047: Surviving Sexual Assault - We Are Not Mere Objects with SARAH JANE

Today we have the joy of speaking with Sarah Jane, an artist who knows a lot about holding space for people to be tender and brave. I know this to be true because of my own experience with her. Sarah Jane is currently on staff at the arts organization where I had a 6-week artist residency just after I had been diagnosed with my essential tremor. Those 6 weeks were really hard for me - in so many ways - and Sarah Jane (and the rest of the staff at the Grunewald Guild) did so much for not only my career, and artistic expression, but also my personhood. They gave me permission to not have things figured out all the way. Those 6-weeks held some of the beginning threads of this very podcast.

So today Sarah Jane and I talk about all that. How do you know when to act after you've been in a season of waiting? How do you know when you're too tender to be brave and still safe? How do you bounce back from rejection?

Today, I'm most excited about asking her all about her new project called Mere Objects, which is an collaborative art installation featuring pieces of identity of rape survivors held inside tiny glass globes dangling from the ceiling. Mere Objects is a participatory art project which exists to honor and empower survivors of sexual violence, and to increase awareness of survivors within our communities. The project is open to people of all genders who have experienced any form of sexual violence.

This project is a really unique piece, in general, but it is (in my humble opinion) one more fulfillments of Sarah Jane's calling as an artist. I'm so proud of her and her work and I'm really honored to introduce you to her today...

Brave Take-Aways

Your Brave-Take Away from today's show is this: If you are a victim of sexual violence or you know of someone who is, please share this opportunity to contribute to Sarah Jane's project. Even if you don't think you know of a survivor, you probably do. Consider this your opportunity to hold space for someone else who hasn't had a chance to stand up like this before.

If you are curious or have more questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to either of us. Sarah Jane's email is: sarahjane@mereobjects.org

Beyond that, I know Sarah Jane would love to hear all about your favorite parts of today's Bare Naked Bravery. You can find Sarah Jane and myself on facebook, twitter, instagram, and more. Go ahead and tag us so we can cheer you on and see what you're up to.

Keep in Touch with Sarah Jane

www.mereobjects.org
www.sarahjanesstudio.net
www.twitter.com/Mere_Objects
www.facebook.com/mereobjectsproject
www.facebook.com/sarahjanesstudio
www.instagram.com/Mere_Objects
www.instagram.com/sarahjanesstudio
sarahjane@mereobjects.org

Keep in Touch with Emily Ann Peterson

http://emilyannpeterson.com
http://instagram.com/emilyannpete
http://facebook.com/emilyannpeterson
http://twitter.com/emilyapeterson

Credits

If you're diggin' the music in today's episode, that's because it's brought to you by my friends at Music Box Licensing, a premier creative music agency dedicated to finding and crafting unique soundtracks.