In “Calling for a Media Revolution,” I used strips of newspaper to capture a fluid stream of media traveling through one woman’s ear and out through her mouth, into another woman’s ear and out through her mouth. This mixed media painting is a call for awareness regarding the under-representation of women in leadership positions and the misrepresentation of women in all facets of mainstream news media and the entertainment industry.

Acrylic, Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution by Tsukineko, Newspaper, Jen Wilson's 29th Street Market Paper (#291175) and Unryu Paper on Canvas.

In a society where media is the most persuasive force shaping cultural norms, the collective message that our young women and men overwhelmingly receive is that a woman’s value and power lie in her youth, beauty, and sexuality, and not in her capacity as a leader. While women have made great strides in leadership over the past few decades, the United States is still 90th in the world for women in national legislatures, women hold only 3% of clout positions in
mainstream media, and 65% of women and girls have
disordered eating behaviors. (http://www.missrepresentation.org/the-film/)

Also, my intern experience with The Women’s International Perspective (The WIP) provided inspiration for this painting. The WIP is an online news media organization that serves as a global source of women’s perspectives. This year, The WIP’s annual International Women’s Day Celebration focused on how media can be used as an instrument of change. With Keynote Speaker Maria Hinojosa and guest panelists Caroline Heldman, Ph.D., Elisa Munoz and Dina Eastwood, the event reminded me of the importance of awareness. People need to actively recognize and reject the misrepresentative characterizations (caricatures) of women and girls projected daily onto TV, film, advertisements, magazines and the Internet. We are constantly inundated with information regarding female “worth” and “happiness” as a way to sell products. With media’s increasing objectification of women and girls, comes women and girls passive consent of these objectified roles. As Caroline Heldman most poignantly pointed out, women and girls need to see themselves as “Sex Subjects,” not “Sex Objects” that need continuous maintenance and improvement in order to be perfected and accepted.

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Sabrina Brett's blog Manifesting Reveries: Artistic Living can be found at sabrinabrett.blogspot.com.

The Pixel Project is a global volunteer-led virtual non-profit organization working to end Violence Against Women (VAW). On 8 October, this organization launched the annual “Paint It Purple” 2011 global campaign, dedicated to raising awareness about VAW around the world and raising funds for the Pixel Project. The campaign is designed to engage the global online community via social media in its effort to “paint” the Internet purple this year. There are many exciting ways to get involved with “Paint it Purple” that span from baking cupcakes and contributing recipes to writing blog posts and joining the viral visual campaign.

“Paint It Purple” also raises funds for The Pixel Project and participating VAW nonprofits worldwide through special cupcake bake sales as well as “Paint It Purple” parties. “Paint It Purple” is open to all VAW nonprofits, grassroots groups, cupcakerie/bakeries and individuals supporting the cause to end violence against women.

“Paint It Purple” will run from 8 October 2011 (Domestic Violence Awareness Month) to 24 November 2011 which is the eve of the International Day of Elimination of VAW and the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence campaign.

So whether you decide to paint your blog, or social media page purple with badges, buttons, banners and wallpapers (downloadable on the campaign website) or organize a “Paint it Purple” party, we thank you for your support.

For more information, please visit the "Paint it Purple" campaign website.

Start Painting!