This Saturday, burlesque performers, mixed-media artists, local bands, and vendors gather at Fort Lauderdale's the Bubble for the forth annual art show, The Trouble with Girls: All Female Art Revue. This show is entirely ladies only. That's right, boys, no sausages here, unless they're actually made of pork.
Artist Kelcie McQuaid will be participating for the fourth year in a row. "I'm putting up about 15 paintings," says McQuaid. "The show is about supporting females and their visions. For me personally, it's a great way to network with other creative women, and find an opportunity to collaborate."
So what does the Trouble with Girls mean to Kelcie McQuaid? "It's a "way for girls to shake their fists at the world and say, 'we're not going anywhere!'"
See also
- The Real "Trouble With Girls" Brings Art by Ladies and Music by Dooms de Pop to the Bubble
- PHOTOS: The Real Trouble with Girls 2012
You may be thinking that McQuaid is a bra burning feminist with hairy pits. But in reality, she just believes in the good ol' power women hold. "I don't personally consider myself as a feminist, but I invest full confidence in women as a whole. Full force women are strong and can do anything they want. In my own domestic life, I'm maternal, nurturing, and supporting in my personal relationship."
McQuaid also believes that women have somewhat of an upper hand in the art community. "The art world overall is a male dominated industry. But being a woman, you have the benefit of using a woman's assets." So... Tits? Not exactly. "Women can use both sides of their brain and push the limit." Guys can only do one thing at once. Girls can do a bunch of things at the same time. Women run art like a business. Guys have their partners do it."
Despite this woman strong persona, McQuaid has still encountered biased attitudes in the art world. Take, for example, her male artist mentor who "had more confidence in me as a model than an artist, because he's seen women with their clothes off and he knows how to convince them to do so." Ouch.
Still, this experience didn't deter her. McQuaid continues, "People think women are just a pretty face, but we need to use that pretty face to our advantage. In the end, I'm the artist. Women need to take this pretty face thing with a grain of salt. You have a brain, you're well-organized. You have brilliant ideas that should be heard."
McQuaid states that the Trouble with Girls has inspired women in Ft Laudy to pursue creativity, and that you can see examples of other women going "full force." Janette Valentine is once again leading the show this year. Valentine is also a photographer and the bassist in metal band Shroud Eater. She's an "example of a bad ass woman in our art community." As you can see, participants do more than just art, and are "multitasking bitches."
In regards to any final comments on the show, McQuaid had one particular anatomical part to thank: "I'm Kelcie McQuad, and I owe it all to my vag."Girl, you put that punani on a pedestal!
The Trouble with Girls includes burlesque, the Necrophiles, and free drinks. 7 p.m. to midnight., Saturday, May 4, at the Bubble is located at 810 NE Fourth Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. For more info, visit Facebook. Under 21 is $10 and over 21 is $5.
