HOUSEWIFE OPERATIVES:
A Little-known Cold War Era Superpower

Barbara Bell, NAWA Signature Member printmaker, Yoga instructor and storyteller extraordinaire, lives in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. She studied at The Art School at Old Church under fellow NAWA member, Dorothy Cochran, and returned to teach printmaking in the school’s printmaking studio. Bell challenges herself to raise the bar, and the class remains continually full.

Bell’s series, Housewife Operatives, strikes a reverberating and deep echo – like a toll that sends a flock of birds into flight on a cold, gray day. It is the kind of collection that might have one think twice the next time a woman of a certain age peers through a window, glancing left and then right, her hand gently holding the curtain back.

Love, it may be possible (Fully open: In fully open position: 8¼” H x 15¾” W x ½”D, Artist’s book, assemblage)

Bell observed:

A young pretty blonde can walk into an establishment and everyone looks. Women past a certain age are invisible. No more heads turn. I thought it was something that could be utilized for good.

Bell imagined that middle-aged women, specifically European housewives, were utilized as informants and cloak-and-dagger-style spies during the Cold War. After making the initial images in the collection, she decided to research her premise. Her research revealed that women, known as “Code Breakers,” really did participate in these Cold War activities. She said:

Don’t discount older women. We have a lifetime of experience. We are incredibly versatile. We will take what you perceive as a disadvantage and turn it into our superpower.

Bell made the work look authentic to the historic period by placing found objects in her creations. She scoured estate sales for books, maps, and documents, and, luckily, obtained old passports and even Naturalization documents. Once, she obtained a pocket-size calendar with handwritten notes of personal matters like social security numbers (from a time before identity theft). Among the found treasures: play tickets in the original envelopes, fabrics, vintage spools of ribbon, and telegrams with proclamations of love.

Housewife Operative, Denmark (14½” H x 14¾” W x ½” D, unique relief print and collage)

Bell used her Estate-sale rummaging prowess combined with her storyboard mastery to create veritable dazzlers. Her depictions of these mysterious, silent women are detailed yet simple to the eye. The works invite the viewer to search for material proof of the nature of the threat concealed by the innocence of fun, imagery and colors from the Cold War Era in the1960s and 1970s.

Image on left: He Made Sure She Always Landed on Her Feet
Image on right: The Sheilas, assemblage with relief prints, gelatin silver print, vintage self-portrait, and found objects, 12.5 x 15.5 x 7.5 in.

SHOUT OUT: JEN HAEFELI
InterArts, Publishing, Family, and Fries

You’re reading. Possibly craving fries. I am. I’m a sucker for fries. They’re a comfort and an indulgence and I’m going to treat myself to them now that I’ve wrapped up a big project.

The balance of working as an InterArts requires shifting throughout the day, and my days often turn into nights and weekends, but I love it. It absolutely is work. Hard work. It is also my passion. I have always been a creator and I don’t know a day that I wasn’t an artist. I began as far back as I know. I used to climb down fallen trees into a gully to carve wet Carolina clay from the walls. My sun-dried pots didn’t last, but my intentions were eventually matched when I was introduced to a kiln in high school. Photography, printmaking, painting, drawing, metal sculpture, jewelry-making, wood shop, assemblage, graphics courses including surface-pattern creation and cross-over from Dance into a range of performance art and theatre eventually led me to a decision to change my major in college from Journalism with a concentration in Documentary Film studies to InterArts with a minor in Dance of the Diaspora.

“Dr. Pearl Primus” by Jen Haefeli for A Nation Crafted by Immigration.
Written & Illustrated by NAWA Signature Artist Jen Haefeli, 2023.
Original, Watercolor 9 in. x 12 in. 2018

During my undergraduate studies, I was extremely fortunate to have the experience of traveling to New York City regularly to meet with working artists in their studios. I studied the work of my SHEroes like Louise Bourgeois, Kara Walker, Jenni Holzer, Lisa Kahane, and Lady Pink, whom I would eventually have the opportunity to meet and illustrate for publication. Graduating with honors, I was the first from the program and I earned the College of Visual and Performing Arts Award.

Louise Bourgeois by Jen Haefeli for A Nation Crafted by Immigration.
Written & Illustrated by NAWA Signature Artist Jen Haefeli, 2023.
Original, Watercolor 9 in. x 12 in. 2019

In 2008 I opened my company, Wild Root Creations, and I have dedicated much of the work that I do to support non-profit and NGO’s worldwide. From 2011 to 2019, I traveled to Haiti thirty-seven times and lived in-country twice. I kept going back for the fries. I worked with schools, orphanages, women’s programs, malnourishment programs, and children’s homes. My work was sold in stores and galleries, online, and through non-profit organizations to help fund literacy centers, educational sponsorship programming, and disaster relief, and to rebuild communities in Haiti. Stateside, I work with United Way, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, and The American Heart Association, and I am a proud Signature member of NAWA and The Florida Chapter of NAWA, The New Art Dealers Alliance, Women’s Caucus for Art, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Greater Pittsburgh Art Council, Creative York, Rochester Contemporary Art Center, and Northern Vermont Artists’ Association. I am a member of and serve on the board of the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh. I also serve on the board of Harvest107 based in Port au Prince, Haiti.

“What the world needs is a group hug.” (I’d like to add fries to that).
– a great meme, and truth bomb.

My most recent work and my second publication, A Nation Crafted by Immigration, is intended to be the illustrative celebration of the accomplishments of a diverse selection of individuals who helped shape the United States through ingenuity, scientific break-throughs, accomplishments in the arts and sports, discoveries, film and production debuts, or by producing or inventing the items that many of us utilize every day.

Cover Art “Pailadzo Captanian” by Jen Haefeli for A Nation Crafted by Immigration
Written & Illustrated by NAWA Signature Artist Jen Haefeli, 2023
Original, Watercolor 9 in. x 12 in. 2019

The book is available on my website:
www.WildRootCreations.com

https://shop.wildrootcreations.com/products/a-nation-crafted-by-immigration

Edwidge Danticat by Jen Haefeli for A Nation Crafted by Immigration
Written & Illustrated by NAWA Signature Artist Jen Haefeli, 2023
Original, Watercolor 9 in. x 12 in. 2018

A Nation Crafted by Immigrants has been made possible by a man who survived the first wave at Normandy and went on to marry a woman he fell in love with who survived World War II by living in London’s sewer system. It has been made possible by a couple who danced in Discoes in Tehran before they fled to Switzerland and eventually Minnesota where they rebuilt their lives and have fought to allow their children to flourish and smile. It is made possible by two women who have maintained a dear friendship for nearly 25 years and who have hope that the world can always be a better, kinder, more peaceful place.

“Dr. Maryam Mirzakhani” by Jen Haefeli for A Nation Crafted by Immigration
Written & Illustrated by NAWA Signature Artist Jen Haefeli, 2023
Original, Watercolor 9 in. x 12 in. 2019

It took me five years to bring this book to publication from start to finish. Some people celebrate big events with chocolate. I like salty, crispy fries, and I think I’ve earned them. I need to whip up some fry sauce. If you’ve never had it, I highly recommend it. (Fry sauce recipe: May, Ketchup, diced gherkin pickles with just a tad of the vinegar brine. Mix, dip, and enjoy.)

If you’d like to keep up with my creations or antics, please feel free to follow me on FB or IG: @WildlyRooted1

A Symphony of Colors and Emotions: The Artistry of Gabrielle Mar

Born in Los Angeles, California, I am a Taiwanese-American artist who grew up in Taipei, and am now based in the bustling artistic hub of New York. I create abstract artworks to share the beauty of nature, the power of music, and the depth of Eastern spiritual concepts. This triumvirate of inspiration also is the root of my artistic universe. My works are windows to a world where emotions and memories intertwine, bursting with positivity and life.

I always infuse my work with a unique vibrancy. With every brushstroke, I strive to capture fleeting moments from my memories and emotions, creating conduits for dialogue and imagination. My intention is clear: to infuse positivity into the world, transcending the ordinary in an uplifting and radiant manner. It is also my goal to bring the essence of life and universe onto my canvas.

I usually begin with techniques like dripping, dropping, and swiping, allowing the fluid acrylic and Flashe-brand vinyl paint to move organically across the canvas. My brushwork, enriched by training in traditional Chinese calligraphy, adds a dynamic and intricate layer to the painting. The result is intuitive, liberating, and deeply personal.

You Are a Miracle, acrylic on canvas. 16 in. x 20 in.

My works are a vibrant interplay of colors and forms, an open invitation for discussion and interpretation. The act of creating itself is a heartfelt expression of gratitude for every moment of living and breathing, signifying my love and respect for the world. Each stroke on the canvas is a celebration of life’s beauty and a nod to the interconnectedness of all things.

You are a super Nova, acrylic on canvas, 16 in. x 20 in.

My artistic journey is as diverse as my inspirations. I am a multilingual artist, proficient in Chinese, English, French, and Japanese. My family history, a blend of Chinese, Vietnamese and French heritage, deepens my perspective. I transitioned to a full-time artist while accompanying my Mom during her Parkinson’s therapy sessions starting in 2020. I have realized that art can help healing and I hope to share its magical power around the world. On top of my art training, my academic pursuits include a Ph.D. candidacy in Visual Arts at the University of California at San Diego, with a focus on the interplay of Eastern and Western modern art, and a masters degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara in East Asian Studies, specializing in Japanese modern art history.

Winter Garden acrylic on canvas, 10 in. x 10 in.

As I have aimed for my art to transcend geographical boundaries and bridge cultural divides, I have exhibited at venues including the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris during the Focus Art Fair, the National Arts Club in New York and the World Trade Center of Taipei during the Art Taipei Fair. My work is in collections in the United States, Taiwan, France, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and the Philippines. I am an active member of both the Los Angeles Art Association and the National Association of Women Artists.

Inclination, Dirt, Ash, Ink and Pastel on Homemade Paper, 25 in. x 25 in. framed

I have always loved drawings, especially abstract drawings. As one who draws abstract forms, I like the directness of reaching into that strange, electric encounter between hand and object. It is prospecting for surprises.

Aside from exemplifying what is possible, drawing is fun. Intrigue unspools from the moment hand and tool touch the surface. From the delight of the doodle to the mighty power of line to densities of pigment, the endeavor of drawing abstractly resembles an intrepid traipsing through an inventory of line, form, color and space. All that is required to embark on this quest is a curiosity for exploration.

Sidle, Dirt,Pastel, Conte, Graphite on Paper, 25 in. x 25 in. Framed

There are no rules or regulations in the drawing galaxy. Abstract drawing is unfolding alchemy that has yet to be articulated. When I venture in, my exploration is always new. Of course, I deal with composition amidst all the actions to disassemble and reassemble. Noodle. Wrangle. Retool. It takes moxie. When you have moxie, you need the tools to match.

Here, I must make note of my loyal commentators; pencils, fingers, stump, erasers, dirt, pastel. The materials list: limitless. With kind thanks to the paper that I often scrub in the sink, only to be bathed in pigment again, before I wash, sand, score, tear and draw. That blank piece of paper is an unceremonious vault of uncertainties to which I headlong add logic and error. Logic and error can make vibrant partners.

Sizzle, Dirt, Pastel, Conte on Paper, 25 in. x 25 in. Framed

Whether a willfully minimal haiku or a complex knot of pattern, each drawing is a foreign land where the language is occupied solely by the wielder of a cadre of tools. The great vacant estate of the paper is where I trawl for strategy. In the case of my main squeeze – the pastel – I wander over a granular garden of advancing and retreating color molecules. Over and over, I multiply the lines, and, by turn of an eraser, sublimate them. Or, evaporate them. The surface can resemble powdered embroidery, permanently busy.

Tilt, Dirt, Conte, Ink, Pastel on Paper, 25 in. x 25 in. Framed

Abstract drawing is an offering of the visual intrigue elemental to individual artists in their singular imaginative space where they handily wield an arsenal of tools and pigment alongside their intellectual ferment.