A is for Apron

A is for Apron: Auspicious, Audacious, Ambitious

Tales from the Domesticity Jungle, 2018

Artwork, Narratives, and Poetry by Josephine Carubia, Ph.D.

This photo is of me (center) and two of my friends in the International Women's Book Group, Azza Hussein (left) and Duygu Sevasci (right).  They kindly agreed to model my Audacious Aprons at one of our meetings.

This entry is an overview of the project.  The introduction is below and subsequent posts will be focused on each of the aprons. 

Introduction:

The apron is a garment of domesticity. It signifies the seemingly insignificant labor of women in the containment of the home kitchen.  The apron covers and conceals potential and strength while claiming to protect delicacy and beauty.

The professional male (or female) chef may wear an apron, but it is structurally a different apron. Moreover, it is worn under the sign of the chef’s hat (toque), which dominates the view.  The chef’s apron is also diminished in significance by the chef’s coat which broadens the shoulders and visibly projects dominance.

The aprons in this “Abstract, Bold, Conceptual” artwork were constructed with a paper pattern called “Church Ladies Apron.”* The narrative implied in the pattern title is that “do-gooding” women—often in the extraneous years after raising their children—are baking cookies and cakes, and arranging flowers and ceramic elephants for the church penny social.  They are not executive women, not tech-savvy women, not explorers, not officials.  They are not even WOMEN; they are “ladies.”                These reimagined/reconstructed aprons have two distinct sides, presenting two aspects of a woman.  One side may represent her traditional roles and the expectations of her family.  The opposite side reveals her true aspirations, inclinations, and genius.  These are the first three aprons of an endless series.

*“Church Ladies’ Apron Pattern,” ©Mary Mulari Designs