About Labia Sculptures

One of my favorite things in life is sculpting labias in clay.  How did this come about?  Over 20 years ago I heard Stephen and Ondrea Levine talk about the “lower heart.”  I’d never heard my labia/vagina called a lower heart before. They said that if the lower heart has been abused, the upper heart shuts down.  I am a survivor of incest, and have done all kinds of work to heal from that abuse.  Sculpting labias in clay for my own healing was how I got started: to feel good about my body, and to own my private parts as my own.  Five years later, I gave birth to my only child, who was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy.  After the diagnosis, I had the irrational belief that my body betrayed me, and was the cause of my daughter’s disability.  Of course, I knew that was wrong, and used art to forgive my uterus.  Then I was too busy raising my daughter to work with clay for about 15 years.  Five years ago I started up again, with a spirit of playfulness, celebration, and empowerment.   Labias are sacred and usually misunderstood.  How often do you see positive labia imagery?  I love this creative process.

3 replies to “About Labia Sculptures

  1. cruzing the net can lead to delightful surprises – what wonderful imagery… and I love the idea of a woman’s lower heart.

  2. Hey! I remembered seeing your labial art (I believe it was yours) at PCC’s Vagina Monologues in 2012. I preformed in it and wish I’d had more time to check them all out. Well, I thought of you the other day and though I’d see if I could contact you. I’m a midwifery student in Portland (at Birthingway College of Midwifery) and was at an Oregon Midwifery Council (OMC) meeting where midwives were asking for people to donate to the raffle we’ll be having. We’re tabling at the MANA conference (Midwives Alliance of North America) and I’m wondering if you’d like to donate one of you amazing, beautiful sculptures for us to raffle. All proceeds go to the Oregon Midwifery Council, thereby helping support women and their right to choose and be safe in homebirth! If this is up your ally, I’d love you to contact me. You can find me at jordanna.macintyre@birthingway.edu. And for the record, your pear vulva is my absolute favorite. Pears already look like a uterus and are very womanly to me. Kudos on your artwork; I think it really reaches people.

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