This week’s artist is Edith Meusnier. Some have classified her as an environmental, textile or fiber artist. These three categories have predominately woman in them. Why? First, let’s define the categories. Environmental art is artistic works that are intended to enhance or become part of the environment or make a statement on environmental issues. Textile arts are arts and crafts that use plant, animal, or synthetic fibers to construct practical or decorative objects. Fiber art refers to fine art whose material consists of natural or synthetic fiber and other components. It focuses on the materials and on the manual labor on the part of the artist as part of the works’ significance and prioritizes aesthetic value over utility.
It is curious to categorize her in just the above, for she is ultimately a sculptor. Sculpture is the art of carving, modeling, welding, or otherwise producing figurative or abstract works of art in three dimensions, as in relief, intaglio, or in the round. (Sculpture’s original definition has the materials being carved or molded but that has expanded as the materials we use have too). Creating and using the first three categories is one way that bias can happen especially for women artist.
If you compare her work to Andy Goldsworthy (named as a sculptor, photographer and environmentalist) they are similar. He uses outdoor space to create temporary installations that highlight the environment, so does Edith. They only difference is that she uses gift ribbon, and he uses objects from the environment.
Or we can compare her to Christo and Jeanne-Claude, they are considered artists that make environmental art. (Note: Christo as a solo artist is named a sculptor. Christo also took sole recognition for all the art until 1994 then retroactively renamed it with Jean Claude’s name. And now the team is considered environmental artists.) They use a variety of fabrics to make their pieces. So environmental art doesn’t have to use only pieces from the environment nor make an environmental statement. Nor if you use fabric are you only a textile or fabric artist.
Ultimately is the art community putting women, who use out of the ordinary (wood, metal or stone) materials to build 3- dimension pieces, outside the high art form of sculpture because of the material she uses, are women allowing themselves to be sub-labeled instead of taking on the broader term, or is it simply because women aren’t the right gender to be seen and named a sculptor?
P.S. Remember signs with an * it a big week for you.
Aries
*Lovers – The Lovers show up to remind you about one of the most important pieces of being human – connection. How you connect and who you connect with this week becomes very important to figuring out what direction to take in the coming months. A simple example is choosing wisely about who you talk with and what you talk about at the water cooler, for the relationship there create your work environment. A complex example is taking that idea home with who you choosing as your partner. If it is not a supportive relationship, why are you in it? And if it is supportive – reward it.
Taurus
Ace of Cups – Love is in the air. The Ace of Cups wants you to open your arms, ears, and heart to people around you. This is a great week to make new connections and deepen relationships you already have. Take time this week to share your heart.
Gemini
King of Coins – The King of Coins comes when you need to look at how you make you money. Is it satisfying? Do you feel supported? Are you making enough to make ends meet? Then in answering these questions you will either be celebrating and imbuing in your accomplishments or begin making to-do lists that will create “yes” answers.
Cancer
Queen of Cups – The Queen of Cups challenges your life – wanting it to flow freer. This week celebrating the joys both big and small. Have some fun, hang with friends, have a beverage for the joy of it – think root-beer floats or champagne. Being in water will help remind you of your joys if you are stuck.
Leo
King of Cups – The King of Cups ask you to get in touch with your emotions this week, especially when they deal with your environment. Your emotions ae clues how to handle situations. For example, if you thrilled to talk to someone then do so, if you are not then don’t feel obligated. The challenge is not to go inward with your emotions but interact outward.
Virgo
Eight of Cups – Time for some house-cleaning this week. Not only should you be doing in your environment but also in the internal dialogue and emotional swings you have. Take “items” out of the closet/dark, dust them off, see if you still need them and if not toss it. Your only challenge is this may not until the weekend, but don’t forget to do it.
Libra
*Hierophant – This is a great week to work with structures and systems. The Hierophant challenges you to create structures for yourself to find ways to work smoothly within in your control and to learn from structures you have no control over (like education, government etc..). This can look as simple as going over your schedule and to-do list to shift and reprioritize. Or as complex as, you are having a sit down with a boss or co-worker and come up with a new plan that can work for the betterment of all. Also, for lifelong learners this means going back for a course, class or book you know will help you obtain your goals.
Scorpio
*Fool – Last week, the Empress wanted you to reconnect with the person who was the most motherly to you and then cultivate those “motherly” qualities in yourself. Now the Fool shows up and has two challenges for you this week: 1) Don’t take that task too seriously. Don’t forgot not only do good mothers nurture, but they also play. 2) Take the “motherly” you on the road. This can look as simple as visiting a friend for a drink and vent session or taking your child to a skate park and you both skate(board).
Sagittarius
Nine of Pentacles – The Nine of Pentacles declares this is a great week for getting your work done and enjoying it. This card helps you hone your flow, but to get the most out of it you should hole yourself up. It is not that you can’t work with others, you should just be very choosy when you do so.
Capricorn
Three of Pentacles – Second three in a row so let’s look at the number three for a second. Threes have us ground ourselves in the present but with our sights towards the future. Last week the Three of Swords ask you to be honest with your emotional thinking. And this week the Three of Pentacles have you working within the material plane. So, questions like, where am I will drive a stake into the present for grounding and questions like where I am going with my work need to be pondered and sketched out towards the future. This card also reminds you for this week that working with others cuts your work load and increases output.
Aquarius
Queen of Coins – Last week, the Tower card came to remind you to that something needs to be fixed that you have been putting off. The Queen of Coins continues this theme of mending and fixing. So, if you didn’t do it last week get it done. However, she also challenges you, once it is finished, finding time to sit back and enjoy some delights from the material plane.
Pisces
Ace of Wands – This is your last card of your birth month and what a great one. The Ace of Wands is the card of beginnings that light your passion. Remember your main birth year card is the Devil (click here for a refresher) And the King and Nine of Swords are going to challenge you to get out of your head to take these “exams.” And now the Ace of Wands is the candle on your cake. This card is foretelling that while you are passing your tests, you are simultaneously creating a new future that is more passionate and creative. This week start planting the seeds in your mind of what you want to grow as you graduate into the new you.
May light be on you, around you, and within you,
Nina
Four of Cups – The Four of Cups, another week where your emotions take the forefront. This week the Four of Cups advises taking time pondering yourself, and here is the challenge also pondering your place in the world. You hold many of the keys this week, but one is beyond your everyday personal space. So, take a moment not only to look in but also to look out.
Six of Coins – The Six of Coins is the mini karma card. Be aware that especially this week that your interactions with others and your environment will ripple out and come back to you three-fold. So, the nicer and more caring you are for the environment and people around you, the more positive the world will be towards you. The challenge -this of course also works with negative energy.
Eight of Coins – This is your second eight in a row so let’s just check into the meaning of eights. Eights are the cards that challenge improving and releasing. Last week the cups ask you to release; this week the Coins ask you to improve. The Eight of Coins advises honing the skill of getting into the zone, whether that is at work or play – trying for mastery is the key. The challenge perfection is unobtainable.
Ace of Swords –It is a great week to be the philosopher and ponder on the bigger questions in life. Your challenge is for your mind to think in ways it hasn’t thought before. Also, if you have been holding off on a decision, this is the time to make it.
*Empress – The Empress is the card of growth and mothering. This card wants for you all to reconnect with the person that was the most motherly to you – even in spirit if they no longer reside on this plane. The challenge, however, is finding and cultivating those “motherly” qualities in yourself. Not only for providing support and compassion for others but also giving you an internal source to dip into when you need it.
Three of Swords – The Three of Swords ask you to be honest with your emotional thinking. This card asks you to let go of some thought patterns that are not working. The challenge is sitting with that emptiness – not fill it back up with another thought or emotion- so your mind and heart can heal.
*Tower – The Tower is the card of destruction from an outside force that make you start anew. This card comes up when something needs to be fixed that you have been putting off. The best way to head off a possible catastrophe is to fix the problem. This can be as simple as fixing that door handle that keeps falling off, scheduling in some “me time” so you don’t burn out, or as complex as have that hard talk with a love one before frustration burns down the house.
Nine of Swords – The Nine of Swords is the card of excess thinking and worry. The challenge with this card is to figure out which worries you can fix and put them on a to-do list (out of your head-space) and the rest to put on a list and flush them (you can literally flush then if you put them on TP). Another exercise is when a worry comes up replace it with a song or image that makes you smile or even better laugh. The point being making more room for quiet contemplation instead of yammering worries.
Ace of Cups – The Ace of Cups calls for you to create and spread love and joy. This card reminds you that positive emotions need to be your “go to” this week even if someone pokes you to get a rise. Your mottos: You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, and Love conquers all.
Happy Birthday Pisces!
Two of Cups – The Two of Cups foretells that love is in the air. This week your focus should be on intimacy in the relationships you hold dear or creating new ones. Time for candlelight diners and walks on the beach. The challenge is knowing your truth and sharing it.
Her art represents the complexity of urban life. The chaotic nature of sight, sound, and smell overlaying the inert backdrop of urban space: buildings, electric lines, and sidewalks. Observe her art in layers as you would walking in a city and adding your senses one at a time. First just with your sight taking in the backdrop of the stillness of architecture. Next with ears and eyes closed smell, that is the layer of misty color wafting in the mid-ground. Now, just close your eyes and listen, that communication becomes the added black lines, swirling and connecting. Finally, when you take it all in, like her art, you see the layers of life and you begin to appreciate the chaos and beauty of its interactions.
Six of Wands – Six of Wands is the card of winning a battle, solving a conundrum or a positive outcome of a task. The challenge with this card is to soak in that victory for the war or project still has some thing to finalize. But use this week as a respite in the race.
Six of Pentacles – The Six of Pentacles is the baby karma card. What you give out, you will receive threefold back – good or bad. This is a week where little acts of kindness or do-goodness paves the way to the pot of gold.
Four of Pentacles – The Four of Pentacles brings a week where you do not have enough cash, time and/or space. This can make you hold these things even closer and causing you to feel resentful, frazzled or ungenerous. The challenge for this card is to learn that less can be more.
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