“So much to do, so little time.” How many of you are nodding as you read that phrase? That’s been me this year. It started with the Winter St Studios fire, then my dear husband deciding to close his machine repair shop (which then morphed into a move of the shop and restructuring of the business), and my son’s wedding at the end of February.
I essentially would have crashed and burned through all of that if not for very good friends and a very good WiVLA board. It’s now a new month, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the year. Friends that I consider family have constantly checked on me and taken on tasks that were overwhelming me. Members of the WiVLA board have stepped up, unasked, to do the same.
The point of this message? A reminder to you (and myself) to make sure you let your loved ones, friends, and family both know they’re appreciated. A reminder to breathe, to set aside a few moments each and every day to do what you need, to exercise, to go outside and hug a tree, to meditate, to read a book, to eat well, to love yourself and those around you.
That’s all I have for now; I will be recharging and doing the things the whole month of March.
Walk in love.
- Gretchen -
ECO Grants: This could be your year!
Each year, WiVLA awards two $1,000 grants--one to a writer and one to an artist. These grants afford our members professional and educational development opportunities. At this year's April meeting, you'll hear how Ellen Seaton and Mary Jean Carter, last year's recipients, used their grants. After their presentations, they'll draw the names of this year's lucky recipients.
To be eligible for this unique opportunity:
You must be a member in good standing for the past two calendar years (2021 & 2022). To verify your eligibility, contact our membership chair at membership@wivla.org.
You must be a member in good standing by April 3, 2023. Do you need to renew? If so click here.
You cannot have received an ECO Grant. Prior recipients are not eligible.
You must email your completed application by Thursday, April 6th.
For further details about the ECO Fund Grant opportunity please see the WiVLA website. Application forms are available now.
Since the beginning of the ECO Fund Grant awards, WiVLA has given $48,000 to our members. Perhaps this really could be your year!
Saturday, April 22, 2023
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM at the LaPorte Library
Get Ready to Celebrate Six Years of Poetry by the Bay
In honor of Poetry Month, our 6th annual Poetry by the Bay event will occur at the LaPorte Library on April 22, 2023, from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Now is the time to find your best poem or poems, finish that work in progress, or get started with your latest creation so that you will be ready to celebrate Poetry Month with WiVLA.
Our relationship with the LaPorte Library started in 2018 when we held our first poetry readings there on June 9, 2018. Although we were not able to secure an April date with the library, they gladly accommodated us in June. In past years, members attending the poetry readings have stayed in the area for lunch and some of us have ventured to Sylvan Beach, which is less than a mile from the library. Maybe this year, someone might be inspired to recite some poetry by the bay.
See our calendar for the library location and a link to sign up to read.
WiVLA is proud to announce the upcoming collaboration with the Houston Writers Guild. The two organizations will be teaming up to launch a short story writing contest for authors. The contest will include feedback from judges, prize money and publication. There will also be a launch party for this anthology October 6th, 7:00 p.m. at the 2023 Author Palooza Extravaganza hosted by the Houston Writers Guild.
The theme for these short stories will be Journey into Art and the window of submission will run through February 7th – April 7th. The entry fee for members of either WiVLA or Houston Writers Guild is $20.00 and the entry fee for non-members will be $35.00.
With the theme of Journey into Art, the main theme of your story does not have to be art, but some element of art must be included in each story. We are looking for works that run from 3000 to 7000 words.
For all of the details of this contest, please click on the button below to see the full prospectus.
Calling all WiVLA members! If you are interested in participating in a virtual exhibition during the 2023 season, you may apply on the WiVLA website. This is an excellent opportunity to add to your CV and is a great marketing tool for your artistic endeavors. This is a free benefit to all WiVLA members. If you are interested in learning more, contact our Visual Co-Chair, Aliza Bejarano at visual@wivla.org. If you would like to reserve a spot for the 2023 season you may do so by clicking the button below.
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
via Zoom
Cindy Jennings and Perry Jo McCollum will share their fascinating story of starting and sustaining a business based on turning materials they find at thrift stores, estate sales, garage sales, and even on the side of the road into one-of-a-kind creations. A few of these recreations include aprons, purses, cocktail napkins made from cast-off clothing or vintage linens and decorative pillows made from sweaters and embellished fabrics and wine bottle bags from shirt sleeves and pants legs.
They have sold their items on Facebook live auctions, and currently sell their items at various artisan markets and on their website www.thriftrevival.net
Bios:
The friendship of Cindy and Perry began as their sons went from Cubs to Eagles in Boy Scouts. During those years they both worked at demanding jobs, with little time to be creative or makers. Cindy is the Vice-President of a staffing company and Perry was a career prosecutor in Houston, before retiring in 2015.
Cindy and Perry finally could not contain their creative juices any longer and started dabbling in transforming old things into unique new treasures. After a couple of years of thrifting obsession and dusting off rusty sewing skills, they finally made it official and started the business in 2017. The name, Thrift Revival, reflects both their purpose and products.
Watch your Inbox for an email with the Zoom meeting code.
Gabrielle Langley
Gabrielle Langley is the author of Azaleas on Fire (Sable Books, 2019) and Fairy Tale (Sable Books, 2022). She has been featured in the Huffington Post and the Houston Chronicle as one of Houston's important emerging poets (“Five Poets You Need to Know About,” HuffPost 11/23/2015). Published in the United States and in Europe, she has received the Lorene Pouncey Award and the Vivian Nellis Memorial Award for Creative Writing. She has been one of Houston Poetry Fest's Featured Poets, a national ARTlines poetry finalist, and a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee. Ms. Langley was also a spearhead and co-editor for Red Sky: Poetry on the global epidemic of violence against women (Sable Books, 2016). During the day, Ms. Langley works as a licensed mental health professional. To safeguard her own mental health, she writes poetry and dances Argentine tango at night.
FairyTale as the title may suggest, is not some Walt Disney rehash of “Snow White” or the “Mermaid”; it is the combination of poetry and memoir, the cutting edge of a new feminism, the reckoning of a poet with her past and creation of a woman in full who will help men become full companions far beyond Tom Wolf’s ironic portrait of an American man in full, a man headed toward extinction. Instead, she gives us a man, who Langley says will come “home carrying [his] heaviest toolbox in one hand and a cluster of rain lilies in the other.”
March - April
WiVLA is featuring work from Melody Locke and Marie Casamayor-Harvey in the March - April virtual exhibition. To view the exhibition, please click here. For best results, view on full screen on your computer or laptop. You will be prompted to download the app if you view it on your mobile device.
This is an opportunity available to all WiVLA members. For information or to register to exhibit your work please visit our website.
Melody Locke uses traditional and alternative photographic processes to create fine art prints. Using B&W and infrared film, she develops black and white prints in a traditional wet darkroom. She also uses non-camera photographic processes to create ethereal images from botanical material and negatives. Her work has been in many local and international juried exhibitions. Melody has a studio at Silver Street Studios at Sawyer Yards and opens her studio to the public every second and third Saturday of the month. You can view samples of her work at https://melodylocke.com/.
Melody attributes much of her creative inspiration and the move to her studio to her membership. Nothing stirs the creative juices more than surrounding yourself with creative and giving women.
IG @MelodyLockeArt
Marie Casamayor-Harvey
(c) 2022 Marie Casamayor-Harvey; Reflection; Acrylic, Marker and Oil Pastel on Canvas; 48"x36"
(c) 2023 Marie Casamayor-Harvey; Wotan, King of the Gods; Paper collage; 14"x11"
Marie Casamayor-Harvey's Bio
Marie is an artist based in Houston, Texas, with roots in Cuba and Colombia. She earned a B.A. from the University of Houston with a major in Art History, minoring in Studio Arts and Architecture, and a Master in Education and Supervision from the University of St. Thomas, Houston.
Marie is an abstract artist who creates paintings, sculptures, drawings, collage and mixed media works. Her work reflects intense curiosity, wild imagination, and an enchantment with symbolism, surrealism and metaphysical imagery.
Marie is interested in exploring musical, spiritual and emotional experiences through her art. She strives to both ignite and excite people’s souls!
Marie’s work has been the subject of 4 solo exhibitions and numerous group exhibits. Her work can be found in private collections in the U.S., Canada, Colombia, Cuba, France and Sweden.
Besides her studio practice, she has also curated exhibits and has taught art in after school programs at the elementary and junior high school level. audere est facere casamayor@att.net
Whiskers Abroad – The Creation of a Travelogue with Carrie Carter
The February Member Meeting featured Carrie Carter and her new book, Whiskers Abroad: Ashi and Audrey’s Adventures in Japan. Carrie discussed the evolution of her love for Japan from Godzilla movies to a four-hour layover in Japan during a vacation to frequent trips to Japan.
Some of Carrie’s strategies for writing the book include the following:
Jot down at least 2 sentences each day
Write about things that you have observed, especially funny ones
Make the world you create real
Find legitimacy in the narration
The cat-lovers were treated to stories about cat cafes (for folks who can't have a cat, but loves to pet them), cat shrines, and cat lore.
You can check out more about the book and sign up for her newsletter at carriecarterwrites.com.
If you missed the zoom meeting, you can watch the recording on the WiVLA YouTube Channel.
Activities outside of WiVLA
donna e perkins - Opening Reception and Artist Talk
Archway Gallery presents
No Matter What, Keep the Hand Moving
Have you been boomeranged? The STEP (Starting To Experience Progress) workshop will lead you to discover YOUR best self. Fear, rejection, anger, and loneliness can lead you to places you may not want to go. This workshop uses thought-provoking empowerment posters to inspire critical thinking and self-reflection. These resources lead participants to self-discovery with the ultimate goal to identify negative emotions and then progress to positive behavioral change.
Gladys Mae Bullock is a poet, educator, and motivational speaker. She has been writing and reading poetry derived from her own experiences for over 20 years. In 1995, she developed the innovative workshop STEP (Starting To Experience Progress), which utilizes her poetry skills and keen ability to engage emotionally with a wide array of audiences.
What IS an art doll? Art dolls are a unique phenomenon, as they are not playthings for children. They are objects of art created in a wide variety of styles and media that express the maker’s point of view." These dolls are a great source of fodder for future stories or visual art creations.
"In this class students will be guided in creating a pocket-sized art doll from paper, found objects and fabric. Examples will be provided but no pattern. Students will explore a variety of materials and simple hand sewing techniques while learning to trust their intuition to handcraft a unique piece of personal art. All materials and supplies will be supplied.
All Levels
Sunday afternoon, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
April 02, 2023
1-Day $150 public / $115 member
Art League of Houston
1953 Montrose Blvd. Houston, Texas 77006
Book Club Invitation through Frame Dance Productions
WiVLA members have been given a great opportunity to join a book group, facilitated by Frame Dance Productions. They have invited our membership to join the group without requiring a Frame Dance membership, in the interest of adding to the richness of discussions on creativity.
The group meets once a month at their location at 2426 Bartlett St, south of SW Fwy, between Kirby and Greenbriar. They meet on the 3rd Sunday of each month, dedicating 1-2 meetings per book (always a creativity-focused book).
Does this sound like something you are interested in? Check out their website (Creativity Book Group | Frame Dance | Houston, TX) then send Gretchen McDaniel an email to add your name to the group. We’ll confirm your membership, then forward your contact information on to Maribel Plasencia, coordinator of the book group.
Houston Media Source offers the use of video and filming equipment as well as green screened studios and editing suites for free. All that is required is some orientation and training. WiVLA would like to have a team of 3 members to produce videos for WiVLA. If this sounds exciting to you, contact Margo Stutts Toombs.
Authors in Grocery Stores is a program that pairs authors wanting to have book signings with grocery stores that will allow them to set up a table with their book. Kroger is the business that participates in the program in Houston. For more information or to sign-up, go to http://www.authorsingrocerystores.com The referral person for the form is Dru Richman.
We'd love to celebrate your good news. If you are interested in sharing, please send your items to newsletter@wivla.org. The deadline for inclusion in the next month's newsletter is the 20th. Thank you.
“So much to do, so little time.” How many of you are nodding as you read that phrase? That’s been me this year. It started with the Winter St Studios fire, then my dear husband deciding to close his machine repair shop (which then morphed into a move of the shop and restructuring of the business), and my son’s wedding at the end of February.
Gabrielle Langley is the author of 
Archway Gallery presents
What IS an art doll? Art dolls are a unique phenomenon, as they are not playthings for children. They are objects of art created in a wide variety of styles and media that express the maker’s point of view." These dolls are a great source of fodder for future stories or visual art creations.
Houston Media Source offers the use of video and filming equipment as well as green screened studios and editing suites for free. All that is required is some orientation and training. WiVLA would like to have a team of 3 members to produce videos for WiVLA. If this sounds exciting to you, contact 
