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100 Women | 100 Oceans
Notes from the Parenting Underbelly - Kootenay Edition
A collection of stories, fables and poems with prints and commentaries based on 100 intimate interviews set in the West Kootenay region of BC, Canada.
Welcome.
Welcome.
Dear Fierce Mountain Mama:
Would you consider sharing your story with me for this arts project? As it happens, in Nelson, BC, there are 575 lone-parent households and 435 are led by women. My goal then, is to transform 100 parenting stories into 2 types of art: words and images.
My first "reply" to the interview will be in my own words. It could take the shape of a story, a fable or a poem. My second "reply" will be in images. It can be a combination of drawing, linocut prints (stamps) and a photo portrait of you.
More interestingly, you could create your own response to your story with words and images. It is an option...If you described you own personal ocean as a woman and/or a mother, would would it look like?
Responding artistically to selected parenting successes and challenges - yours and mine, will help shape an honest collection - one that represents parents in the West Kootenay with great respect, care, tact and grit.
So, in part, I am looking to find out: "What is your family's big question?". This is because every family is their best answer to a particular question designed -knowingly or not - by those who came before.
Have some ideas. Please send me an email.
Sincerely,
Carina
My first "reply" to the interview will be in my own words. It could take the shape of a story, a fable or a poem. My second "reply" will be in images. It can be a combination of drawing, linocut prints (stamps) and a photo portrait of you.
More interestingly, you could create your own response to your story with words and images. It is an option...If you described you own personal ocean as a woman and/or a mother, would would it look like?
Responding artistically to selected parenting successes and challenges - yours and mine, will help shape an honest collection - one that represents parents in the West Kootenay with great respect, care, tact and grit.
So, in part, I am looking to find out: "What is your family's big question?". This is because every family is their best answer to a particular question designed -knowingly or not - by those who came before.
Have some ideas. Please send me an email.
Sincerely,
Carina
Overarching Artistic Anthropology Project Goals: EMANCIPATION OF VOICE
I've chosen to work with 100 women and mothers in what is called Nelson, BC.
ETHIC 1 : Research must be in service of the community I have chosen to work with.
ETHIC 2 : The activity should yield knowledge useful and requested or wanted by those one works with thus making [actionable] contributions to the people with whom the researcher-artists is collaborating. For instance: As a rurally living woman and mother what would you like to know more about in relation to yourselves, the society you are living in and the systems that operate within it? Or, What are your day-to-day pre-occupations?
ETHIC 3 : The relationship should be collegial, consensual and collaborative.
e.g. being of service in supporting people to document their own stories, for instance through the use of audio recordings, transcription, and other means).
ETHIC 4: All work must pass under the scrutiny of and approval of the people whose lives are being documented.
ETHIC 5: Any method that leads to the emancipation of voice for/by the people being documented (and who are documenting themselves) rather than appropriation of voice would fall under the heading of decolonizing approaches.
These are relatively new practices and I am excited to explore these possibilities.
Together = Better.
Thank you to Dr. Christine Elsey, Professor Emeritus, Anthropology,
for guidance in these matters of contemporary practical ethics in the social sciences.
ETHIC 1 : Research must be in service of the community I have chosen to work with.
ETHIC 2 : The activity should yield knowledge useful and requested or wanted by those one works with thus making [actionable] contributions to the people with whom the researcher-artists is collaborating. For instance: As a rurally living woman and mother what would you like to know more about in relation to yourselves, the society you are living in and the systems that operate within it? Or, What are your day-to-day pre-occupations?
ETHIC 3 : The relationship should be collegial, consensual and collaborative.
e.g. being of service in supporting people to document their own stories, for instance through the use of audio recordings, transcription, and other means).
ETHIC 4: All work must pass under the scrutiny of and approval of the people whose lives are being documented.
ETHIC 5: Any method that leads to the emancipation of voice for/by the people being documented (and who are documenting themselves) rather than appropriation of voice would fall under the heading of decolonizing approaches.
These are relatively new practices and I am excited to explore these possibilities.
Together = Better.
Thank you to Dr. Christine Elsey, Professor Emeritus, Anthropology,
for guidance in these matters of contemporary practical ethics in the social sciences.
Learn More with FAQs
Go to the Frequently Asked Questions FAQ section to learn more.
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Carina Costom
CREATIVE PROJECT LEAD
I'm a bilingual early career artist fluent in French and English. I do not speak the languages connected to my known ancestry: Arabic, Russian, Hebrew, Ladino, nor Yiddish. My creative practice includes: writing essays, stories and poetry, as well as photography, illustration, facilitation and a persistent quest to understand family, culture, and the cost of belonging.
I am passionate about the arts, nature, cultural anthropology and of course, "momming." #ImOneInA100
I am passionate about the arts, nature, cultural anthropology and of course, "momming." #ImOneInA100
The Timeline
Project Part 1
From Fall 2025 to Fall 2026 complete:
From Fall 2025 to Fall 2026 complete:
- 100 interviews
- 100 written and visual artistic responses.
- A first draft of a manuscript.
Steps
#1Together, set a date for a recorded conversation. Complete a
Q & A and informed consent process. Enjoy a good a chat! You receive a transcript for vetting. |
#2
I 'll create 3 responses to your recorded sharing using: a) creative writing, b) visual art, c) portraiture. Responses can be shared with you if desired.
#3
There may be opportunities to gather in small groups. This is an organic community engagement project and is open to your ideas and personal inspiration as well. Let's see what wants to happen. Stronger together.
RULE NUMBER ONE: There are no rules.
RULE NUMBER TWO: Ignore rule number one. Here's why.
Make Peace
make peace
with all the women you once were.
lay flowers at their feet.
offer them incense and honey and forgiveness.
honor them
and give them your silence.
listen.
bless them
and let them be.
for they are the bones of the temple you
sit in now.
for they are the rivers of wisdom
leading you toward the sea.
I have been a thousand different women.
- Emory Hall (emoryhall.com)
with all the women you once were.
lay flowers at their feet.
offer them incense and honey and forgiveness.
honor them
and give them your silence.
listen.
bless them
and let them be.
for they are the bones of the temple you
sit in now.
for they are the rivers of wisdom
leading you toward the sea.
I have been a thousand different women.
- Emory Hall (emoryhall.com)
