I’ve been slowly rearranging furniture and noticed while adding the links on the left hand column over there, that many of my inspirations are male. It figures! (for what it’s worth, my “friends” also happen to be inspirational but I KNOW them and love them so they get to be higher up on the list and will remain there ever more, while my inspirations will likely change … just so ya know 
) I’ve suspected for a long time that I probably have more testosterone roaming around in my body than the average female. I don’t like shopping. Hate wearing dresses. Can’t stand wearing make up. Or getting “dressed up” (much to the chagrin of my dear girlygirl daughter). At gatherings, I tend to saunter over to where “the guys” are guffawing rather than stand with my own kind and talk about …erm… whatever it is that girls talk about. And still, at the age of 44 wonder when or where I missed the “girl becomes a woman” class. Guess I went to the bathroom during that one! heh.
So. What does this have to do with art? Well. Exactly! Is there really a different sensibility between what determines “female” centric art and “male” centric art? This question has been posed and pondered on many a list, forum, meeting, party. The women say, “No!” The men say, “No!” And yet? There is a difference. At least, I think there is. But I’m damned if I can put my finger on it. Can you?
Perhaps the difference is simply in the 'conditioning' we receive from our surrounding society and family – women, for decades,have been 'conditioned' to accept that certain things are 'female', and in my generation (born 1946) of American society, that usually meant clothing styles (fashion), cosmetics, physical appearance that is 'beautiful',parties, family, children, 'crafts' – etc. For men- it may have meant sports, sciences, hard physical labor, etc. I do think we start off creating our art from our life experiences and 'conditioning', but the desire to create art is so strong and flexible that it can transcend the 'usual' gender conditioning.
My thought is that it does not matter to me if there is or isn't a difference between male and female centric art. What matters to me is staying true to what my inner creative force is leading me to – and if I change my artistic 'style' or subject matter or materials usage along the way, then that is simply part of my artist path – a path I will embrace wholeheartedly. For me the issue I have wrestled with as artist is casting off the idea that somehow my art needs to be 'pleasing' to others!!- where do I get that notion?? From my upbringing – 'be a good girl' – 'if you don't have something nice to say, don't say it at all', 'oh- that isn't ladylike', etc…..and so when I feel a need to splash myself out there artistically, or otherwise, the 'voices' linger and often steer me to what my conditioning as a child led me to believe is 'acceptable'. And then of course, when one is creating art for sale, or earns 'a living' from art, there is the question – 'will it sell?'
Good thoughts, Jen- these are mine- I'll look forward to reading others' as well.
Love your site! ;^)
Corinne
So – where does this leave art? Wherever we choose to take it.