Seasons of Women captures moments in time

Musing on all that women may make, create, achieve, and plan in any moment of any day became a wonderful source of inspiration for Wendouree printmaking artist Janette Wotherspoon.

On Mother’s Day last year, Janette began a project that led nearly 100 women from all over Australia to record a pertinent detail of just one day, on four dates for the year, as the seasons changed.

Now that multi-woman exercise has resulted in a newly launched exhibition of handwritten, digitally printed, artistic and handcrafted narratives displayed in Ballarat’s Art Space on Lydiard Street.

Wotherspoon said the exhibited works are elaborate yet simple, some happy, some sad, “but all are truly honest and from the heart.”

“This project came about in the darkest of times in Ballarat. Women were worried and sad. There was heartache over stories of deaths, domestic violence, rape, and brutal wars,” she said.

“But I knew women who were extraordinary in their ordinary everyday lives, women who succeed in the minutes and hours of every day, just getting things done.

“I knew women openly talked with each other about daily problem-solving and management, helping the rest of us to make the best of our days. I wanted to find a way to share this to the world and celebrate women.”

Wotherspoon said she’s been “blown away” by the response.

“It’s beautiful and it has inspired and humbled us all,” she said.

A series of activations will now be held at Art Space on Saturday afternoons as the Seasons of Women exhibition continues through to August 10. These will include a poetry reading by Ballarat’s Megan J Riedl at 3pm this Saturday, July 19, and an activation by Mrs M Bellishment and Friends at 1pm next Saturday 26 July.