Happy SWAN Day!

SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now Day) is a new international holiday that
celebrates women artists. It will be an annual event taking place on the last Saturday of Women’s History Month (March). The first SWAN Day will take place on Saturday, March 29, 2008

As a symbol of international solidarity, over 100 SWAN Day events have been scheduled
around the world.

SWAN Day is an opportunity to bring attention, support and with any luck lucre, to female artists.

In this video Sandra Oh talks about being inspired by Björk.

Sandra’s words capture the true spirit of SWAN Day. We believe that women artists have always inspired and helped each other, and we want to celebrate the power of that mutual support on SWAN Day and every day.

Merchandise with SWAN related art is also available at Cafè Press, such as this one titled Tune in to Women.

Of course we have a tendency to think of art as something one sees at museums and in galleries. Women’s art is important in historical perspectives not necessarily because you are likely to find it hanging the Louvre, but because of the importance it played in daily life.

Arts such as quilting, pot throwing,bread making, may seem to some lowly in comparison. These were the arts, however, that kept people fed, and clothed and warm and at the same time provided comfort and beauty.

Here is a website (background makes it a little hard to read) which has various links to fair trade options to buy women’s art and support families and communities.

Happy SWAN Day!