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Our Unofficial SXSW Guide For 2018: Events We Think You Should Definitely RSVP To

Typically, during SXSW, we throw a kick-ass unofficial showcase. This year, we're taking a little break and focusing on our conference-official meet-up, but we've got you on some free recommendations.

Typically, during SXSW, we throw a kick-ass unofficial showcase. This year, #bbatx is taking a little break outside of our annual, official Women in Creative Industries Meet-Up, but we've got you on some free recommendations. The following events are unofficial, subject to RSVP and unless indicated have not been produced by us (the large majority produced by Austin-based organizers). This list will be updated over the coming weeks, so feel free to bookmark it and check back.

THURSDAY, MARCH 8

International Women's Day Yellow Hour (presented by #bbatx)

ATX Celebrates International Women's Day

FRIDAY, MARCH 9

The Deep End by Vox Media

Bumble Presents SXSW Empowering Connections

SATURDAY, MARCH 10

Official SXSW Wellness Expo

That's What She Said: The Female Voice in Film

Hustle House @ SXSW

Queer Filmmakers Brunch by AGLIFF
 

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

Pitch Black: The Future Is Female

Create & Cultivate Pop-Up Conference

Show Up Tumblr Party

Ladies Eat Free Presents: The Buffet (comedy and film screenings!)


MONDAY, MARCH 12

Women of Color in the Sustainability World: Creative Entrepreneur Mixer

TUESDAY, MARCH 13

SHE SHREDS 2018

Room 484: A HAAM Benefit

RAS Day Presents: SXSW 2018

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14

Sauvage Presents: A European Splash

SUAV Presents: Local Makers Pop-Up Lounge

South By San Jose

SXSW @ Waterloo Records

Pitchfork Radio @ SXSW

THURSDAY, MARCH 15

Official SXSW Marketplace

con flama by Sharon Bridgforth

SMILF @ The Showtime House ft. Princess Nokia

Brooklyn Vegan x Margin Walker Presents Lost Weekend

Girls to the Front A Day Party

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

Austin Monthly x Texas Music Magazine: Bands to Watch

Lesbian Divorce

SATURDAY, MARCH 17

Frida Friday ATX Turns One

Curly Girl Picnic

SUNDAY, MARCH 18

Lesbian Wedding
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She Talks: Art, Money and Mindset

On Feb. 12 at REVELRY, we hosted SHE TALKS: Dating in the Modern World, a practical discussion about relationships, being single and navigating gender expectations in the digital age. With complimentary beverages by Argus Cidery, this panel featured four panelists, a pop-up coloring station featuring illustrations by Mean Thing Kate and an introductory monologue by performer and author, Aralyn Hughes.

Produced by #bossbabesATX, SHE TALKS* is an ongoing discussion-based personal and professional development series, tackling topics from finances to intersectional feminism.

On Feb. 27 at West Elm Austin, we interviewed three Austin-based creatives on their approach to creative work—how do they monetize their practice? Where do they find the time? What sorts of strategies and resources do they have to share?

In conversation with Jacqueline Gilles of the LINE ATX, Xochi Solis, Alie Jackson and Florinda Bryant shared their thoughts. Read on for insights.

The Panel

Featuring three multihyphenate Austin-based artists, in conversation with the LINE ATX's Creative and Culture Manager, Jacqueline Gilles.

Meet our panelists below:

Alie Jackson (panelist)
An award-winning designer and animator, Alie Jackson has over 8 years design experience working with big brands, blockbuster movies, music festivals, non-profits, and small businesses. Past and previous clients Include: Marvel, Universal Studios, Warner Brothers, Amazon Studios, ABC, Disney, FX, Home Depot, Office Depot, GSK, Sears, Boss Babes ATX, Juice Land, Texas Laser and Aesthetics, Sound on Sound Festival, Fun Fun Fun Festival, Margin Walker Presents, Transmission Events and more.

Xochi Solis (panelist and #bbatx committee member)
Xochi is an Austin, TX based artist sharing her studio time between Texas and Mexico. Her works include multilayered, collaged paintings constructed of paint, hand-dyed paper, vinyl, plastics, and images from found books and magazines. Solis considers the repeated act of layering in her work a meditation on color, texture, and shape, all leading to a greater awareness of the visual intricacies found in her immediate environment. She received her B.F.A. in Studio Art from the University of Texas in 2005. Recent exhibitions include: Mi Tierra: Contemporary Artists Explore Place, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO (2017); We must build as if the sand were stone, South Texas College Library Gallery, McAllen, TX (2016); Rivers of our Vision, Lawndale Art Center in Houston, TX (2013); Summer Invitational, Kathryn Markel Fine Arts, New York City, NY; Flatlander, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder, CO (2015); New Art in Austin: 20 to Watch, Austin Museum of Art, Austin, TX (2008); and currently Shaped by Subtraction, BOX 13 Artspace in Houston, TX (2017). In 2016, Solis held a residency at Pele Prints in St. Louis, MO and in 2013 was a resident artist at Arquetopia in Oaxaca, MX learning to work with natural pigments. Solis is one of 30 artists featured in the book Collage: Contemporary Artists Hunt and Gather, Cut and Paste, Mash Up and Transform (Chronicle Books, 2014). In addition to her studio practice, she manages and spins records with the Austin chapter of Chulita Vinyl Club.

Florinda Bryant (panelist)
Florinda Bryant is an Austin, TX-based interdisciplinary artist and arts educator. Florinda is a Co-Producing Artistic Director of Salvage Vanguard Theater. As a performer and director she is no stranger to many stages in Austin, having worked with the Rude Mechs, the Vortex, Paper Chairs and Teatro Vivo. Some of favorite recent performances include Am I White ( by Adrienne Dawes), The Panza Monologues ( by Virginia Grise), Bright Now Beyond ( By Daniel Alexander Jones and Bobby Halverson) and Fixing King John ( adapted by Kirk Lynn). As a writer and poet, Florinda enjoys engaging audiences in explorations around identity, body and community. Her award winning one-woman show Half-Breed Southern Fried was produced as part of the Performing Blackness Series at UT and was directed by Laurie Carlos. As a facilitator and arts educator, Florinda has worked with at risk communities, young men and women, and adults—using performance as a social justice tool for empowerment and change for over 18 years. Florinda is also the Operations Manager of Creative Action, one of the nation’s leading arts education organizations. A member of the Austin Project, sponsored by the John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies, UT at Austin. Florinda is also a 2013 Woman of the Year for Racial Justice award recipient from the YWCA.

Here are some takeaways and information to explore based on the night's conversation and the panelists' recommendations:

1.) At the start of the talk, we asked attendees to discuss their personal definitions of the term "professional artist." What sort of constructions do we create around this word?


2.) Once the panelists joined us onstage, they began to explore their approaches to creative work and the projects they're currently working on. Xochi Solis is making new bodies of work for commercial clients and her gallery Uprise NYC, Florinda Bryant is currently producing con flama, a show for the community-oriented Salvage Vanguard Theater and her operations position at Creative Action, Alie Jackson is working on commercial work through her studio and installations for her residency with #bbatx.


3.) Our panelists then discussed the "starving artist" trope and how this often can keep artists from diversifying their incomes and fully sustaining their work. In the case of our speakers, each panelist has rallied to find sustainable paths within their work and interests (even if this means producing work outside of their personal pursuits).


4.) The panel then revisited the term "professional artist" and what that mindset shift from hobbyist to full-time artist looked like for them.

5.) To close, we shared financial and professional tips and resources. A few of the panelists' recommendations are listed below (if you'd like #bbatx's Official Artist Resource Guide, which was sent as accompanying material for the context of this session, please email thebabes@bossbabes.org):

  • If you're just getting started and want to look into local funding, exploring the City of Austin's Creative BizAid program and PeopleFund.
  • For continuing artistic professional development, Xochi Solis recommends Creative Capital.
  • Each panelist spoke to the importance of investing in your own wellness and your financial security. Finding a CPA to show you how to do your taxes, understanding your expenses and relying on a peer support system are important aspects of ensuring your sustainability (and health) as an artist.

You can keep up with the work of our panelists and moderator below:

  • Alie Jackson (panelist)
  • Florinda Bryant (panelist)
    • Social media - @salvagevanguard
    • Website - salvagevanguard.org
    • Upcoming work - Florinda's co-producing and directing con flama, a work by poet Sharon Bridgforth, at the Salvage Vanguard Theatre. The first show opens on March 15 and runs through March 31. Click here to get tickets.
  • Xochi Solis (panelist)
    • Social media - @xochisolis
    • Website - xochisolis.com
    • Upcoming work - Xochi is currently working on new work and can be found organizing events for the Austin chapter of Chulita Vinyl Club, as well as programming events for #bbatx.
  • Jacqueline Gilles (moderator)
    • Social media - @thelinehotel
    • Website - thelinehotel.com
    • Upcoming work - The LINE Hotel has partnered with Big Medium to produce an arts residency. The residency will begin taking applications within the upcoming week. Apply at Big Medium once the details are released.

Interested in attending another SHE TALKS? Stay tuned by checking back at our events calendar.

Meet the Producers, Partners and Venue
 

About #bossbabesATX: #bossbabesATX (#bbatx) is an online and offline space for women-identifying and nonbinary creatives, entrepreneurs and community organizers. Through our event series, showcases, strategic collaborations and professional development programs, we build educated, empowered and more equal creative communities. Within the last year, we've provided a platform of visibility, outreach and financial opportunity to 900+ Texas-based women artists and women-owned businesses and nonprofits. Learn more at bossbabes.org

Our events prioritize the voices of self-identifying women and nonbinary folks. We are not gender-discriminant; all are welcome to attend. This production has been made possible in part by presenting partners the LINE ATX and Resplendent Hospitality.

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She Talks: Dating in the Modern World

On Feb. 12 at REVELRY, we hosted SHE TALKS: Dating in the Modern World, a practical discussion about relationships, being single and navigating gender expectations in the digital age. With complimentary beverages by Argus Cidery, this panel featured four panelists, a pop-up coloring station featuring illustrations by Mean Thing Kate and an introductory monologue by performer and author, Aralyn Hughes.

On Feb. 12 at REVELRY, we hosted SHE TALKS: Dating in the Modern World, a practical discussion about relationships, being single and navigating gender expectations in the digital age. With complimentary beverages by Argus Cidery, this panel featured four panelists, a pop-up coloring station featuring illustrations by Mean Thing Kate and an introductory monologue by performer and author, Aralyn Hughes.

The FEATURED ARTISTS

Aralyn Hughes (performer, writer, Queen of Keep Austin Weird)
For over 33 years, Aralyn Hughes has been an Austin icon sharing her own brand of weird, as reported by Bill Geist of CBS Morning News when he crowned her the “Queen of Weird”. Aralyn has appeared as an ambassador for Austin on HGTV, Discovery Channel, both national and local CBS networks, various radio stations, and local Austin venues including Zachary Scott Theater. She was the co-author of In the West, one of the longest running monologue theatre shows in Austin, which also graced the Kennedy Center and was later adapted into the movie Deep in the Heart. At 65, Aralyn became a performance artist, storyteller and non fiction monologist. She's also a subject of a documentary, Love in the Sixties, which is a story of one small town woman from Oklahoma, who came of age in the 60s, taking on serious baby boomer questions about love, sex and death. Her first book, an anthology about child-free women who came of age in the 1960s, Kid Me Not, was also recently published in three languages. Kid Me Not is a provocative and controversial collection of essays, edited by Aralyn Hughes, where fifteen mostly Austin writers explain they they chose to eschew motherhood and often marriage. They are women of the 60s, now in their 60s—the first generation of women to really have a choice due to the advent of birth control pills in 1963.  Contributors give a unique perspective on the overwhelming cultural pressure to marry and have have children, and explore why it's not the only path to a happy, productive life.  Her book is currently featured in the Austin History Center and is available at the public library. Hughes will perform a monologue based on this book and will have a couple of copies available for public purchase.

Kate Holley (@meanthingkate, illustrator)
Kate Holley is a freelance illustrator in Austin, Texas, and she goes by Mean Thing Kate. She designs posters for Cheer Up Charlies and has had work featured on Bustle.com and in Peach Fuzz Magazine. "People don't usually like to hear females—they're the ones with the boob-nipples and the pink vagina bones—talk about certain subjects, so I make it a point to draw all the stuff that might make those people feel icky on the inside." - Kate Holley

Pictured: Illustrations by Mean Thing Kate

Pictured: Illustrations by Mean Thing Kate

Pictured: Aralyn Hughes

Pictured: Aralyn Hughes

The Panel

Featuring four multi-hyphenate professionals, in conversation with #bbatx Project and Ops Lead Maureen Nicol.

Meet our panelists and moderator below:

Nikki DaVaughn (panelist)
Nikki is a writer, coproducer of The Midnight Menagerie, the founder of Fat Bottom Cabaret, performer, emcee, body positivity activist, storyteller and all-around shenanigan starter. She spends her time in Austin drinking, dating poorly and telling stories about what its like being fat and black in Texas.

Bernadette Chavez Piñon (panelist)
Bernadette is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC-S) working with adults (18+) in Austin, Texas, who provides therapy and other resources to help individuals overcome stress, live mindfully, and cultivate the life and the relationships they want. Her personal mission is to empower and encourage individuals to navigate through changes and transitions in life genuinely, authentically, and with respect to their values and identities. On this panel, she'll share tips, recommendations and observations about pursuing meaningful relationships (should you choose) and maintaining a healthy relationship to self-love.

Melissa Hobley, CMO at OKCupid (panelist)
Previously Melissa was VP at Walgreens Boots Alliance where she was responsible for changing the way women engage with beauty brands. Prior to working in beauty, she was the head of marketing for Buyology, a company that incorporated the latest discoveries in behavioral economics and applied it to marketing and innovation. Melissa started her career in PR in New York City. She is a native of Muncie, IN. She lives in downtown New York City with her husband and daughter Madeline. Melissa sits on the board of Live4Lali and Shatterproof, non-profits both dedicated to addressing the opioid epidemic. She now uses this background to run things at OKCupid; she'll talk about OKC has learned about relationships through user behavior and how much digital has impacted dating in the last few years.

Maureen Nicol, Projects and Ops Lead at #bbatx (moderator)
Maureen is #bossbabesATX's Project and Operations Lead. She assists #bbatx with running as smoothly as possibly by managing the team, social media accounts, general inquiries and community news. Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, Maureen has lived all over. Maureen moved to Austin for school and is pursuing her PhD in Early Childhood Education at UT Austin. She also runs an annual pop-up art camp for children, Camp Story.

Here are some takeaways and information to explore based on the night's conversation and the panelists' recommendations:

1.) During Aralyn Hughe's introductory monologue, she tackled what it was like dating in the sixties and why she has chosen to remain single now that she is in her sixties. She humorously approached the themes explored in her latest book, Kid Me Not, a compilation of essays from women who decided not to have children.


2.) Once the panelists joined us onstage, they began to explore our individual agency (i.e. one's ability to make his/her/their own decisions) to be single, take a partner, or engage in multiple relationships. 


3.) Our panelists then discussed the difficulty in dating—be that managing anxiety around relationships, feeling insecure, or simply dealing with rejection.


4.) To close the discussion, the panelists shared their personal approaches to navigating abusive behaviors in dating, especially the "disposal" culture that has manifesting around relationships that start online. Here are a few of those takeaways:

  • Melissa (CMO of OKCupid) stressed to intentionally use dating apps and to be aware and/or shut things down when someone is not using an app to intentionally communicate with you.
  • How do we deal with the frustrations of trying to date other people, when apps have made it so easy to ghost? Nikki shared that she has actually chosen not to use dating apps anymore, and she added that everyone should try their own medium and remember that although Austin feels small, there are many people who live here (and many more partners in the fish bowl).
  • In response to an audience question, the panelists tackled "gaslighting" in relationships and how to better recognize abusive behaviors. They settled on a few things: arguments that rapidly escalate, being accused of things that are false (like raising your voice when you're talking calmly and/or flirting with someone when you weren't, etc.), forcing a conversation or action when one side has clearly demonstrated they're uncomfortable and/or need a minute to think, etc. The panelists agreed that these behaviors can be red flags and that we should all be aware when we do them to others, too.

Interested in attending a SHE TALKS? We've got another one on Feb. 27 exploring art, money and mindset.

Meet the Producers, Partners and Venue
 

About #bossbabesATX: We exist to build educated and empowered creative communities at the intersections of sisterhood and space. Through event series, showcases and personal/professional development programs, we amplify and connect women-identifying artists, creatives and entrepreneurs. Since we've been in operation, we've provided a platform of visibility, outreach and financial opportunity to 300+ Texas-based women artists, 400+ women-owned businesses and women activists. We were named "Best Bossy Babes" of 2015 by The Austin Chronicle and we were selected by The White House to attend the United State of Women Summit in June 2016.

Our events prioritize the voices of self-identifying women and nonbinary folks. We are not gender-discriminant; all are welcome to attend. This production has been made possible in part our collaborators at OKCupid and by presenting partners the LINE ATX and Resplendent Hospitality.

About the space, REVELRY: REVELRY celebrates community and creativity through a variety of gatherings. From events, pop-ups and markets like The Swoon Event to dinner parties and creative workshops, REVELRY's mission is to craft experiences and bring people together. 

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Our First Event of 2018: #WORK, A Pop-Up Conference for Creatives and Entrepreneurs

Presented by #bossbabesATX, powered by Texas MSTC and produced by women for women in collaboration with Women Who Code: Austin, the inaugural iteration of #WORK was hosted on Jan. 20, 2018 at The Refinery in Austin, Texas.

Presented by #bossbabesATX, powered by Texas MSTC and produced by women for women in collaboration with Women Who Code: Austin, the inaugural iteration of #WORK was hosted on Jan. 20, 2018 at The Refinery in Austin, Texas.

Did you miss out on #WORK? Download the Winter '18' #WORKbook. This guide contains a full overview of the conference, plus additional resources, tips and suggestions for creatives and entrepreneurs.

You can also sign up for updates on the next conference.

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2017's Impact Report: To Bloom Is To Resist

In 2017, #bossbabesATX hosted 47 events, with more than 15,000 attendees. We are looking forward to providing an even larger platform of visibility, outreach and financial opportunity Texas-based women artists, women-owned businesses and nonprofits in 2018.

You cannot threaten me
by forcing me into the ground.
Pack the soil solid.
Rub my face into the dirt.
I will take root in this earth,
like my mother and her mother did.
In a few weeks, I will sprout quietly.
My leaves waxy
my stem thick
my petals soft.
How?
How did she continue to exist?
Darling, this is how flowers grow.
To bloom is to resist.

— Jane Hervey, #bbatx Executive Director and Founder
written in response to 2017


Thank you for blooming with us this year. Read on for a bite-sized synopsis of #bbat'x 2017 Impact Report.

(BUMP CO-FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER LESLIE LOZANO'S BEST OF '17 PLAYLIST WHILE READING.)

In 2017, #bossbabesATX hosted 47 events, with more than 15,000 attendees.

By the numbers, we hosted:

  • 15 showcases featuring work by emerging women-identifying, filmmakers, artists, artisans
  • 12 community dialogues discussing professional development, civic engagement and gender equality
  • 10 community meet-ups for artists, creatives, thought leaders and entrepreneurs
  • 6 professional and personal development trainings
  • 4 cultural exchange events, facilitating relationships between our Austin community and abroad

Through these events, our consulting services for institutions and businesses interested in inclusivity and diversity, as well as our digital programs, we accomplished the following:

  • Connected 300+ women-identifying and nonbinary makers, artisans, independent entrepreneurs and artists directly to new customers, clientele and financial opportunities
  • Provided pro-bono promotional tools to 500+ women-owned businesses and women-led nonprofits
  • Showcased more than 900+ women-identifying and nonbinary artists, creatives, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders and business owners through our programs
  • Fostered individual professional development for 16 emerging Texan artists
  • Fundraised $7,000+ for nonprofits that provide services we do not offer that support the financial and social empowerment of women and girls in our culture, communities and government
  • Facilitated the distribution of information and formation of coalitions between 25+ local nonprofits and businesses invested in inclusivity and diversity
  • Provided a platform for nonpartisan political dialogue to more than 1500+ community members

In 2017, we TRANSFORMED:

  • BABES FEST from a one-day event into a 3-day comedy, music and film festival.
    • Our second-annual BABES FEST was held in July of 2017, showcasing 50+ interdisciplinary acts and hosting 1500+ attendees. Get the recap here.
  • craftHER Market into a biannual Spring and Fall pop-up community space. 
    • From our 2016 craftHER meet-up series, we produced craftHER Market, a one-day shopping, resources and educational event in Fair Market. The market had its first run in October 2016, and in 2017 we doubled its impact. This year, we provided more than 200 vendors a space to share and sell their work with 7,000+ community members..
  • Meet Her Hands into two-week exhibitions.
    • Last year marked the start of our summer salon series with the Elisabet Ney Museum, a three-part showcase highlighting three individual artists and their work. This year, each showcase was coupled with a two-week exhibition.
  • SHE TALKS into a more impactful, educational series.
    • This year, we reprogrammed our dialogue series to spur attendees into action. Every panel was accompanied with detailed guides, recaps and action items to provide a more practical and applicable understanding of entrepreneurialism and forward-thinking personal and professional development.
  • Our language.
    • We've been little for quite a while, and 2017 marks the year we officially became more than a community organization. We're a nonprofit with year-round programming and services, and we've got a little staff of two! Thanks to the gift of language, you can now better understand our services, productions and impact.

In 2017, we INTRODUCED:

  • ISB(abe)N
    • We introduced an online and offline feminist book club, featuring works by women-identifying authors, with more than 200+ active readers.
  • State of the Uterus
    • We introduced our annual party for progress, raising more than $6,500 for community health and women's rights. (Come out for the 2nd-annual event on Jan. 26!)
  • Community Caucus
    • Based on submissions from our community, we hosted a nonpartisan civic engagement conference, providing a platform to nonprofits and thought leaders to introduce their new ideas and understandings surrounding sensitive political issues, like reproductive rights, immigration, appropriation and more. (Come out for the 2nd-annual event on Feb. 15!)
  • BEYOND: ATX and BEYOND: DC, which gave way for #WORK.
    • We hosted personal and professional development conferences in Austin and DC with Cee Smith Media and General Assembly titled BEYOND: ATX and BEYOND: DC. In 2017, we'll be consolidating this conference into #WORK, a pop-up concept exploring approaches to life as an entrepreneur or creative.
  • Our programming committee
    • Internally, we created a volunteer programming committee to oversee our mission as a nonprofit and better shape our productions as a 501C3 serving the community.

IN 2018, we're saying hello to:

A whole lot.

With the programs we established this year and a host of new partners, we could not be more ready for 2018. We are looking forward to providing an even larger platform of visibility, outreach and financial opportunity Texas-based women artists, women-owned businesses and nonprofits (and BEYOND) in the new year. We are not blinded by struggle or success, and we will stop at nothing to create and sustain community networks that financially and socially empower women and girls.

PS: It might not seem like much, but a little goes a long way. Whether your shop local, advocate for women's rights at work, stand up against racism, fundraise for nonprofits you care about or simply resist through joy, you have agency. Everything we have accomplished has been through the power of collective action, thanks to the combined efforts of more than 15,000 individuals. Please remember that you are not your yesterday. You are a learning, breathing, evolving, wonderful living thing. You are the Beyoncé of your own life.

And we are 110% here for it.

Thank you for believing in us, too. We're ready for 2018. #supportwomenartists #supportwomeninbusiness

Let's go,
Jane Hervey (Executive Director and Founder) and the #bbatx team

PS: If you feel like gettin' a little nostalgic, we 10/10 recommend going through our 2017 Top Nine Moments at #BBATX.

Photo by Jinni J for Unity in Color: Austin

Photo by Jinni J for Unity in Color: Austin

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Our Top Nine: The Best Moments At #BBATX This Year

As a young organization, we know as well as anyone doing the work, that creating real change requires small, consistent baby steps. We hope to continue taking those steps so that we can do more, and be more to more women, in 2018. These are our top nine stories of 2017.

We’re almost to the other side — past the first year of T****’s presidency, past an exhausting year to be online, and past the year when so many women made their secret pain public as part of a necessary, but too long awaited revolution. So many momentous things happened in 2017 — nationally, and in our own community.

As a young organization, we know as well as anyone doing the work, that creating real change requires small, consistent steps. We hope to continue taking those steps so that we can do more, and be more to more women, in 2018. In no particular order, these were our top nine biggest hits of 2017.

(BUMP CO-FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER LESLIE LOZANO'S BEST OF '17 PLAYLIST WHILE READING.)

1.) Inaugural State of the Uterus

We started the year off strong, and mad as hell. After joining our sisters to march the streets of Austin on the day of T****’s inauguration, we hosted the resistance at Cheer Up Charlie’s for our inaugural State of the Uterus — and raised $6,500 for local women’s organizations in the process. The night was nothing short of magical with hundreds of broken hearts finding cathartic comfort in dancing the night away.

Our second State of the Uterus (*uterus not required) takes place in the new year, on January 26, at Cheer Up Charlie’s. Join us!

2.) Spring and Fall craftHER Markets

As ever, we spent the year supporting women makers, creatives, and entrepreneurs. In both the spring and fall, we hosted our biannual craftHER market featuring more than 200 vendors and  panels and resources relevant to the maker community. Since its creation two years ago, the market has welcomed more than 7,500 attendees, and we’re getting ready to show up and show out in 2018.

Empress

3.) EMPRESS at SXSW

In 2017, we made ourselves known at SXSW with an all-night dance party and music showcase featuring an all-woman line-up of artists including Anna Wise, Madame Gandhi, Keeper, Micahtron, and more, and of vendors including Peach Fuzz magazine, Cliche Collective, Homoground, and Selva Beat zine. We hope to be back next year!

4.) Austin Women’s Hall of Fame Induction

Our fierce founder Jane Claire Hervey was honored earlier this year by being inducted into Austin Women’s Hall of Fame. The City of Austin Commission for Women recognized Jane, and inductees Robbie Ausley, Colette Pierce Burnette, Ann Howard, Patsy Woods Martin and Jill Ramirez, for the contributions they’ve made to break barriers for women in Austin and to better the lives of women and girls in the area. By recognizing Jane, the city also recognizes the efforts of our organization, and we couldn’t be more proud.

Two Year Anniversary

5.) Turning Two Years Old

This year, we turned another year older and gained another year of wisdom. With every new event we host and program we produce, we learn new ways of organizing, reach more people, and spread our mission further. To celebrate our second birthday this May, we held a blow-out fundraising bash at Space 24 Twenty. The event marked a celebration of the 75+ events held and 15,000+ people reached thus far in our organization’s journey. Here’s to another year of bad-ass babe-ry!

6.) Formation of the #bbatx Committee

We grew by leaps and bounds and women this year! We started the year with just a handful of team members, working hard to put on our full calendar of events and workshops. As we close out the year, we now have more than 15 new babes to call our own. We’re incredibly grateful for the women who have volunteered to give their time and talent to our cause, and we can’t wait to see what they do, and how Boss Babes transforms, with their addition.

Unity in Color

7.) Unity in Color: Austin

This year, we were so proud to help produce the Austin installment of Unity in Color, a worldwide photo series of large group portraits of women wearing yellow. Created by artist, producer, and DJ Jasmine Solano, the series both recognizes the first feminist movement, which used yellow as a symbol, and protests that movement’s exclusivity, racism, and classism. Unity in Color’s mission reflects our own commitment to intersectionality and, following the shoot by Austin-based photographers Jinni J and Diana Ascarrunz, we shared snacks with all involved and discussed how to include that intersectionality in feminism’s future. Participating in the series was absolutely a highlight of the year for our team. 

8.) Return of BABES FEST

BABES FEST was back and better than ever in 2017, with three whole days of women-led and women-created music, comedy, and film. Over three locations in Austin, we hosted more than 50 artists across various medium to help right the severely male-skewed ratios of most music, film, and comedy festivals. And for the first year, we had help from the Line Hotel, who sponsored the festival, helping us to make a bigger splash than we might have otherwise.

Boss Babes rebrand

9.) The #BBATX Rebrand

New look, new us. This year, we got an update — one that meant a lot to us and reflected the future we envision for our organization. Gone are the pink backgrounds and green fronds. Instead, we welcomed oranges, blues, Texas, a new font, and a new mood. Check out the look here and read about our process in finding and defining it.

Thanks for sharing all of these incredible memories and moments with us! For a full look at this year by the numbers, take a peek at 2017's Impact Report. Then, share with us what you've got planned for 2018 in the comments below.

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December Tarotscopes

This post continues our monthly tarotscope series with Solaris the Hii Priestess, one of our regular exhibiting artists and routine collaborators. Each month, Solaris draws cards for each astrological sign and interprets your forecast.

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This post continues our monthly tarotscope series with Solaris the Hii Priestess, one of our regular exhibiting artists and routine collaborators. Each month, Solaris draws cards for each astrological sign and interprets your forecast.

Capricorn - Page of Wands 

You have been gifted by the universe a new creative vision or idea! The page is giving you the spirit of adventure and the enthusiasm to try something new. This is a time for you to freely express yourself in a new way (art, travel, work) without worrying. Challenge yourself to think outside of the box and let the divine universe use you as a vessel. 

Aquarius - The Star  

Aquarius, you are associated with Star card in tarot; what a lucky time! This month will be about rebirth and rejuvenation. The universe is giving you hope to believe again after a hard time. The Star is associated with the number 8, which is related to the completion of cycles and strength. You have completed a new cycle in your life; it’s time to bring in the new. What perfect timing for a new year to begin. It’s your time to shine.

Pisces - Death  

Cycles begin and cycles end. This is a time for radical transformation Pisces. It’s not going to be an easy transition and there will be some resistance when you feel uncertain, but trust the process and convince yourself that surrendering will be better for you in the long run. Forgive yourself for past mistakes and move forward. It was an experience. Embrace a new beginning and grow. 

Aries - The Moon  

Our instincts are buried in our subconscious; are you paying attention to your shadow self Aries ? The Moon card comes up to challenge your judgement and intuition. Are you being honest with yourself? Are you checking your intentions and everyone that you have around? 

Taurus - 10 of Swords 

Sometimes we have no control over our circumstances, but how do you plan on dealing with it when it affects you negatively Taurus? Do you act as a victim or do you understand that the spirit realm gives you challenges to help you advance in the long run? This month look at challenges as a test that you can pass. 

Gemini - Queen of Pentacles 

This is a time of putting your talents to use Gemini, for it could bring you new opportunities to expand your coins! Queens love to live in luxury with the comfort of what money can bring. Create the vision of the life you want to live. It’s time to clean house and prioritize what is important to nurture and grow .

Cancer - Page of Cups 

A wonderful surprise could be in store for you Cancer! Perhaps there is something you have been contemplating or trying to reconnect with that will show up. Your energy is a powerful thing and the universe always says yes to the vibrations that you put out. Make sure that you are expressing gratitude for what’s to come! 

Leo - 9 of Pentacles 

The number 9 deals with choice and fate. Your choices now will affect your fate. Pentacles deals with the element of Earth and money. All of your hard work and sacrifices are paying off. Ease up on yourself a little; it’s okay to congratulate yourself on your progress no matter how small or big it is Leo. Stay disciplined and your needs will always be met. 

Virgo - King of Swords  

Naturally, Virgo, you are a quick thinker with sharp intellect. Swords deals with the mind and a King deals with fire and passion, calling you to be the ruler of your mind. Cut through any deception by using your logic. Kings have the responsibility of running their kingdom and making rational decisions. Your happiness depends on you inspecting your life and cutting off what no longer serves you. 

Libra - 6 of Swords  

The number 6 is giving you an opportunity to learn something new and to improve your imperfections. Swords is dealing with your mind, indicating that there is a journey that is ahead of you caused by sorrow from past actions. Take this time move to forward and heal Libra. 

Scorpio- The Emperor  

The Emperor is associated with the number 4 which deals with balance and symmetry. This is a father-like energy that exudes authority. Look for wisdom from within or from an elder in your life. Your focus should be on building structure and stability. Remove distractions to achieve a solid foundation. 

Sagittarius- 3 of Wands 

Wands deals with the element of fire  and creativity; the number 3 in tarot deals with complexity or cooperation. You have a lot of different ideas which could lead you to be scatterbrained. You can pursue all things but focus on one at time. Create a checklist and set goals; don’t allow your fire to fizzle out from being overwhelmed. Lean on supportive people who will help you stick with completing your task .

A note from Solaris: Allow me Solaris The Hii Priestess, to give you a spiritual forecast for this upcoming week. My goal is to give you insight and awareness from the cards that I pull. As a tarot reader, my job is to make you aware and present of your current energy and to explore what is in your subconscious. I want to help you find closure and put you at ease if you are facing a tough decision. I am not a psychic—I consider myself a holistic counselor. 

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Meet URL Resident Artist Marianna Pasaret

Boss Babes ATX Resident Artist Marianna Pasaret talks about her process, compares digital sketching to traditional drawing, and discusses her latest project, THE HEART. Look out for her work at our December 13 meet. 

“I want to share the way I view the world with other people.”
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Below, artist Marianna Pasaret talks about her process, compares digital sketching to traditional drawing, and discusses her latest project, THE HEART. Look out for her work at our December 13 meet. 

How do you know you’re an artist (besides the obvious)?

As cheesy as this may sound, every moment is a movie for me. I sometimes doze off and stare into my surrounding environment envisioning people duplicating as they walk past me or their shadows turning colors and then forming a path behind them. I’m always making something in my head and I know that I want to share the way I view the world with other people. I know that I’m an artist because I find the way to translate these thoughts to something physical that others can see and touch. 

Tell us about your process, from conception to execution.

I have a small notebook I carry with me almost everywhere I go where I like to write down random thoughts and dreams. Usually when I’m out, I try and appreciate little things and write them down. I tend to draw most late at night so when I feel inspired, I go through my notebook and try and focus on a certain moment or feeling. Once I’ve found the idea that I want to focus on, I pick a song or an artist and I pretty much just listen to them on replay until I feel that a work is finished. 

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What about the digital sketch format inspires you? What does this medium allow you to do that traditional sketching doesn’t? Vice versa?

Digital sketching allows me to go anywhere and use any medium I want. It allows me to try different looks to a piece; I can change colors/objects in it without any consequences. It’s also very quick to use, so when I don’t have a lot of time it’s rewarding to be able to create something in one hour or so. However, traditional sketching gives you a certain randomness that a computer can’t. Digital sketching can sometimes feel staged or static. 

With the digital sketches, you use a lot of layering of images and then of your sketch. Where are you sourcing those images? Do they have meaning to the work besides aesthetics? 

The layering in my digital sketches comes after I draw. After I finish my sketch, I go back on some of my favorite artist’s work and either try and replicate their brush work or use a part of their actual work in my drawing. Each of them have different meaning for the drawings. In my female portraits, I would study works from other artists and would try to pair them with the woman I was drawing or simply how I felt when I was working on her portrait. The meaning is more personal and describes either how I view the individual I drew or who I was when I drew them. 

What was the impetus for THE HEART? Most of your work is done in a digital sketch format; why the leap in medium?

The Heart has been a project I have wanted to make for over a year now but I never had the space or time to actually execute it. Sketching has always been my comfort zone; it’s fairly easy and enjoyable for me. However during the summer I began to question what I wanted to do as an artist in the future and I had identified the heart to be present in many of my works. I wanted to test myself as an artist and see if I could create a project of that size by myself. It was a challenge for me. 

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Has creating THE HEART affected your use of the heart symbol, or the anatomical heart, in your work?

Absolutely, since the project was going to be focused on just a heart I needed to really dive in and understand what it stood for so by knowing more about it I could apply it in more ways. After working on it for several months, it's almost become a symbol of my growth too. 

How has your work evolved since you first began to the present? How do you foresee it evolving in the next few years? Are there any constant themes?

When I first began to draw I would refuse to work with anything but black and white. All my pieces were in ink. My first drawings were not realistic at all but it was because I didn’t think I was capable of making portraits. I’ve always wanted to challenge myself since I get bored pretty fast, so portraits became my first challenge. From ink i went to graphite, then to gouache, digital (still in black and white; it wasn’t until recently that I started adding color) and finally, sculpture in silicone. No matter how many times I switch the media, the woman has always been present in my works. I’ve always asked myself why; I used to go to Catholic school when I first started drawing and I enjoyed getting a reaction out of people when they saw my art so the naked female body would do that. Afterwards it became more of an appreciation of it and as I grew it was a form of empowerment for me as a woman. 

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We Asked: What Is Your Resistance?

At our last meet, we asked 'What is your resistance?' You answered by telling of both who and what you resist and how you practice resistance, referencing both politics and personal demons.

At our last meet, we asked 'What is your resistance?' You answered by telling of both who and what you resist and of how you practice resistance in daily life, referencing both politics and personal demons. We've collected a select few of your answers below. 

Be sure to check for our Topic Question booth at our next meet, happening December 13 at Empire Control Room. 

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EAST Roundup: Studios & Events You Don't Want to Miss

The East Austin Studio Tour returns this weekend and next. We've rounded up the talented painters, sculptors, and creators you don't want to miss, plus a few fun events to keep the expressive vibes flowing.

East Austin Studio Tour

The East Austin Studio Tour returns this weekend, and with it, the art of Austin's talented pool of women creators, including former Boss Babes ATX collaborators like Dawn Okoro. We'll be out and about this weekend and next soaking up the artistic expression of our painting, sculpting, and creating peers. Below, we've listed a few favorites that we'll be hitting up so that you won't miss them.

You can find the full catalog of participating artists here. 

Artists

Women's Empowerment ART Show, #275

Women in Transition: Chery Henderson, #47

In the morning, I am all I ever wanted to be, copper and acrylic on wood panel, 24x36 inches, Dawn Okoro

In the morning, I am all I ever wanted to be, copper and acrylic on wood panel, 24x36 inches, Dawn Okoro

The Liberation of Five Carnival Ponies on the Wings of Patsy Cline, Judith Smith

The Liberation of Five Carnival Ponies on the Wings of Patsy Cline, Judith Smith

Nikki Alexander Atkinson

Nikki Alexander Atkinson

Nikki Alexander Atkinson, #75

Events

Keep Austin Creating
November 19, 12 - 4 p.m.
Austin School of Film, 2200 Tillery Street

Entre Seres
November 11, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Nepantla, 1209 E. Cesar Chavez St.

Doc's List Austin Austin Dance Project
November 18, 11 a.m. - November 19, 6 p.m.
Soma Vida, 2324 E. Cesar Chavez Street

17th Melanated Market Place
November 11, 11 a.m.
Tony's Jamaican Food, 1200 E. 11th Street

The Moon Collective Presents: EAST 2017 (A Ceramics Show)
November 11 + 12, November 18 + 19
705 Gunter St.

EAST Community Breakfast
November 11, 9 - 11:30 a.m.
1300 E. 5th Street

Studio East at Friends & Neighbors
November 11 - 12, November 18 - 19, 11 a.m.
Friends & Neighbors, 2614 E. Cesar Chavez Street

Artist's Reception: EAST SciArtist Pop-Up
November 10, 6 - 9 p.m.
Art.Science.Gallery., 916 Springdale Road, Building 2, #102

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