Hello friends,
As I sit down to write this, I can hear the echo of that 90's battle cry....GIRL POWER! And, my ovaries shiver a little. The memory of me dancing around my childhood bedroom screaming Spice Girls lyrics is still fresh in my mind. There's a power that the female spirit embodies and it has always been so intriguing to me. Ever since I was small, I looked to the female elders in my life for wisdom and guidance. Being a girl was something special in our family. My dad and all his brothers had daughters, so there was a special bond between all of us when we were growing up. There's a few different generations, but there was always something special about being a Karnes girl. We're a proud bunch. And most of us still stay in touch.
But as we've started aging, we started to lose some of our wise females. Our grandmother died when we were all very young (that was really hard on all of us, she was magical--I could write a whole post about her), and I lost my mother some years ago too. So, who do I look to now? Who is there to guide me into this new phase of my life. Without my mother, truthfully, I've been a little lost. So I started looking to other women that I naturally gravitated towards. I do have certain friends I look to now also, that have been so instrumental in my growth. And, I started reading a lot more, and watching more documentary films and videos. I wanted to learn about how others, my age and older...and younger at times, became these women that are so powerful and have made a path for themselves in the world. That is what inspires me to drive forward with what I do.
Below I have gathered together a collection of the women that most recently have been motivating me to get my shit together and figure out exactly what I want to do with my life. It is a collection of artists, film makers, internet personalities and musicians. These women have become the women I go to when I need that wise feminine guidance. I hope you take the time to check out each one and give them a moment to show you something you may not have seen or heard before.
stylelikeu
Firstly, stylelikeu because they have been my morning ritual for the past few weeks. They are a mother, daughter duo that makes these absolutely entrancing video series that capture the humanity of a single person in a ten minute video as they shyly slip off their clothes. Yea, people strip down to their undies in this one, but the more you watch these - the less you start paying attention to them dropping their pants and more closely to what is it they're saying. There are dozens of videos on there channel from people of all kinds of different walks of life and to say they've opened my eyes is quite an understatement.
grav3yardgirl
Bunny, also known as grav3yardgirl on Youtube has been one of my top favorite youtubers since I started really getting into it a few years ago. She's so bright and weird and just the type of girl I would want to be friends with. But, I think my favorite thing about Bunny is that she is such a real girl. She frequently talks about her struggles and triumphs with anxiety and shows the world that even awesome internet personalities are just real people at the end of the day. On top of that, Bunny makes some really awesome content that is just fun and lighthearted....like squishy hauls.
a beautiful mess
Elsie Larson of A Beautiful Mess has been my longest running inspiration on this list. I've been following Elsie's blog has been my favorite since back in 2009ish, if not before. I remember following her way back then when she wasn't even married (her amazing husband, Jeremy pictured above). Elsie taught me that even weird artists can patch together an amazing DIY'd life and she made it all look so easy. She started off with a simple gallery shop that she turned into a huuuuge vintage shop that turned into one of the largest and most well known blogs and online businesses out there. This woman is a force to be reckoned with.
ellie paisley
Ellie is one of my newest inspirations, I found her on instagram and originally started following her because her amazing pink dreads. But, the more I started looking into her and reading on her website I found that she's actually a super rad lady. She started off in Philly doing live painting at little festivals and working with phillyNORML. She was a huge part of me wanting to get into live painting and doing festivals. Ellie is living out a life that I hope to make for myself, being able to sustain a greatly creative life, traveling and sharing her art with the world. She currently lives out in beautiful Colorado and frequently posts photos of her lovely home.
audra auclair
Audra is another artist I recently found on instagram and has been a huge influence on my of late. Her art is so mystical and really transports you into another world. And much like Bunny, she is such a real person. She posted something the other day that really resonated with me. She spoke about her insecurities as an artist with a following and as a professional artist/illustrator and it really gave me (in a weird side-ways way) a boost of confidence. It was so comforting to see that established artists still have confidence issues when it comes to their art, while still being successful and thriving. She since has taken down that post, sadly enough. Though shhe has several videos that I would highly recommend checking out.
**sigh** my girl....anyone that knows me well enough, knows I have always been a little monster, and despite her Art Pop phase, Lady Gaga holds one hell of a spot in my heart. David and I are actually seeing her when she comes to Pittsburgh this November, I couldn't be more excited. The thing that really makes me love her is not her music but how intelligent she is and how passionate she is about the inspiration and education of her fans. She is a warrior for creativity, confidence and human rights. Every interview I have watched of her has usually brought me to tears. She spoke at Yale a few years ago and you should certainly listen to what she has to say.
grace neutral
tribe de mama
Grace Neutral, alien princess, is another one of my recent finds. She has worked a lot with i-D on youtube filming short documentaries where she explores the idea of beauty from around the world. She is so compassionate for the women she meets. There's something about Grace, beyond her mesmerizing body modifications and tattoos, that draws you in. Her soft voice allows the women and men she interviews to shine and she brings out a softness in everyone she speaks to. My favorite documentary she's done is when she traveled to Brazil to speak to feminists on the Brazilian beauty revolution.
Tribe de Mama is an instagram I've been following forever but never really dived deep into before. Pretty recently, I've been exploring their website and seeing what all they do. This fierce tribe of sisters celebrates all that women are about. They have several chapters in many different cities (sadly not Pittsburgh thou) and if there isn't one in your city-they have an opportunity for you to make one yourself. They're definitely worth a look if the magic between sisters is something that intrigues you.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post and I hope you take some time to check out each of these amazing women and that you find someone that resonates with you. And on a final note, I hope you find that bit of female magic in yourself too. We all have it inside us, and it only takes a little bit of self reflection to find her.
Who has been inspiring you?
xo. holly erinn
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