“Les Demoiselles de Flatbush” by Judy Schavrien
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, in its stylistic innovations, evidenced the genius of Picasso. Nevertheless, my own riposte to that painting has its contribution to make: unlike his women, mine have each other’s backs. The painting has a private dimension as well; it remembers a beloved who died young.
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Judy Schavrien Artist Statement:
Judy Schavrien is a poet, artist, and psychotherapist. As a psychotherapist, her expertise is trauma, and
she herself emerged from a seven year stint of post-trauma stress. It issued from a mugging in which she
was shot in the face. Crucial to her recovery was Tibetan Buddhist study and practice with the Venerable
Sogyal Rinpoche, known as the laughing lama. As an artist, she was nominated Oakland, CA artist of the
year and received for her work in the arts, including poetry, 15 national and international awards. As a
poet, her work is anthologized in New Lesbian Voices, which won the small press Library Journal Award.
Her paintings and poems, forged in the smithy of the feminist and lgbt liberation movements, aim for
depth—psychological, social, and spiritual. Her books—Alice at the Rabbithole Café, Shot Awake: A
Painter’s Memoir, and Everything Voluptuous—may be found on Amazon and at www.jesart.net
