 Take a sneak peek at Enter the Goddesses 3!
Preview tonight, Oct. 2, 6-9 PM with Goddess crafting Opening Oct. 5, 1-6 PM with live poetry and tarot readings And events each Sunday in October. Welcome, Goddesses. Slides: She Wears Her Golden Crown by Adeola Davies-Aiyeloja Sculpture of stacked bulbous shapes in red, yellow, blue, green, and gold with a head on top wearing a golden crown Spiritual Goddess Ochun by Adrienne Franklin Crocheted doll with brown skin, a yellow bikini top and split skirt, yellow curly hair and golden jewelry Flora by Aleka Corwin A circular face ringed with spikes and covered in flower petals Priestess by Christine White A black robed figure holds a sculpture of a rattlesnake with a crocheted sheer white veil Hygeia by Cora Ramirez Circular painting of a woman with windblown dark hair holding a snake against a background of waves, a ruin, and a moonlit sky Afternoon Tea by Joanne Chase Mattillo A technicolored image of a woman in a bright blue negligee seated at a red table set with pink teacups in a garden Diana Ross by Krista Kelly Glamour portrait of a brown skinned woman with a large Afro crowned with crystal formations coming up off the top of her head and around the sides of her face Matrilinear Ascendancy by Lisa Tomczeszyn A golden frame around golden branches and leaves with a stacked totem of three women: maiden, mother, and crone Untitled Mary series by Louise Leathers Renaissance scene of a woman surrounded by attendees holding a platter of condoms Astitva Devi by Priya Ray A seated blue woman in a wheelchair with a small green dog on her lap and a wall of purple and grey text behind her reading "disabled people are people" Rose by Liane Enkelis Pink and orange rose with text reading Enter the Goddesses 3 opens Sunday Oct 5, 1-6 PM, Live poetry and tarot readings, Pussy Power Poets Linda Kaye, Ed Burgess, Anna Broome, Richard McDowell with Natalie Fratino on bass at the Los Angeles Makery 260 S. Los Angeles St 90012.
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 Nurturing Gaia by Connie Roldan Hey, goddesses, hope you are taking good care of your hearts. In the news: Enter the Goddesses 3, extra time for OM 2025, Genius Teatime with REBDUCE, Vanessa, and Sable, and ways to help our neighbors at home, across the country, and afar. There are 67+ artists for Enter the Goddesses III and a host of events to delight us! So many thanks to everyone who shared your work. Opening is Oct. 5 from 1-4 with live poetry and tarot readings and there are events each Sunday with the gallery open from 1-4. Free street parking if you can find it, or there are lots close by. The Opulent Mobility 2025 call for art is extended to September 15th, and I am excited at the work that has come in so far! Please share your art that re-imagines disability as opulent and powerful and get in touch if the fee causes hardship. Looking forward to the stunning speakers this fall on Genius Teatime: REBDUCE of ARTWATER life on September 20, Vanessa Hernández Cruz of Galaxies Dance October 18, and Sable Mensah of Full Out Healing on November 15th. Sign up for these wonderful speakers, activists, and advocates at the links. And some ways to help our neighbors and compadres here, across the country, and abroad: NDLON and CHIRLA for immigrant rights and care The Trevor Project and National Network of Abortion Funds World Central Kitchen, Standing Together, and International Rescue Committee And the wisdom of Rebecca Solnit for much needed inspiration. Big hugs, my friends. There is much to fight, but we can do this together. XO Laura
 Belated August updates and what's to come this fall:
Many thanks to the 65 (!) artists who submitted work to Enter the Goddesses 3! I'll reach out to you all by the end of the month. It feels like we're all needing some Goddess energy right about now. The show will run October 2-26 with an opening and poetry reading Oct. 5, a party for LA based TELEPHONE artists Oct. 12, a somatic workshop Oct. 19, and closing/artist talk October 26th. Opulent Mobility 2025 call for art is extended to September 15— we could all use a little extra grace right about now. That show will run through December 2025. There was a fascinating discussion with Diane Kolin of Arts Ably on Genius Teatime last Saturday! Stay tuned for the archived talk on YouTube and for our next guests: Rebduce of ARTWATER life on September 20, Vanessa Hernández Cruz of Galaxies Dance October 18, and Sable Mensah November 15th. In the meantime, please enjoy the archived talk and edited transcript of Genius Teatime with Joan Russell and Running Towards Life. Socks Whitmore, Ifunanya Nweke of Jazz Hands for Autism, Marisa Hamamoto, and I are planning a disability arts festival in Los Angeles! Tentatively scheduled for October 2026- and we will find a way to make it happen despite the vicious cuts to all things artistic, accessible, and inclusive. Next meeting is August 13th from 5-6 PM on Zoom. Disabled creatives, get in touch to help make the magic happen. Also, the SoCal Disabled Artist Coalition is meeting September 17th from 7:30-8:30 PM on Zoom to discuss ways we can help each other thrive in these turbulent times. Contact me to join us. Many thanks to the City of Santa Monica and LA Performance Practice for bringing me out to meend at Gather and Grow! We had a lovely time. If you’re in the area, the next session will be October 4th. And hey, friends, a note of encouragement in these tumultuous times. I listened in on the public comment section of California City's planning commission meeting the other night, where there are plans for Core Civic to build up an existing facility as a huge detention center/concentration camp. (Let's call it what it is.) I have to say how proud I am of my fellow Californians from all walks of life who unanimously stood up/spoke in via Zoom to oppose this with all of their hearts and with far better arguments than I brought to the table. Want to know what you can do? That is just one thing. What local city council meeting could you attend? School board meeting? Mutual aid group? Letter writing group? Protest? "Know your rights" stand in front of your local Home Depot? What historical precedents and movements can you read and learn about in detail, and use their specific tactics? There are so many ways to chip away at this horrific mess- and to build something that is at once better and far less destructive than what we had before. And there are people who are already doing this hard work. We can join them. XO Laura  How do I keep afloat these days? With art, community, disabled joy, and mending. Let's take good care of each other.
Upcoming mends: Mending Our Spirits is next Sunday and Friday the 18th from 3-6 PM at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica. Bring something you love that needs repair or stop by for a snack and learn a few stitches! It's free, fun, and deeply satisfying. Many thanks to LA Performance Practice for this artist residency. Join us for disabled joy: - Celebrate Disability Pride! DIYAbled and I are sharing art by disabled artists all through July on IG. - Join our production team for the MetamorphAble Disabled Dimensions Arts Festival! We're planning for 2026 and meeting monthly. Email [email protected] to sign up. - If you missed the terrific DCA Disabled Artist Cohort meetings, Vanessa Hernández Cruz, Socks Whitmore, and I are keeping the conversations flowing. Get in touch to sign up for the next one July 23rd, 6:30-8 PM online. - And join Dr. Inunanya Nweke from Jazz Hands For Autism on our next Genius Teatime July 26, 3:30-4:30 PM online as we discuss ways to make learning work better for all. Art and community coming up: - A silent auction (open now for bidding) and art fair July 20 (DM for address) to support CHIRLA and our immigrant neighbors and friends. - Celebrate the Goddess in all her forms and share your goddess art with us! Deadline August 1st. - And once again we challenge you to re-imagine disability as opulent and powerful. Deadline to submit art for Opulent Mobility 2025 is August 31. Resources and help: CHIRLA Doctors Without Borders FreeFrom National Network of Abortion Funds NDLON The Trevor Project I almost didn't do this newsletter. This week has been brutal. But I know we can make amazing things together in spite of those that would do us harm. Take good care of your hearts, my friends. We need you around. And reach out, please. XO Laura  Opulent Mobility at Brand Library & Art Center. Photo by Stacy Meineke And now the shows have closed.
Many thanks to Brand Library & Art Center for hosting Opulent Mobility! I am proud of the artists, allies, and the Brand team for making this a reality. Thanks also to the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs for bringing Socks Whitmore, Vanessa Cruz, and me in to co-host the Disabled Artist Cohort discussions! If you missed the exhibit, here's a brief video tour. https://lnkd.in/grUYrXUB And if you missed the cohort, have no fear! Socks, Vanessa, and I plan to continue the conversations on the last Wednesday evening of each month. Please get in touch to get on the list. These discussions have been warm, lively, thoughtful, and a great way to be in community in these turbulent times. We need each other more than ever to keep up the good fight.  This month and into the next: art events, calls for art, disability art and activism, and so many ways to mend.
Soothe your soul, cast a spell, and share your art! Saturday from 6-9 PM is the opening for the Glow Show and The Voodoo Doll show at the Los Angeles Makery AND LA Art Share's Summer Salon. You are cordially invited to Opulent Mobility at Brand Library & Art Center! Open now through June 21st- take a peek here for a video tour. Celebrate the Goddess in all her forms and share your goddess art with us! Deadline August 1st. And once again we challenge you to re-imagine disability as opulent and powerful. Deadline to submit art for Opulent Mobility 2025 is August 31. Mending many ways: Many thanks to Underdog Bookstore for bringing me back for Visible Mending! Bring your soft goods that need fixing June 7th from 12-2 PM to Underdog in Monrovia, CA. This month's mending at the Hollywood Food Coalition is June 19th (aka Juneteenth). They love their volunteers- sign up if you're able. June 22nd is Radical Repair at the Makery- if tariffs, Target, and Temu are getting you down, learn to fix your finery and leave fast fashion in the dust. And stay tuned for Mending our Spirits at the Miles Playhouse. My artist residency starts June 27th! Disability arts and activism: June 13 is the 50th Arts Ably podcast episode and we're celebrating with a group talk! Join in at 3 Pm PST/6 PM EST. The final Disabled Artist Cohort meeting is June 25- and you have a chance to make this an ongoing event! Sign up to talk networking and help build our collective, and check out the archived sessions. Many thanks to Louise at the Blink of an Eye podcast for our discussion of Opulent Mobility and the importance of access. And July 4-6 I'm helping with the arts portion of an Accessible Virtual Pride celebration along with Mouthwater, Calling Up Justice, and DIYAbled! Plus excellent resources to protect ourselves and others: Mutual Aid LA groups (look for mutual aid in your area) Folks that help (and might help you too): Doctors Without Borders FreeFrom National Network of Abortion Funds NDLON Standing Together The Trevor Project Be most excellent to each other. XO Laura  Amidst the chaos there is so much I am grateful for.
In this month's newsletter: Opulent Mobility at Brand Library 2 calls for art A disability led protest and exhibits in process And great sources of information/action items. Many thanks to everyone who came out for the opening and the mini tour of Opulent Mobility at Brand Library & Art Center! If you missed it, the show runs through June 21, 2025. Email to set up a guided tour and join us online May 15th for the ASL interpreted artist talk. As always, thanks to the artists of Opulent Mobility past, present, and future and to all who make this show possible. Two calls for art coming right up: Enter the Goddesses 3 We could use some Goddess energy right now. Submit your art that celebrates your goddess/es of choice! Deadline August 1st, $20 flat fee to cover gallery rental. (30% sales commission to the gallery, 70% to the artist.) Opulent Mobility 2025 Once again we challenge you to re-imagine disability as opulent and powerful! Deadline August 31, $20 flat fee to cover gallery rental but contact me if the fee causes hardship. (30% sales commission to the gallery, 70% to the artist.) Upcoming events and exhibits: Hope & Rebirth exhibit May 10 Bed-In Virtual Hands Off Protest May 17th Disabled Artist Cohort May 21st Spring Invitational artist talk May 18th And stay tuned for two openings on June 7th- the Voodoo Doll show at the Los Angeles Makery and the Summer Salon 2025 at Art Share LA! Some excellent resources to help ourselves and others in these turbulent times: Overall help from Mutual Aid LA groups (look for mutual aid in your area) Actions and good news from Americans of Conscience, Jessica Craven and 5 Calls Substacks for news and info: Erin In the Morning, Popular Information, Jessica Valenti, DropSite News, and many more Again and always, please be softer with people and harder on the systems that cause us harm. As my friend Pam says, keep that hope alive. XO Laura  Hey, y'all, can you do me a favor?
TL/DR- my fiscal sponsor is offering a matching raffle! Help if you can, share if you can't, and support folks however you can. As you may have heard, Opulent Mobility was one of the many projects to lose funds when all funds to California Humanities were halted. My fiscal sponsor Fractured Atlas is offering a $1000 match for randomly selected projects right now, and if you have it to give, it would be extra fabulous! These funds will go to pay disabled artists for their installations in the upcoming Brand Library exhibit and for more accessibility features for Opulent Mobility- edited captions and transcripts for talks, ASL, and help with shipping/printing/framing to make the exhibits financially accessible. If you do not have it to give (and there are SO MANY places and people needing help right now) please share the request. Also, please give your reps a call! Libraries and museums, the NEH, the NIH, the department of Education, 504 protections for disabled folks, gender care, immigrant rights, and so much more are under attack and we need to give those in charge an earful about it. And take care of each other. Check out your neighbors and friends and the folks most under threat and care for them. Get local! Support local libraries, go to school board meetings, volunteer for mutual aid groups, and get involved with your community. We need each other more than ever. Many thanks to you all. XO Laura Thanks to Heidi Marie Photography for all the beautiful pictures of my work! I miss your face.  Exciting times for Opulent Mobility! Join us for the Opulent Mobility retrospective at Brand Library & Art Center April 26- June 21, 2025! Click the link and postcard for more details.
AND... We once again challenge you to imagine a world where disability, mobility, and access are not merely functional, but opulent. Submit your art for OM 2025 here! As always, thanks to the artists of Opulent Mobility- past, present, and future.  It's getting on time to stab some fabric. Please join Amy Bauer and me Friday the 21st at 5 PM PST!
Learn embroidery techniques. It's a great way to share your creative expressions and get out any anger/confusion/chaos. Stabbing fabric = Self Care. Take a break with us online. Date: Friday, February 21, Time: 5pm PST. Free. Saturday, February 22 at 3:30-4:30 PM PST it's Genius Teatime with Kat Chudy where we'll talk about access needs in the classroom and beyond! "The solutions to the problems facing us as a society will not be born of panic and reactivity, but require of us a softer, slower, more mindful approach- Crip Time as the new way of navigating the effervescent, boiling chaos of our world and the classroom." Suggested donation $10-$30, no one turned away for lack of funds. Saturday, March 1 from 12-2 PM we're mending at www.underdogbookstore.org/! We’ll use techniques inspired by classic Japanese Boro and Sashiko hand sewing and turn your worn out clothing into wearable art. This is a great way to keep old clothes out of the landfill, save their memories, and to sew in good company. Bring items you love that need mending and we'll bring them back to life. $40. And if you aren't sure of ways to take action in these turbulent times (and oh yes, it is time for all of us to take action), take heart. There are many routes to take. Take a peek here for some ideas. There are many actions that might not be so glamorous, but they are all essential. Take good care of yourselves, my friends. We'll need our strength in the coming days/months/years. XO Laura |
A. Laura Brody
I re*make mobility devices and materials and give them new lives. Sometimes I staple drape. Archives
October 2025
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