MOTHER.CULTURE Press Release
View the exhibition here.
Sacramento, California, "Mother.Culture", the socially influenced breastfeeding photo exhibition, will be booking venues through the summer, subsequent dates/venues will be announced soon. Contact Rachel Valley for exhibition information at rvalley@niftyimages.com.
Following her successful solo exhibition debut "Road to Reality" at Capitol Public Radio's Second Saturday Event in October 2006, the focus of Rachel Valley's work turned to the social examination of the attitudes toward breastfeeding in modern times. "MOTHER.CULTURE" blends the beauty and challenge of establishing and maintaining a healthy dyad and an acceptable outward nursing relationship. The exhibition's subject matter is currently a charged one, with old cultural attitudes clashing with modern sensibility. Rachel Valley's portraits touch upon nursing in public, "extended breastfeeding", the family bed, and the sexualized breast co-existing with the nurturing breast, amongst other timely issues therein. The exhibition will begin August 9 in Auburn, CA and will travel afterward.
Rachel feels fortunate to have been given this platform of art and discussion to widen the eyes of our communities, with the much appreciated Micro Grant from the Placer Community Foundation. Given the success of the exhibition, a mother might finally find herself in an environment that allows her to fulfill the needs of her young wherever and whenever necessary, and with the support and sound information from her circle of influence. The exhibition is sure to stir emotions and reactions from participants and patrons alike.
Valley was inspired to use her art to speak to the public from her own not-so-unique experience." After giving birth to my daughter, I started my journey into mothering and breastfeeding, and I was overwhelmed with conflicting information and hostile opinions," Rachel says. "My initial desire was to talk about it with other women, but constantly found myself in mixed company. In my attempts to receive and share good information about breastfeeding, I ended up stirring feelings of guilt, anger, and disappointment in others. On the rare occasion that I found someone that shared my positive nursing experience, I'd engage in stories and notions, and as a result made others feel left out, and unable to relate," she added. "Feeling frustrated and not wanting to upset, I was on the verge of silence, but my desire to challenge the "norm" ruled out and I decided to let my art speak for me, and that brings us to "MOTHER.CULTURE"
About the Artist
Rachel Valley is a Northern California resident & native.
From an early age Rachel learned the importance of documenting ones life through art, most notably, photography and writing. Rachel has taken photographs since adolescence, and is self-taught. She enjoys the gritty trial and error of self-expression. She grows as a photographer organically, responding to things close at hand, such as Women's issues, including being a wife, mother and friend. She also finds inspiration in the world's ever changing landscape.
email: rvalley@niftyimages.com
phone: 916.632.3399
About MOTHER.CULTURE.ART
MOTHER.CULTURE is a photographic exhibition consisting of nursing mothers, current attitudes and photographs.
Rachel Valley's web folio can be seen at NiftyImages.com.
Cheers!
Press
Article in Sacramento MagazineDecember 2007Blogged on Hobo Mama11.25.2007 "Dirty" used to illustrate poem on Divine Revolution Magazine
February 2008
Rachel Valley invites you to MOTHER.CULTURE Photography Exhibition!
MOTHER.CULTURE Mother.Culture is a traveling exhibition. Please contact Rachel Valley at rvalley@niftyimages.com for details on how your venue can host this timely series. Subsequent venues/dates will be announced soon! View the exhibition here.Announcements
Tonight July 22, 2008! 5p-7p! Artists reception for the newly remodeled birthing Center at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital. Two of Rachel Valley's canvases from Mother Culture are featured in a birthing room there at the hospital. And the rest of the hospital is brimming with art from others as well. Select pieces from Mother Culture will be on display the night of the reception. Please join us in the celebration. 11815 Education Street Auburn, California 95602 (530) 888-4500
The exhibition is currently booking subsequent venues, so if your city, gallery, business or other public venue would like to host the series please don't hesitate to email. MOTHER.CULTURE.ART is eager to be seen the world over!rvalley@niftyimages.com
Buy Cards & Prints
MOTHER.CULTURE Breast-Blog - see all 7
Sex in your chocolate milk Jun 7
Is it sexy to milk a cow too?....Read on....
Links
Placer Arts Council, Placer Community Foundation, Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog, AskDrSears.com, Breastfeeding123.com, The Lactivist, La Leche League, AttachmentParenting.org, World Health Organization, breastfeeding.com, The National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy, 007 Breasts, UNICEF, Black Breastfeeding Blog, Placer County Breastfeeding Coalition, Breastfeeding Art, First 5 California, Centers For Disease Control & Prevention, Adoptive Breastfeeding Resource Website, California Department of Health Services Breastfeeding,LatchOn.org, cutethreads.com, Mother Support Network, Phantom Galleries, The Lohasian, Primal Parenting Magazine, Sacramento Magazine
Famous Breastfeeding Mothers
Tori Amos, Pamela Anderson, Erykah Badu, Christie Brinkley, Katie Couric, Cindy Crawford, Celine Dion, Jodie Foster, Jennie Garth, Tipper Gore, Faith Hill, Madonna, Joan Lunden, Andie McDowell, Elle McPherson, Demi Moore, Julianne Moore, Sarah Jessica Parker, Tracy Pollan, Jane Seymour, Patricia Richardson, Holly Robinson Peete, Kelly Preston, Jada Pinkett Smith, Meryl Streep, Cheryl Swoopes, Uma Thurman, Cynthia Watros, Rita Wilson, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Did you know??...
Formula for Disaster by UNICEF
Special Thanks!
Thanks to the Placer Community Foundation, with the sponsorship from Placer Arts Council, for getting this project off the ground with their Arts Micro Grant!
"The Placer Community Foundation is a public trust established to assist donors in building an enduring source of charitable funds to meet the changing needs and interests of the community"