The lowdown
︎︎︎our Blog
low·down /ˈlōdoun/ noun:
1. the true facts or relevant information about something.
1. the true facts or relevant information about something.
for the kyrgyz women
by Aisha Kuban, CRMS Senior
Meet the Artist
Aisha Kuban is still figuring herself out, but one thing she knows for sure is that she wants to give back to her community. Aisha is from Kyrgyzstan, a country in the heart of Central Asia. She has been traveling a lot throughout her life. Aisha has lived in three different countries and studied in numerous schools in several languages. She has an adventurous spirit and a creative mind. Aisha loves sharing her experience and culture with people. The reason she came to the United States was to get a U.S. High School diploma and to better her English skills. Currently, she is a senior at Colorado Rocky Mountain School in Carbondale, Colorado.
Aisha has spent her 2023 Senior Project designing and developing a print edition to raise awareness and funds for a social justice cause she cares deeply about. This Community Service Project is made possible by the 2022/2023 Arts in Society grant supporting cross sector arts projects addressing social justice.Artist statement:
As I grew up, I noticed how women in Kyrgyzstan and other post-soviet countries are mistreated and held to a higher standard than men. It seemed that they only existed to cater to others. Generally, girls would grow up faster than boys, because they had more household obligations. It is expected of a woman with a career to do all of the household chores and childcare, while the same wouldn’t apply to men. There are many cases of different forms of violence against women, victim blaming, and disrespect of women in my country. The work that the Kyrgyz women do is expected and viewed as innate. In addition, their work often goes unnoticed and is minimized.
As I grew up, I noticed how women in Kyrgyzstan and other post-soviet countries are mistreated and held to a higher standard than men. It seemed that they only existed to cater to others. Generally, girls would grow up faster than boys, because they had more household obligations. It is expected of a woman with a career to do all of the household chores and childcare, while the same wouldn’t apply to men. There are many cases of different forms of violence against women, victim blaming, and disrespect of women in my country. The work that the Kyrgyz women do is expected and viewed as innate. In addition, their work often goes unnoticed and is minimized.
With the time I was given for the project, I focused on creating an illustration celebrating the women of my country incorporating traditional design elements from my culture. By recognizing that women are irreplaceable in society, I believe that they will be treated with the respect that they deserve.
There are three generations of women depicted on the front of the t-shirt, with the oldest woman leading the way to the sun, which represents a brighter future. Each of the women has cultural costumes and hairstyles that indicate their age. The other women have different types of headwear. On the back side of the t-shirt, there is a little note in Kyrgyz and its translation to English, as well as a picture of my grandma holding me as a newborn, tying back to the idea of connections and support between the generations.
There are three generations of women depicted on the front of the t-shirt, with the oldest woman leading the way to the sun, which represents a brighter future. Each of the women has cultural costumes and hairstyles that indicate their age. The other women have different types of headwear. On the back side of the t-shirt, there is a little note in Kyrgyz and its translation to English, as well as a picture of my grandma holding me as a newborn, tying back to the idea of connections and support between the generations.
Design Insiration
There are a lot of rocks thrown at women, yet there are millions of women who still push through and succeed in their way. Women in my country are strong and resilient. They are great leaders, hard-working athletes, breathtaking performers, masterful actors, smart doctors, caring mothers, protective sisters, and kind friends. You can read more about the great women of Kyrgyzstan
here.
The money raised from selling my prints
will be donated to Sezim,
a Crisis Center for women in Kyrgyzstan.
will be donated to Sezim,
a Crisis Center for women in Kyrgyzstan.
shipping or pickup available
click the pay button during checkout to process payment
click the pay button during checkout to process payment
TOTE BAGS
$25
- 100% Organic Cotton
- Artist Printed with water based inks and cured to be machine washable.
- 25" self-fabric handles
- 20" W x 14" H x 5" D
- SEDEX SMETA audited factory usine 20% Solar Power
T-SHIRTS
$35
- 100% Organic Cotton GOTS certified ONNO brand shirt.
- Made in small, family-owned partner factories.
- Comfortable fit. Not baggy, not tight. Made to Move®
- Washable however you like.
- Printed with water based inks.
- Cured to be machine washable.
ART PRINT
$15
- Editioned and signed by the artist
Limited edition goes to CSA subscribers.
Our CSA {Community Supported Art} program is growing collection of amazing designs created and hand-printed at The Project Shop. Featured artists collaborate with Shop artists to develop, produce and deiver an outstanding print edition. Artists are taught new techniques and offered the opportunity to express their voices and stretch outside their comfort zones.
And you, dear members of our community never know what goodness you will receive to share with the world. Your support allows us to empower these young, emerging and curious artists to share their voices through tangible and quality limited edition print goods.
Our CSA {Community Supported Art} program is growing collection of amazing designs created and hand-printed at The Project Shop. Featured artists collaborate with Shop artists to develop, produce and deiver an outstanding print edition. Artists are taught new techniques and offered the opportunity to express their voices and stretch outside their comfort zones.
And you, dear members of our community never know what goodness you will receive to share with the world. Your support allows us to empower these young, emerging and curious artists to share their voices through tangible and quality limited edition print goods.
Cosplay and (DID) dissociative identity disorder
by Kathryn Rizzo, CRMS Senior
Meet the Artist
Kathryn Rizzo, also known as K.Grey, is an artist and cosplayer from New Jersey. She is graduating from Colorado Rocky Mountain School, studying art, and going to Ringling College of Art and Design for fine arts. Her style has transformed through high school, and she focuses on playing around with different mediums and the beauty in imperfection. She tries to mix her love for both cosplay and traditional art. She mainly makes portrait art and paints but likes to include aspects of embroidery and sewing in her work. She’s self-taught in cosplay creation and started it in 2021 from YouTube videos and is heavily influenced by the cosplayer SerbertQuake.
Kathryn Rizzo, also known as K.Grey, is an artist and cosplayer from New Jersey. She is graduating from Colorado Rocky Mountain School, studying art, and going to Ringling College of Art and Design for fine arts. Her style has transformed through high school, and she focuses on playing around with different mediums and the beauty in imperfection. She tries to mix her love for both cosplay and traditional art. She mainly makes portrait art and paints but likes to include aspects of embroidery and sewing in her work. She’s self-taught in cosplay creation and started it in 2021 from YouTube videos and is heavily influenced by the cosplayer SerbertQuake.
Kathryn has spent her 2023 Senior Project designing and developing a print edition to raise awareness and funds for a social justice cause she cares deeply about. This Community Service Project is made possible by the 2022/2023 Arts in Society grant supporting cross sector arts projects addressing social justice.
Join us by donating today.Artist statement:
I've always had a passion for speaking about mental health issues, especially as a teenager. With that interest, I wanted to have aspects of mental health issues depicted in my artwork.
The design shown on the front of the shirt is meant to describe what it's like to share a body in a system and how it can feel to live with DID. The person in the middle is meant to depict the host body of the system. The hands pulling at the person represent all the different alters in a system. The more faded figure is meant to show the dissociation of the body. The person on the floor is meant to be the trauma holder of the system.
I wanted to mix my love and style of portrait art into the shirt and design. I had no idea what DID was for a very long time. It wasn't something I wasn't ever exposed to. I had seen an interview about it and was immediately interested after watching it.
The design shown on the front of the shirt is meant to describe what it's like to share a body in a system and how it can feel to live with DID. The person in the middle is meant to depict the host body of the system. The hands pulling at the person represent all the different alters in a system. The more faded figure is meant to show the dissociation of the body. The person on the floor is meant to be the trauma holder of the system.
I wanted to mix my love and style of portrait art into the shirt and design. I had no idea what DID was for a very long time. It wasn't something I wasn't ever exposed to. I had seen an interview about it and was immediately interested after watching it.
The back design is meant to bring fandom into DID, which is a form of comfort for those with DID. I wanted to capture the imagination of DID and how fandom is used as a safe place for people with DID or other disorders to escape their trauma and triggers. One of my biggest inspirations is a cosplayer who has DID. I remember respecting them more as a person and a cosplayer after finding this out, understanding them, and bringing attention on a large scale to what DID is. I've always had a balance of having the self-confidence to look and wear whatever I wanted, but I also feared what people thought of me. Cosplay has brought another level of confidence for those with trouble feeling like they belong. It's been hard finding my crowd in high school, and becoming a part of the cosplay community both in person and online has made me more social and confident. Show my peers my experience and others' experience with fandom to help them understand the way we experience our self-confidence. I want to celebrate cosplay and those who are vulnerable through cosplay and who use fandom to find comfort in themselves again.
I am donating the money from sales to An Infinite Mind,
an organization run by people who have DID,
and directly give back to the community.
LIMITED EDITION FOR SALE
T-SHIRTS
- Oversized hand cropped by the artist.
- Triblend crazy-soft sustainable tee
- 50% polyester from recycled plastic bottles. 25% organic cotton. 25% Tencel™ Modal.
- 4.2 ounce
ART PRINT
$15
- Editioned and signed by the artist
COSPLAY ART PIECE
Limited edition goes to CSA subscribers.
Our CSA {Community Supported Art} program is growing collection of amazing designs created and hand-printed at The Project Shop. Featured artists collaborate with Shop artists to develop, produce and deiver an outstanding print edition. Artists are taught new techniques and offered the opportunity to express their voices and stretch outside their comfort zones.
And you, dear members of our community never know what goodness you will receive to share with the world. Your support allows us to empower these young, emerging and curious artists to share their voices through tangible and quality limited edition print goods.
Our CSA {Community Supported Art} program is growing collection of amazing designs created and hand-printed at The Project Shop. Featured artists collaborate with Shop artists to develop, produce and deiver an outstanding print edition. Artists are taught new techniques and offered the opportunity to express their voices and stretch outside their comfort zones.
And you, dear members of our community never know what goodness you will receive to share with the world. Your support allows us to empower these young, emerging and curious artists to share their voices through tangible and quality limited edition print goods.
GWAFF: 7 years at SAW
Special Collector’s Edition
ADAM TING made an amazing thing and we used it for our poster. Celebrating 7 years at SAW.
GWAFF UNISEX SHIRT
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- Dessert Sun Triblend
- crazy-soft sustainable tee
- 50% polyester from recycled plastic bottles.25% organic cotton.25% Tencel™ Modal.4.2 ounce
GWAFF PRINT
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- Collector’s Limited Edition
- Heavyweight Poppy paper
All items hand printed with water-based inks, cured to be machine washable.
Handle with care, for longevity wash cold and line dry.
Issues with check out or want to pay with Check or Cash? Text/call Reina @ 9704041927
Handle with care, for longevity wash cold and line dry.
Issues with check out or want to pay with Check or Cash? Text/call Reina @ 9704041927
Bent willow: PREORDER
Special Collectors Edition
To honor visiting artist Manay Whitcomb’s recent project we are printing a limited edition available in 3 ways. Read more about the artist and her design here.
SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION PRE-ORDER by MAY 2nd
Unisex Short Sleeve Tee
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- Herb Green 100% Certified Organic Cotton
- This tee is carbon neutral, saving ~ 64 gallons of water.
- 4.5 ounce, rib knit neck, shoulder to shoulder taping and side seams.
Gray Tea Towel
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- 27” x 27” Square
- Heavyweight 100% Cotton
- Hemmed on all sides.
- A corner loop for convenient storage or hang drying.
- Use as a Furoshiki Japanese Wrapping Cloth to elegantly present a gift.
Organic Cotton Bandana
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- 24" x 24” Square
- Lightweight Organic Cotton
- Hemmed on all sides
- Wear it around your neck or tied in your hair, they can also be used to bundle, cover and accentuate your things.
All items hand printed with water-based inks, cured to be machine washable.
Handle with care, for longevity wash cold and line dry.
Issues with check out or want to pay with Check or Cash? Text/call Reina @ 9704041927
Handle with care, for longevity wash cold and line dry.
Issues with check out or want to pay with Check or Cash? Text/call Reina @ 9704041927
"It didn't take me long to see how this chaotically organized, magical space is a place of support, and imagination for anyone who wants to express anything.“
words from the artist on her time at The Project Shop
Bent willow
by CSA: Featured Artist Manay Whitcomb
Manay, a writer, artist and dear friend came to visit and we developed a print design to go with a poem she wrote recently. Connecting with her and hearing her share her story and develop this design in conversation with shop artists was a powerful and moving experience.
“I looked up at the stars, and felt nothing but unconditional love, and that I too was a part of everything.”
In the piece itself my writing may be difficult to read, my poem is a very important part of the piece so here it is printed as well:
Bent Willow
I dance in the wind as my leaves mimic the butterfly.
My arms branch out in a tangled design.
Reaching.
Longing. For a distance they can't find.
Delicate
Yet strong.
My roots seem to prove.
As I bend in resistance,
Finding my place in the grooves.
Brown and wise,
Green and young.
I grow.
I bend.
Sending restless cries through the wind.
Bent
But not damaged.
Thin
But still thriving.
I am a Bent Willow.
To whomever reads this and has a piece of this loved crafted print, here is my message to you:
Embrace the sadness, the anger. Allow yourself to mold, allow yourself to bend in the wind. But remember no matter how bent, you are not damaged. No matter how thin, you can still thrive. Move forward with love, and the power you have to wake up and choose who you want to be. There is an ember in all of us. Don't waste time with never feeling your ember spark. Make Fire.
-Manay Whitcomb
Embrace the sadness, the anger. Allow yourself to mold, allow yourself to bend in the wind. But remember no matter how bent, you are not damaged. No matter how thin, you can still thrive. Move forward with love, and the power you have to wake up and choose who you want to be. There is an ember in all of us. Don't waste time with never feeling your ember spark. Make Fire.
-Manay Whitcomb
About Visiting Artist
Manay Whitcomb
Meet the Artist
My name is Manay Whitcomb, I am 15 years young and live in Sun Valley Idaho. This art piece was inspired by my poem, Bent Willow, which is my expression about the past year of my life. In the fall of 2021 I was sent to a Wilderness program in the desert of Utah, which was just the beginning of my journey. Pain, anger, and the path of fear is what led me to wilderness. I was stripped down to only what I could carry on my back, living under the mercy of the desert and my own surrender. My first night held my face wet with tears, my heart in agony, and my eyes looking at the stars feeling nothing but alienated. As time kindly carried me through each day, new hope and perspectives arose with the sun. I began to come into my body, and feel the medicine of finally having to nurture what was hurt internally. I got to feel peace in the silence, and grounded in nature which in turn grounded me within myself. As the people and the desert got to know me, I was given the name Bent Willow. Symbolizing only what resonated with me. I then let my heart find the words that created this poem. “Surender.” This is the word that carried me through my year. I wanted the illustration to represent this word along with peace. The peace I came to find. The meditating Buddah illustrates this. The dove to the right, is the messenger. Carrying my manifestations, hopes, and cries through the wind.
Wilderness was just the start for me, a life altering beginning. As my journey went on I was faced with many challenges and came to feel hurt and pain all over again. In those moments, I looked back at the words I found in the dessert, and found reassurance and strength. Remembering the bittersweet feeling I had, my last night in the desert. I Looked up at the stars, and felt nothing but unconditional love, and that I too was a part of everything. I am grateful that I got to come full circle and further this expression through art. One of the most important parts of wilderness was fire. Duh. Fire brought food and warmth. Toward the end of my 3 months of surviving in the desert I got to go on a Solo, where I was left to survive on my own for 4 days. I went 2 nights without fire. On my last night, I got my ember. I am still making fire today, in all aspects of my life. I make fire.
My name is Manay Whitcomb, I am 15 years young and live in Sun Valley Idaho. This art piece was inspired by my poem, Bent Willow, which is my expression about the past year of my life. In the fall of 2021 I was sent to a Wilderness program in the desert of Utah, which was just the beginning of my journey. Pain, anger, and the path of fear is what led me to wilderness. I was stripped down to only what I could carry on my back, living under the mercy of the desert and my own surrender. My first night held my face wet with tears, my heart in agony, and my eyes looking at the stars feeling nothing but alienated. As time kindly carried me through each day, new hope and perspectives arose with the sun. I began to come into my body, and feel the medicine of finally having to nurture what was hurt internally. I got to feel peace in the silence, and grounded in nature which in turn grounded me within myself. As the people and the desert got to know me, I was given the name Bent Willow. Symbolizing only what resonated with me. I then let my heart find the words that created this poem. “Surender.” This is the word that carried me through my year. I wanted the illustration to represent this word along with peace. The peace I came to find. The meditating Buddah illustrates this. The dove to the right, is the messenger. Carrying my manifestations, hopes, and cries through the wind.
Wilderness was just the start for me, a life altering beginning. As my journey went on I was faced with many challenges and came to feel hurt and pain all over again. In those moments, I looked back at the words I found in the dessert, and found reassurance and strength. Remembering the bittersweet feeling I had, my last night in the desert. I Looked up at the stars, and felt nothing but unconditional love, and that I too was a part of everything. I am grateful that I got to come full circle and further this expression through art. One of the most important parts of wilderness was fire. Duh. Fire brought food and warmth. Toward the end of my 3 months of surviving in the desert I got to go on a Solo, where I was left to survive on my own for 4 days. I went 2 nights without fire. On my last night, I got my ember. I am still making fire today, in all aspects of my life. I make fire.
About the process:
My father is originally from Aspen, and most of my family still lives in the valley. Colorado, especially Carbondale, is my home away from home, but the home in my heart, will forever and always belong to my beautiful grandmother Polly, who takes up residency in Carbondale. This Wonderwoman is responsible for my love of poetry, and is the person who inspired and showed me the power of literature. Apart from writing, I love to talk. So writing and articulating words has always come easy, and it has continued to evolve into a forlonging outlet for expression. I recently came to the valley to visit my Grandma who told me about Reina’s workshop and the CSA project. It didn't take me long to see how this chaotically organized, magical space is a place of support, and imagination for anyone who wants to express anything. The first step in my project creation was to reflect on what I wanted to share. Once I had my idea, I started putting my design to paper. I was cleverly guided to use my left hand, to let the creativity flow without fixation. Once I had my design, I organized it on a computer along with my poem before we started the screen printing process. When I had my final draft organized on the computer, a machine took the information from the computer and copied that design to create a plastic copy of the screen print. Technology is amazing. We then used UV rays of special lights on the screen that the machine created. I then got to use water to wash the screen, revealing the parts of the screen that the ink would go through. Then of course the best and most rewarding part was getting to print my design on clothing.
Limited edition goes to CSA subscribers.
Our CSA {Community Supported Art} program is growing collection of amazing designs created and hand-printed at The Project Shop. Featured artists collaborate with Shop artists to develop, produce and deliver an outstanding print edition. Artists are taught new techniques and offered the opportunity to express their voices and stretch outside their comfort zones.
And you, dear members of our community never know what goodness you will receive to share with the world. Your support allows us to empower these young, emerging and curious artists to share their voices through tangible and quality limited edition print goods.
Our CSA {Community Supported Art} program is growing collection of amazing designs created and hand-printed at The Project Shop. Featured artists collaborate with Shop artists to develop, produce and deliver an outstanding print edition. Artists are taught new techniques and offered the opportunity to express their voices and stretch outside their comfort zones.
And you, dear members of our community never know what goodness you will receive to share with the world. Your support allows us to empower these young, emerging and curious artists to share their voices through tangible and quality limited edition print goods.
{19-1392} service project Reflection
UPDATE on safeguarding reproductive healthcare.
Hi Everyone, I want to start by thanking you all for the support on project 19-1392: safe access for Women’s Healthcare. As of June 28th, we’ve successfully raised $630 for Glenwood’s Planned Parenthood, and we hope to continue supporting reproductive clinics in the Rocky Mountains!!! In light of recent events, we’ve decided to do round-two of printing for additional orders!!
Since June 24th, I have been mourning the death of women’s autonomy, the death of women’s access to protected healthcare, and the death of America’s promise to liberty and the right to privacy. The SCOTUS decision to gut the protections set forth by Roe not only enable 26 states to restrict abortion access, but also 25 states to completely ban abortion proceedures. Yet public interests contest our legislation reality– “about six-in-ten Americans say abortion should be legal in some or all cases” (Pew Research Center).
Today, as a young woman in America, I am angered, saddened, and disappointed in our legislation system. Yet though it can feel like our hands are tied, we must remind ourselves that our legislators are meant to serve us and laws are supposed to represent our interests! Upon interviewing Rebecca Binion (Glenwood Planned Parenthood director), she pointed out a few ways for us to continuing the safeguard of aboriton access in CO: listen to people’s stories, use your voice to talk about health equity, support the organizations that are advocating for reproductive rights and justice, and most importantly, VOTE! (I encourage you all to go to read the rest of my interview with rebecca!)
Since June 24th, I have been mourning the death of women’s autonomy, the death of women’s access to protected healthcare, and the death of America’s promise to liberty and the right to privacy. The SCOTUS decision to gut the protections set forth by Roe not only enable 26 states to restrict abortion access, but also 25 states to completely ban abortion proceedures. Yet public interests contest our legislation reality– “about six-in-ten Americans say abortion should be legal in some or all cases” (Pew Research Center).
Today, as a young woman in America, I am angered, saddened, and disappointed in our legislation system. Yet though it can feel like our hands are tied, we must remind ourselves that our legislators are meant to serve us and laws are supposed to represent our interests! Upon interviewing Rebecca Binion (Glenwood Planned Parenthood director), she pointed out a few ways for us to continuing the safeguard of aboriton access in CO: listen to people’s stories, use your voice to talk about health equity, support the organizations that are advocating for reproductive rights and justice, and most importantly, VOTE! (I encourage you all to go to read the rest of my interview with rebecca!)
Heavyweight Sweatshirt
- 50% US Cotton / 50% Polyester
- 100% of our fabric cutting scraps are recycled into fiber and used in new products
- 33% of the energy used to manufacture our products comes from renewable resources
- 8.0 ounce
Eco/organic T-shirt
This tee is carbon neutral!
- 50% polyester from recycled plastic bottles.
- 25% organic cotton.
- 25% Tencel™ Modal.
- 4.2 ounce
Eco/organic Totebag
8 oz. Organic Cotton Twill Everyday Tote
Limited Edition Print 11” x 15”
Original print on paper made from recycled t-shirts.
More About the Design
Medusa:
In Greek Mythology, Medusa is painted as a monster that turns men into stone. Yet deeply misunderstood is the sexual assault written in her origin story and protection her snakes offer. In the design, I chose the allusion to Medusa’s story as a metaphor for the villanization and criminalization of a woman’s decision to get an abortion. Societal values and expectations force women to carry the enormous weight of guilt. But I’m a firm believer that we should remove this stigma of shaming women for making a decision relative to their lives. Everyone deserves kindness, love, and respect, even if their decisions don’t align with another’s beliefs.
Lady Justice:
The crown and scale of Lady Justice are sympathetic to the injustices imposed upon a woman’s autonomy over her physical and mental health due to the lack of safe medical resources. The paradox of the issue lies within the personal freedom protection offered by the 14th Amendment and the lack of “right to privacy” for women when it comes to reproductive health care. Additionally, extreme policies regarding abortion access does not accurately represent voters interests in red or blue states. And beyond our flawed legislative system, the symbols of Lady Justice also unveils the gray area between the planes of justice and morality.
19-1392:
19-1392 is the doc number assigned to the underlying case: Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, whcih was filed 3/19/2018 regarding the constitutionality of a Mississippi law that banned abortions after 15 weeks of preganacy.
Inspo:
Passionate about the sociological crossroads of policy and society, I am always eager to learn about the relations between historical relevance and current events. And as a young women in America today, abortion legislations directly impacts my body, my mental health, and the trajectary of my life. Growing up in a conservative family, I am always forced to wrestle with the morality behind the weight of such decisions. Therefore, the purpose of this art piece is not only a method of advocating for my rights, but also a bridge between the gaps of my parents’ and I’s worldviews.
Artist Statement
Bio
About the Process
As a young women in America today, abortion legislations directly impacts my body, my mental health, and the trajectary of my life. And growing up in a conservative family, I am always forced to wrestle with the morality behind the weight of such decisions. Therefore, the purpose of this art piece not only advocates for my rights, but also bridges the gap between my parents’ and my worldviews.
Bio
Growing up in the metropolis of Shanghai, China and making the odyssey to Cleveland, and then again to the Rocky Mountains, Mandy’s entire life is governed by movement and the excitement that accompanies exploration of the new. Taking art lessons since the age of 7, her art mainly revolved around traditional styles and mediums of acrylics and pencil. Driven by her personal identity as an Asian American and her involvement within the outdoor community, Mandy’s artistic style has evolved to integrate issues of racial and enviornmental justice. She is also experimenting with new mediums and styles such as: textiles, pointillism, ink, and now print-making at the Project Shop. Recently graduated from Colorado Rocky Mountain School, Mandy is taking a Gap Year to travel, before attending Pitzer College, where she is excited to participate in Claremont’s local art clubs and to explore Pitzer’s muralistic art scene.
About the Process
Holding myself accountable to give the project an informed foundation, I dedicated time to researching abortion rights and interviewed Rebecca Binion, director of the Planned Parenthood in Glenwood Springs. I distilled the web of information into one precise message: access to abortion is about providing safe health care for women, which should be an issue between a woman and her doctor.
Finally, I went back to the drawing board, drifting into my imaginative space and away from the logos and overthinking. Through the act of losing myself in creativity, I was able to weave meaningful elements into the design (which you can read more about at TheProjectShop.org). And, most importantly, I was able to see my designs come to life on sweatshirts, totes, tees and posters. The experience of carefully printing each piece of cloth, and knowing that 100% of my dedication to the project will be donated to Planned Parenthood, is truly rewarding.
Funding:
100% of profits made from the products will be donated to supporting @PlannedParenthood. Having reproductive healthcare facilities are important as it pertains to providing safe, accessible contraceptives, sex-ed, STI testings and treatments, and abortions. Additionally, to supplement the art project, I have contacted Rebecca Binion, the director of the Glenwood Planned Parenthood, for an interview regarding access to reproductive health care in the valley and how the potential overturn of Roe may impact our local community. You can check out the article @soprissun.
{19-1392} Interview with Planned parenthood Executive director
Mandy Lei & Rebecca Binion
Do you think reproductive health care is widely accessible to most women in the valley?
The Glenwood Spring Health Center is the only Planned Parenthood west of the Denver area in mid-Utah. We serve a wide geographic region, not only the Roaring Fork Valley. We are proud to offer comprehensive reproductive health care and that includes abortion care.
Health disparities that impact too many people, and the Roaring Fork Valley is not immune to that. Many patients that we serve lack any form of insurance, indicating that patients can’t afford, or don’t qualify for coverage.
Do you notice any disparities between abortion/reproductive health care access for women in the valley? (whether that is in terms of class, race, etc.)
What is the most common demographic make-up for women seeking abortion access in the valley?
1 in 3 people will have an abortion in their lifetime, of all backgrounds. Abortion is a very common part of health care.
What is one of the most difficult discussions you have had on the topic of abortion rights?
I have had the honor of working with PPRM for 20 years. Supporting patient access and advocating for my team is of the utmost importance to me. Nothing compares to what is happening right now in Texas, Oklahoma, and at the U.S. Supreme Court. This is the most difficult. I cannot imagine what it must feel like to be a person in Texas needing and abortion, and what it will soon be for so many more people across our country.
How are you feeling regarding the recent leaked SCOTUS opinion regarding the overturn of Roe?
I am outraged and saddened that instead of progress, we are going back. I am proud to be an abortion provider and I will continue to do whatever we need to help our patients get the care they need. I worry about the folx that won’t get the care they need.
If Roe is overturned, how do you foresee the consequences will impact the valley/our local community?
How do you foresee the decision impacting Colorado as a whole? It seems that our legislators will move to safeguard abortion access, but could the upcoming mid-term election potentially alter that outcome? And how do you forsee the restrictive access to abortion in neighboring states, such as New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona, will impact the avaliablilites of clinics in CO?
Our health center is already seeing patients from our neighboring states. The unfortunate reality is that people are being forced out of their communities, must wait longer times, and travel further and further distances to access abortion care.
What do you forsee the direction of the abortions rights movement moving towards in the future? Is there hope?
The majority of people in our country support abortion access.
Lastly, how can we (especially the younger generation and as a community), help protect abortion rights and the access to safe health care for women?
The Glenwood Spring Health Center is the only Planned Parenthood west of the Denver area in mid-Utah. We serve a wide geographic region, not only the Roaring Fork Valley. We are proud to offer comprehensive reproductive health care and that includes abortion care.
Health disparities that impact too many people, and the Roaring Fork Valley is not immune to that. Many patients that we serve lack any form of insurance, indicating that patients can’t afford, or don’t qualify for coverage.
Do you notice any disparities between abortion/reproductive health care access for women in the valley? (whether that is in terms of class, race, etc.)
- Only some many providers accept Medicaid
- Over 30% of the patients we serve speak only Spanish.
- We care for all patients, and every patient is offered financial support if needed.
What is the most common demographic make-up for women seeking abortion access in the valley?
1 in 3 people will have an abortion in their lifetime, of all backgrounds. Abortion is a very common part of health care.
What is one of the most difficult discussions you have had on the topic of abortion rights?
I have had the honor of working with PPRM for 20 years. Supporting patient access and advocating for my team is of the utmost importance to me. Nothing compares to what is happening right now in Texas, Oklahoma, and at the U.S. Supreme Court. This is the most difficult. I cannot imagine what it must feel like to be a person in Texas needing and abortion, and what it will soon be for so many more people across our country.
How are you feeling regarding the recent leaked SCOTUS opinion regarding the overturn of Roe?
I am outraged and saddened that instead of progress, we are going back. I am proud to be an abortion provider and I will continue to do whatever we need to help our patients get the care they need. I worry about the folx that won’t get the care they need.
If Roe is overturned, how do you foresee the consequences will impact the valley/our local community?
- Colorado is a safe haven state. We expect a surge in patient volume, we have already seen this since SB8 in Texas.
- We already see patients from other states because of restricting laws
- We are expanding Telehealth care and examining our processes to accommodate a higher patient volume.
How do you foresee the decision impacting Colorado as a whole? It seems that our legislators will move to safeguard abortion access, but could the upcoming mid-term election potentially alter that outcome? And how do you forsee the restrictive access to abortion in neighboring states, such as New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona, will impact the avaliablilites of clinics in CO?
Our health center is already seeing patients from our neighboring states. The unfortunate reality is that people are being forced out of their communities, must wait longer times, and travel further and further distances to access abortion care.
What do you forsee the direction of the abortions rights movement moving towards in the future? Is there hope?
The majority of people in our country support abortion access.
Lastly, how can we (especially the younger generation and as a community), help protect abortion rights and the access to safe health care for women?
- Vote
- Listen to people’s stories, tell yours, and keeping talking about health equity that includes abortion care
- Support the organizations that are advocating for reproductive rights and justice
{19-1392} Mandy Lei service project
safeguarding women’s healthcare.
All proceeds donated to Planned Parenthood.
First run sold out.
Read update
More About the Design
Medusa:
In Greek Mythology, Medusa is painted as a monster that turns men into stone. Yet deeply misunderstood is the sexual assault written in her origin story and protection her snakes offer. In the design, I chose the allusion to Medusa’s story as a metaphor for the villanization and criminalization of a woman’s decision to get an abortion. Societal values and expectations force women to carry the enormous weight of guilt. But I’m a firm believer that we should remove this stigma of shaming women for making a decision relative to their lives. Everyone deserves kindness, love, and respect, even if their decisions don’t align with another’s beliefs.
Lady Justice:
The crown and scale of Lady Justice are sympathetic to the injustices imposed upon a woman’s autonomy over her physical and mental health due to the lack of safe medical resources. The paradox of the issue lies within the personal freedom protection offered by the 14th Amendment and the lack of “right to privacy” for women when it comes to reproductive health care. Additionally, extreme policies regarding abortion access does not accurately represent voters interests in red or blue states. And beyond our flawed legislative system, the symbols of Lady Justice also unveils the gray area between the planes of justice and morality.
19-1392:
19-1392 is the doc number assigned to the underlying case: Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, whcih was filed 3/19/2018 regarding the constitutionality of a Mississippi law that banned abortions after 15 weeks of preganacy.
Inspo:
Passionate about the sociological crossroads of policy and society, I am always eager to learn about the relations between historical relevance and current events. And as a young women in America today, abortion legislations directly impacts my body, my mental health, and the trajectary of my life. Growing up in a conservative family, I am always forced to wrestle with the morality behind the weight of such decisions. Therefore, the purpose of this art piece is not only a method of advocating for my rights, but also a bridge between the gaps of my parents’ and I’s worldviews.
Artist Statement
Bio
About the Process
As a young women in America today, abortion legislations directly impacts my body, my mental health, and the trajectary of my life. And growing up in a conservative family, I am always forced to wrestle with the morality behind the weight of such decisions. Therefore, the purpose of this art piece not only advocates for my rights, but also bridges the gap between my parents’ and my worldviews.
Bio
Growing up in the metropolis of Shanghai, China and making the odyssey to Cleveland, and then again to the Rocky Mountains, Mandy’s entire life is governed by movement and the excitement that accompanies exploration of the new. Taking art lessons since the age of 7, her art mainly revolved around traditional styles and mediums of acrylics and pencil. Driven by her personal identity as an Asian American and her involvement within the outdoor community, Mandy’s artistic style has evolved to integrate issues of racial and enviornmental justice. She is also experimenting with new mediums and styles such as: textiles, pointillism, ink, and now print-making at the Project Shop. Recently graduated from Colorado Rocky Mountain School, Mandy is taking a Gap Year to travel, before attending Pitzer College, where she is excited to participate in Claremont’s local art clubs and to explore Pitzer’s muralistic art scene.
About the Process
Holding myself accountable to give the project an informed foundation, I dedicated time to researching abortion rights and interviewed Rebecca Binion, director of the Planned Parenthood in Glenwood Springs. I distilled the web of information into one precise message: access to abortion is about providing safe health care for women, which should be an issue between a woman and her doctor.
Finally, I went back to the drawing board, drifting into my imaginative space and away from the logos and overthinking. Through the act of losing myself in creativity, I was able to weave meaningful elements into the design (which you can read more about at TheProjectShop.org). And, most importantly, I was able to see my designs come to life on sweatshirts, totes, tees and posters. The experience of carefully printing each piece of cloth, and knowing that 100% of my dedication to the project will be donated to Planned Parenthood, is truly rewarding.
Funding:
100% of profits made from the products will be donated to supporting @PlannedParenthood. Having reproductive healthcare facilities are important as it pertains to providing safe, accessible contraceptives, sex-ed, STI testings and treatments, and abortions. Additionally, to supplement the art project, I have contacted Rebecca Binion, the director of the Glenwood Planned Parenthood, for an interview regarding access to reproductive health care in the valley and how the potential overturn of Roe may impact our local community. You can check out the article @soprissun.