Q&A with ... gabrielle bell

long overdue, another Q&A with women in indie comics ...
G A B R I E L L E B E L L



while i discovered gabrielle bell a bit later in her published career, i'm catching up for lost time. my first read, lucky (picked up by drawn and quarterly in 2006), a group of semi-autobiographical stories, holds a cherished place now in my comics collection. cecil and jordan in new york is her newest collection and it packs a punch. i adored the imagery and adventure of "my affliction" and "helpless" brought back the BEST memories of scuffles with my high school friend. (images from "helpless")

a little wikipedia background on her published work ... "From about 1998 to 2002, Bell annually self-published a 32-page comic, each of whose titles began with "Book of...", including Book of Insomnia, Book of Sleep, Book of Black, Book of Lies, and Book of Ordinary Things. Many of the stories from those comics were collected in When I'm Old and Other Stories, published by Alternative Comics in 2003."

read on about gabrielle as she shares her likes, her life and her collaborative film venture with michel gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep and Be Kind Rewind):

1. care to comment on how the collaboration with michel gondry evolved?

He really liked my chair comic, and wanted to make some kind of film
or play with that. The producers approached him to do a thirty minute
segment for the film Tokyo!, and that was one of the ideas he
proposed, and they liked that one.

the on-set filming experience?

It was hectic. I’d never been to Japan before, and never been on a
film set. It was all very unfamiliar. It was a constant anxiety
attack. But I’m really glad to have done it. Michel pushed me into
places I’d never have gone by myself.

will this lead to more film-book adventures?

I am really into comics. I don’t want to do movies. Then again, I
could be tempted back, I’m sure. The glamour of it all is so
alluring.

2. favorite films?
I recently saw Elaine May’s Mikey and Nicky, and really loved that.

books you are reading now?

Lydia Davis, Rabbit Series, John Updike, Alice Munro.

3. early influences? books, comics?

The Freak Brothers…Mad Magazine…Kurt Vonnegut.

4. so the autobiographical nature of your stories -- does that drive
most of your storytelling? how does the revealing nature of the
stories help you?

There is definitely a difference between my autobiographical stories
and my fictional ones. I take a different stance to each.
Autobiography is more like speaking directly to the audience, fiction
is more like playing a part, and not breaking the fourth wall. But I
always use my own life-at least in bits and pieces-because it’s all I
know for sure. Even if I use details of someone else’s life, I try to
draw on my own feelings. There are at least some people in the world
who can relate to me.

5. what prompted your move into self-publishing?

It was-and still might be-the thing to do for indy cartoonists
starting out. It’s easy and fun and cheap to make your own Xeroxed (or
laser printed) mini-comic, and give them out and sell them and trade
them.

how did D & Q find you?

I’d been contributing to anthologies for years, so they’d seen my work
and asked me to contribute something to their showcase anthology.

7. city or country girl?

I grew up in the country and I really miss it but I’m a city girl. I
like good coffee shops and bookstores and bars and a feeling of an
endless choice of those things.

8. where else in the world you would live?

I’m pretty stuck on Brooklyn. I ask myself that question once in
awhile and can’t seem to come up with much. Maybe Tokyo…maybe
somewhere in the South of France…both to learn the languages. Maybe
there’s some place I’ve never been to that I would be totally happy
in, like somewhere in Mexico or in Hawaii or on some remote Island
where I could do my comics in peace, but maybe I’ll never find it.

9. how did your formal education prepare you for this extraordinary career?

Thanks, but my education was pretty informal. I took several classes,
but never finished school. I am not a good academic. I regret that,
actually.

10. your favorite snack food?

I like tarts, or little pies of any kind, sweet or savory…empanadas,
or dumplings, or pierogis, anything with some sort of filling with
some sort of crust or doughy shell of some kind. Even those little
hostess pies, or pop tarts.

thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, gabrielle! looking forward to your next creations!

the girl effect

eloquent and truth, pass it on... thanks, glory!

overdue bill

monthly bill got you down? no not the money type... the pain type! having had a vacation from hell (long story, one of terrible accommodations), i'm in no mood for pain...

i'm always seeking remedies for the monthly cramps (yoga, no caffeine, hot water bottle, herbal belly balm, herbal tea, exercise) but i have yet to find the wonder relief. any readers out there wanna suggest their tried and true healing methods?

as always, here is ideal bite's helpful hints.

"Aching belly got you whimpering like a cocker spaniel?

Stray from regular cramp control methods. Instead, try a holistic approach that includes techniques like massage and natural pain relievers and that isn't so doggone synthetic.


The Benefits

Getting a leash on pain. Alternative medicine practitioners have used these remedies for centuries.

Feeling less shaggy. Natural options such as primrose oil are less likely to cause side effects than your average dose of prescription-only Ponstel.

Not treating the earth like a pooper-scooper. Fewer synthetic pills means less chance of toxic chems ending up in our water supply - and the water supplies of at least 24 major American cities already contain trace amounts of pharmaceuticals.


Wanna Try?

Exercise - it improves blood and oxygen circulation, including through the pelvis, and releases feel-good endorphins.

Get a Massage - massage therapists can target your abdomen to ease the tension.

Avoid Caffeine - it constricts blood vessels and increases tension.

Eat Less Dairy and Meat - antibiotics we add to certain foods may make cramps worse.

Spice with Cayenne - cayenne pepper also improves blood circulation.


Jigsaw Health Activated B - sustained-release B vitamins; Bs may also help with nonmenstrual cramps ($30).

Spectrum Essentials Evening Primrose Oil - widely used in Europe for PMS symptoms, it packs healthy omega fatty acids; so does borage oil ($11-$15).


Aura Cacia Jasmine Massage Oil - jasmine's another PMS symptom-soother; use it to massage your abs ($7)."

IF IT WASN'T FOR VAGINAS ...

What follows is an educational anecdote from my friend Sandy.

Tonight on the way home from school, Bayard and I witnessed a very large white man out in the street yelling at a taxi driver who had apparently just rear-ended his car, although there didn't appear to be any real damage. I couldn't actually see inside the taxi, but if you've ever been in NYC, you know who was likely driving the taxi.

The big guy in the street was screaming, "You fucking pussy! You fucking step out of that taxi you fucking pussy!" He screamed it many times.

As we walked by, I said to Bayard, "Hmm, it sounds like someone's really mad." Pause. "Did you hear what that guy was yelling?" Bayard nodded quietly, "He said the "F" word." "Right," I said, "And he said 'pussy.' Do you know what that means?"

Bayard said no, he didn't.

I said, "Well. You know how boys have penises and girls have vaginas? Pussy is another name for vagina. And when a man says it Really Loudly like that to another man, in an angry voice, he's putting down the other man, he's telling that other man he's a woman." [Yes, I know that the vagina is not the instrumental equivalent of the penis, but I'm not ready to explain orgasms to an eight-year old.]

Bayard looked up at me. "Bayard," I asked, "Do you think there's anything wrong with being a woman?" Bayard looked sort of blank, "No mom." Which under the circumstances was an extremely wise and correct choice on Bayard's part.

I said, "It's kind of sad that angry man was calling that other man a vagina. He's calling that man a female sexual organ! I don't think that's a put-down."

And Bayard replied confidently, "Really, mom. If it wasn't for vaginas, none of us would be here."

Regime change begins at home.

SHELF LIFE

check out the work of michelle doll, local hoboken artist. she's inspired by "a mixture of ingres, holbein, velequez and boucher." her portraits also evoke the work of loretta lux.

see more of her work at the Sarah Bain gallery in california. and as daddydan says, support local art!

here's my favorite:

shelf life

non, je ne regrette rien!

in honor of my 2007 movie top ten list (see KR's list and comments), voila edith piaf, aka the sparrow (la mome) singing her heart out. also check out the movie website and trailer for more musique! click here for the lyrics.

women for barack obama

ok, a few days past super tuesday but check out this clip, women for barack obama rally, and listen to samantha power (pulitzer prize winner and barack's foreign policy advisor) inspire the crowd.

chan marshall of cat power sings "the greatest"

a calming, lovely chan marshall of cat power for a sunday morning, singing "the greatest."

Blog for Choice Day

NARAL Pro-Choice America is calling on bloggers to discuss why it's important to vote pro-choice in honor of the 25^th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which is today.

So why vote pro-choice?

Because of your future.

Because of your right to comprehensive health care.

Because of your right to economic and social equality.

Because of your self-empowerment.

Because of your children, mother, sister, friends.

Because no woman can succeed without full control of her body.

Because women’s lives are on the line.

It’s not simply about access to abortion anymore. It’s about reproductive justice.

So vote for whomever you want this election cycle. But remember, if you choose to ignore their stance on choice, you are voting against women. It’s truly that simple.

You Just Don't Pinch the Cheek of a Senator

I know I’ve said it before but the treatment of Hillary Clinton is going to force me to vote for her in the end. I just know it. I was already irritated with the media selling her down river so quickly after Iowa (even though I was very excited about Obama’s rise), then I saw this on Wonkette yesterday.

Chris Matthew’s obsession and condescension towards a former First Lady and current Senator really pisses me off. Until the media can treat Ms. Clinton as they would any other Senator, I think she just may have my vote.

Besides, it’s not like any of these candidates really speak exactly for me anyway.

Sexist Double Standard Will Force Me To Back Hillary

While I don’t believe anyone here at the subversive garden is a fan of Hillary Clinton, I do believe we can all get behind treating her with respect. And I know for a fact that not one of the commentators on this blog would ever degrade her simply for being a woman. However, the rest of the blogosphere and the MSM for that matter, are a different story. When they aren't critiquing her clothing, as seen in the cartoon above, they are calling her a cunt, a bitch or a whore and sometimes even wishing her physical harm.

I came across an article this morning that so succinctly sums up my thoughts on the misogyny that surrounds the Clinton campaign. An example being this group on facebook – “’Hillary Clinton: Stop Running for President and Make Me a Sandwich,’ with more than 23,000 members and 2,200 ‘wall posts’ — Internet graffiti in which discussants have fantasized about Clinton being raped by a donkey.”

My friends here at the garden have pointed out many reasons why Clinton is a bad choice for president. All of which are policy related…as they should be.

These merit less attacks on Clinton’s gender make me want to support her. As a feminist and a woman, who am I if I don’t stand up for my sisters when they are thrown under the bus simply for being a woman.

FROM DA VINCI TO PICASSO IN 3 MINUTES

having just returned from paris and a trip to the louvre museum, this clip of 500 years of women in art is a must see!



i saw it on the nyt blog on books this weekend: "I am not the first to be taken with this (I first saw it a few weeks ago, on a blog called Mind the Miscellany), but if you haven’t seen it, it’s worth 2 minutes and 52 seconds of your life. The music is Bach’s Sarabande from Suite No. 1 in G major for solo cello (BWV 1007), performed by Yo-Yo Ma."

here's a link to the creator and also a list of the paintings.

Iraqi women: An Unreported Story

Violence is certainly down in Iraq, but it is most likely temporary. And the report that the "political solution" in Iraq is now not being pursued (the entire reason for the surge) highlights the still deteriorating situation. See below though a report of the consequences of this war for Iraqi women. It is not surprising that the Bush administration is not reporting on it; or that it is not on the American agenda at all. Judging by its lack of condemnation for the Saudi governments prosecution of a woman who has been gang raped the Bush administration can not go much lower. Iraqi women were the most western in the Arab world before the war.

365 days of julie doucet

julie doucet is back! well, sorta. she renounced her indie queen of comix status years ago but has been working on illustration projects, poems and other art installations.

next month drawn and quarterly will release 365 Days: A Diary by Julie Doucet. thank god. a year round fix of ms. doucet. not quite another edition of dirty plotte (you need to know your french canadian slang to deconstruct that title) but close enough. here's more on julie doucet, the artist. and finally, see a sneak preview of her diary drawings. i can't wait for its release. in the meantime, i'll reminisce about the adoring fan letters i wrote to her in the 90s, forever unanswered.

...graphic novel persepolis hits the big screen...

i loved persepolis, marjane satrapi's autobiographical memoir of her childhood in iran. now i can enjoy it on the big screen... today's nyt discusses her emotional step from book to screen.

check out the trailer! (it's in french. marjane moved to paris 12 years ago, in a sort of self-imposed exile.)

Women Unsafe Because of Repressive Abortion Laws

I like to be right as much as the next gal or guy, but there are some things I’d love to be wrong about. A scientific study found that abortion rates are similar in all countries – regardless of legality.

Moreover, the researchers found that abortion was safe in countries where it was legal, but dangerous in countries where it was outlawed and performed clandestinely.

For those that are unaware what illegal abortion does to women and their families, ask your grandmother what it was like before Roe v. Wade. Most women of her generation can tell you stories of young girls being forced to hide their pregnancies, others being forced to give their babies up for adoption or worse yet, women dying from “back alley” abortions. Check out some stats on the NOW site.

The study indicated that about 20 million abortions that would be considered unsafe are performed each year and that 67,000 women die as a result of complications from those abortions, most in countries where abortion is illegal.

Get involved in helping our sisters internationally control their reproductive health, and therefore, their future. Check out the International Planned Parenthood Federation. If you want to help stop the right’s attack on reproductive health in this country check out NARAL Pro-Choice America or Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Warner Brothers Shuns Women Leads

Coming on the tails of two substantial flops, The Invasion and The Brave One, Warner Bros president of production Jeff Robinov said "We are no longer doing movies with women in the lead". Never mind, that these were just bad movies. Or the fact the number of lead roles for men is much higher than that of women.

I'm searching for some contact information for this guy. When I find it, I'll post it.

Justice or not, Clarence Thomas is an Ass

It’s hard to miss all of the hullabaloo over Justice Clarence Thomas’ new memoir, My Grandfather's Son. It’s like nails on a chalkboard if you ask me.

I am appalled that a man that will go down in history as a conservative Supreme Court Justice (how exciting!), is such a whiny baby. I recently had a discussion with my girlfriend, who is an attorney, about it and she implied he had every right to be upset. Whenever I attack the Court, all my lawyer friends get up in arms about my lack of respect. I’m all for respecting the Court and those that sit on the bench, but I will still call an ass an ass, and Justice Thomas is an ass.

Thankfully, an Op/Ed contributor in the Washington Post agreed with me this morning. What a wonderful way to start the day!

Since her words perfectly sum up my thoughts of the man who sits on the high Court, I figure it’s easier just to paste them here:

Here is some of the evidence Thomas omits:
First, Hill did not wait 10 years to complain about his behavior. Susan Hoerchner, a Yale Law School classmate of Hill's, described how she complained of sexual harassment while working for Thomas, saying the EEOC chairman had "repeatedly asked her out . . . but wouldn't seem to take 'no' for an answer." Ellen Wells, a friend, said Hill had come to her, "deeply troubled and very depressed," with complaints about Thomas's inappropriate behavior. John Carr, a lawyer, said that Hill, in tears, confided that "her boss was making sexual advances toward her." American University law professor Joel Paul said Hill had told him in 1987 that she had left the EEOC because she had been sexually harassed by her supervisor.

Second, Hill was not the only former subordinate of Thomas's with complaints. Former EEOC employee Angela Wright described how Thomas pressured her to date him, showed up uninvited at her apartment and asked her breast size. "Clarence Thomas would say to me, 'You know you need to be dating me. . . . You're one of the finest women I have on my staff," Wright told Senate investigators.

Wright's account was corroborated by Rose Jourdain, a former speechwriter who, like Wright, was dismissed by Thomas. Jourdain said Wright had complained that she was "increasingly nervous about being in his presence alone" because of comments "concerning her figure, her body, her breasts, her legs."
Another former Thomas employee, Sukari Hardnett, said of his office, "If you were young, black, female and reasonably attractive, you knew full well you were being inspected and auditioned as a female."

Third, as Merida and Fletcher found, some of the behavior Hill complained about resonated with episodes from Thomas's past. Hill described an episode in which Thomas, drinking a soda, asked, "Who has put pubic hair on my Coke?" James Millet, a college classmate of Thomas's, recalled "an almost identical episode" at Holy Cross. "Pubic hair was one of the things he talked about," another classmate said. Jane Mayer and Jill Abramson, in "Strange Justice," found two others who recalled a pubic hair-Coke can comment at the EEOC.

It makes me feel so warm and fuzzy to walk down memory lane with the Justice. Aw…memories…how many women did this man harass anyway?! Mr. Thomas, I hope you enjoy your book royalties as much as you enjoy stripping away women’s rights, civil rights and civil liberties.

...celebrating women artists...

fall is approaching and september is a perfect month to check out your local museums for new exhibits. look no further than hoboken or jersey city for a wonderful array of art in various media from women across the country.

• monroe center for the arts: now through september 30th, the 118th annual exhibition of the national association of women artists will feature 230 women artists across the country.



• jersey city museum's "the feminine mystique" show (opening september 20th) will "address feminist issues either directly or obliquely, filtered through a contemporary response to Betty Friedan's critical text, The Feminine Mystique (1963)." i'm personally looking forward to checking out jersey city artist margaret murphy's piece, mother and child (above right). view more of her art & philosophy for this exhibit here.



• more upcoming art events in hoboken where you can rejoice in the artwork of femi ford, a local painter, of poppies fame. see supernova above left and her calendar of paintings here. and check out her online store here.