Introducing “Darling Dames!
Ive been noticing that every now and then, our society does a flip backwards. For me, this realization started with the Old Spice man last year that boasted a man doing “manly” things, in a subtle way, trying to put men back in their place. Amusingly so by having the questioned posed to the ladies, of course: “Does your man….?” The gurus at Old Spice know full well it is us women who shop for those men, and by somehow tapping into the inner psyches of such women, they would sell more old spice. Ahhh, indeed they did! Sales for their brand sky rocketed, and they are still upwards with their new brand. Brilliant? Absolutely. The results, though, are telling of a time which we live in now.
I was born in 1970, and ya’ll I don’t really remember any of that women’s rights’ stuff. By the time I got around to needing it, you know, the rights’ stuff, it had already happened so I never particularly had strong feelings about it. I had the rights! Ya’ll also know that my Nana raised me, and she came from a time when “men were men and women knew their place!” I’d say despite coming from that time, she did not allow it to color and distort her desires for me to be anything that I wanted to be! I always knew men opened doors and paid for things like dinner dates, and thankfully, I married early and to a guy from the same set of thinking as myself.
All these years later – 21 to be exact – here I find myself having made a career creating images that essentially empower women. It dawned on me the other day that I have created images of pregnant and proud mommies to be and that many if not all of those mommies, were paying for the experience to be empowered by such an image as a way of celebrating and embracing what it means to be…yes, a woman. Likewise, I had been watching as many of those mommies return to me to do of all things a “pin up.” Now, I was lost and unsure of exactly what a “pin up” was! I went and did a little research, and do you know what I found? Women…gorgeous women painted, and yes, clothed but in strangely positioned situations that present them as needy and wanting of help. Could it be that these empowered women somewhere deep down wish to still, even if every once in a while, be taken care of? Have a door opened for them? I sure hope so!
So, I have done what every smart business woman does and created a new line of updated “pin up” portraits for the modern woman. The latest creations are painted in the same Saturday Evening Post style of the 1940’s, and I have even created new signage just for this line. “Murray USA” is precariously positioned on these women, and each are works of art for our time and place. I have named the line “Darling Dames,” and we are booking them like crazy for calendars for unsuspecting husbands to enjoy next year!
The Old Spice commercials are trendy, and the latest from Dr. Pepper for a new drink that states “for men only” are tapping into a desire for each sex to be more gender specific in their roles. The undercurrent of the American psyche is crying out that it’s okay to be a man and ladies, my new work reflects that it is definitely okay to be a woman! If you think you might want to do a calendar for your hubby or just a poster print for him under the tree, the time is now. I look forward to creating another lasting image for ya’ll to enjoy for years to come!
