This Work of Women

Inspiration from Shiloh Sophia McCloud

Shiloh Sophia McCloud is a reverend and an artist. She and her husband own a publishing house and have published several titles including The Color of Woman journal which I am using in my journaling workhsops. Both her artwork and her writing (including the piece below) haveppeared in We'Moon Calendar.

This Work of Women by Shiloh Sophia McCloud

Yes. It is time for a revolution in women and path, women and money, women and business, women and art, women and marketplace. We do not choose to give our works of any kind away for nothing. We are not starving or frivolous artists. We are creators whose creations save lives, heal the world, heal wounds. This work of women, priestesses and practitioners of every kind is VISIONARY WORK.

Your work is vital. Essential. Needed. This work of women must include creating livelihood. This is not easy, quick, fun nor likely. This is not accepted or encouraged. But this is what we must do:

Cause an abundance revolution.

We must create our own path.

We must create our own money.

We must create art.

We must create our own marketplace.

We must be compensated.

We are creating our own mystical cosmic luminous overflowing BANK. A bank that does not cause, contribute or condone the suffering of others for profit. A women's bank. Believe it. Create it. Deposit into it. Draw from it. Invite other women to it. Enter the income stream in your little golden boat and dream and work and pray and play and do not stop. Keep going. It will almost always seem impossible. But we will make miracles. Miracles are organizing themselves around our dreams, our work, right now.

Believe it.

Power of two

I always think that women sometimes have a disadvantage when it comes to business because most of us have been raised, as good girls, to be modest about our own accomplishments. (Maybe I am universalizing my own personal disadvantage, but it has held true for many of the women with whom I am in contact.) When you are trying to make a name for yourself in your given arena, it is hard to market yourself and still remain humble (that oh-so attractive feminine trait). I know that when I write any blurbs or press for myself, I need to write it in third person. I can do it, if I pretend to be someone other than the subject. So, what is a woman to do when she has to go out into the world and forge new territory?

I've found something that works for me and the natural inclination of women to network and nurture: the buddy system. Yesterday, I went to Moon Dancer Winery to scope out the place for my show. I took my friend with me. She is a faux painter. We talked with the owner of the winery and came to found out she wanted some rooms of her house painted. My friend stepped up to the plate and gave her contact information, but I was able to supply the kudos for all the gorgeous work my friend has done int he past. I'm not saying that she couldn't have been her own sales force, but sometimes it helps to have someone else carry your banner.

I know this has worked for me when I went gallery hopping in New Hope. Another friend of mine went with me and was able to give a gallery owner some bragging points about my writing and painting that I would have been too inhibited to reveal. As a result, I made a connection with a gallery owner that I would not ordinarily have made on my own.

And if that friend bit doesn't work for you--consider taking your mom with you on your next business meeting. If your mom can't brag about your good points, nobody can.