feel a little disappointed for them right now. So a day like this helps to address that a little and should be celebrated.
Another reason I wanted to celebrate it is that without seeing the work of and reading about some amazing female artists and designers - I would never have considered it possible or worthwhile to pursue an education or career in the arts.
For those reasons, I set up a new pinterest board this morning to help fill the feed with some of the women that I've learned about and find very inspiring. I hope you find them inspiring too. I could have pinned for hours, but need to get some things done, so set myself a 30 min time limit and pinned from typing in the names of those that inspire me from the top of my head in that time. It was interesting to see who made the cut in that time - a very eclectic mix. Here is a link to that pinterest board so you can see who's on there:
It would be wonderful to see the pinterest feed taken over by images of inspiring women today. This is an open invite to anyone who fancies joining in, please set aside a few minutes to pin a few of your inspiring women today too...
Top image, top left: Jane Goodall top right: Emmeline Pankhurst bottom left: Rosa Parks, bottom right: Mother Theresa - just a few of the ones the I think define the word inspiration.
In amongst my pins this morning were a few ladies from the world of music. I grew up watching these women on TV, breaking the mould and taking on the music industry on their own terms... artists in every sense of the word. I feel so lucky to have had such creative and uncompromising female role models promoted to me through through the media as a child and teen, they were exciting and made me believe that anything was possible for us girls. I wish there were more women like these around for my girls to look up to. Thankfully there are a few, the likes of Adele for instance. Surely, I am not the only mum that believes our daughters deserve more.
Left image: Back row left to right: Chrissy Hynde, Debbie Harry, Viv Albertine (The Slits), Siouxie Sioux, Front row left to right, Poly Styrene (X Ray Specs), Pauline Black (The Selector). Right image: Kate Bush
To all the beautiful, inspiring, amazing, ordinary and extraordinary women of the world, may every day be international women's day!
Best wishes
