SW4: Susan Spencer, the Black Baroness!

Today's SteamWomen interview takes a look outside of U.S. Steampunk, as we talk with Susan Spencer, sometimes known as the Black Baroness! Susan is based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and is a vendor (Spencer's Mercantile), entrepreneur, and organizer of Steampunk events, such as the SteamonQueen street fair and the Grand Canadian Steampunk Exposition. Check out her doings online or maybe in person!

How would you define or describe yourself?
 I'm an entrepreneur, an organizer, and (in Malcolm Gladwell's terms) a connector. I bring things and people together to create items, events, and happenings. I build things - some of them physical, some of them experiential.

How did you find Steampunk and how do you define it? 
Growing up a history aficionado in a family of chemists, inventors, and engineers, could I really have ended up anywhere other than in Steampunk? I am old enough to have been fascinated by things that we now describe as Steampunk before the term was coined – and I loved them. Movies like "The Great Race" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" fascinated me, so when someone finally mentioned the word "Steampunk" in passing one day, my reaction was, "So that's what all of this stuff I've loved forever is called!"

Describe one of your creative processes.
It took me a very long time to accept that we're all just making life up as we go along. Once I realized that, it set me free. The smallest of ideas can blossom into something enormous and complex and wonderful, given time and attention. And it all begins with an idea, a phrase, a momentary passing fancy – call it an inspiration, perhaps. I let the thought ramble around in my head for a while, let it surface when I meditate, consciously devote serious thought to it in quiet moments, and before long it will start to develop and grow. I'll decide if this is something I should work on in the present, and if it is, I'll devote serious amounts of time and energy to it. I'll talk to people. I'll call up someone I don't know and pick their brains about an aspect of it. I'll research the daylights out of it. If it's a product or an event that needs to be monetized, I'll work the numbers over and over again until I'm happy with them. It's usually at this point that things begin to fall into place and aspects of the project begin to come together. After that, it's just a matter of hard work, communication, testing the waters, hard work, prototyping and going back to the drawing board if necessary, hard work, brainstorming with smart and experienced people – and then a lot of hard work.

Who or what inspires you?

People who make a positive difference in this world. Great music. Great art. People who are great leaders without the attendant egos. Great books. Grand ideals. Grand gestures. The opportunity to do something wonderful for others.

Tell us about one of the projects you're working on (or just finished).
The Grand Canadian Steampunk Exposition is coming up on September 25-27, 2015. I have a team of extremely talented and dedicated volunteers and staff who are a delight to work with – true professionals in their disciplines, and all great people to boot. This year's theme is "Wonderland Awaits" – we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the publication of Alice in Wonderland. As you can imagine, that book offers a tremendous amount of inspiration!  We are incredibly fortunate to be working with Parks Canada at Fort George National Historic Site in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. How much fun can hundreds of Steampunks have when they are let loose in a fully functional 19th century military fort? Then throw in an altered reality and sideways view of the world inspired by the writings of Lewis Carroll – you can see it's going to be quite a weekend! To add icing to our cake, we'll have wonderful performances throughout each day by some of the most talented performers around – everything from a flea circus to magicians to musicians. And we have two gala concerts, featuring Abney Park, Steam Powered Giraffe, Professor Elemental, and French Canadian Steampunk group Jardin Mecanique. I really can't wait to see this all come to fruition!

 

What advice do you have for young Steampunks? 

Love yourself. Believe in yourself. Do your best, always. Get an education in something, even if it's not a "formal" one. Humility is uncommon and devastatingly attractive. Confidence is sexy. Never stop learning. It costs nothing to be kind. Never look down on someone unless you're reaching down to offer them a hand up. And generosity is usually repaid at least threefold.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Sappy as it may sound, I want to leave this world a better place than it was when I arrived. I have no pretensions that I can change the world or be a great political leader or anything of that nature. But I can certainly make and do things to bring joy and happy memories to people. It's all about recognizing that we are all just people, and that there really is no reason send out anything but positive vibes and love. If that makes me a left wing tree hugging granola crunching idealist with stars in my eyes and rose tinted glasses – well, I think I'm okay with that.

SW2: Interview with Artist Teri Lenfest, a Modern Steampunk Grandma Moses

For our second feature here at SteamWomen, we are pleased to present to you Teri Lenfest (known in some circles as "Kat's Mom.") She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. 

How would you describe yourself?
 As a 69-year-young steampunk woman.  I kind of see myself as a modern steampunk Grandma Moses. I didn’t get into art until well after I retired and got into steampunk. I’m self-taught and am learning as I go along. When I started painting, no one was more surprised than I was by the results. Multimedia fabric art has become my thing and, within the last year, multimedia fabric art Goddesses have captured my attention. I will do a panel on Goddesses at Clockwork Alchemy this year and think it should be a very interesting discussion.

How did you find steampunk? 
My daughter introduced me to the band Abney Park at least 10 years ago. I immediately fell in love with them and the story they were telling. Later, she took me to my first Steamcon and I was hooked. Way back then, you couldn’t Google steampunk and come up with a selection of clothing, music, gadgets, jewelry, or anything else. If you wanted to be steampunk, you had to learn how to make things yourself. This was exciting. It was invigorating. People were feeding off of each other’s creativity. There was a lot of sharing: knowledge, skills, websites, contacts.  It was like an creative feeding frenzy. I was sucked in and I loved it. I started  sewing and designing; then, because I couldn’t find what I wanted anywhere else, I started painting and embellishing. And, it isn't limiting. Steampunk attracts people from 8 to 88, able-bodied and handicapped, and all ethnicities. It encourages creativity, design, imagination, and game playing.  It’s a wonderful, beautiful, crazy place to be.

How would you define steampunk? Steampunk is difficult to define. When you see it, you know it, but how do you define it? I always say that if you go back to the Victorian age of corsets, bustles, top hats, and facile hair, dump in a little Poe and Lovecraft, stir in some Firefly, Doctor Who, Torchwood, and Mad Max, and shake it well, you’ll probably end up with something like steampunk. It’s a mixture of late 19th century esthetics and post-apocalyptic punk. Think robotic limbs and bustles; top hats, waistcoats, goggles, and gas masks. 

Please tell us a bit about your creative process:
It depends upon whether I’m doing a commission or not. If it’s a commission, I work very closely with the purchaser in order to try to envision what they want. That’s a very difficult process, as I know that they have something specific in mind and my job is to figure out what that is and reproduce it. It’s hard to explain what I do when I’m creating on my own. I don’t sketch out a plan or have a diagram. I call it meditation. I’m almost in a zen state. I’m not really thinking about what I’m doing as I’m doing it. I’m totally zoned-out, in the groove, going with the flow. I start with a basic pencil sketch on paper, then use fabric marking transfer paper to trace that image onto a piece of fabric, which I then paint with acrylic paint. After that, I add embroidery floss, pleather, feathers, beads, found objects, ribbons, and sundry other items to embellish the design. And, when it’s done - it’s done. It’s like some kind of crazy magic going on.
 
Who or what inspires you?

I seem to be doing something that’s uniquely me, so I can’t say that I’m inspired by the art of anyone else. Right now I’m working on Goddesses. I didn’t know much about them when I started. My first was Gaia and I was pleased with her. Then, perhaps because I’d changed my mental filter to search for Goddesses, I discovered that a lot of other artists I knew were also doing Goddesses, most of whom were Greco/Roman Goddesses. I didn’t want to do what everyone else was doing, so I decided to see what other Goddesses I could find. I was astonished by the enormous number of Goddesses that I’d never heard of before. Every culture, ethnicity, and religion had Goddesses, from Inuits to Incas to Yorubas, to Japanese, to Native Americans, to Russians. Goddesses were everywhere. I live in a very impoverished neighborhood, where youth have very little hope or self esteem. My goal became to create Goddesses that youth could identify with. I wanted a young woman to be able to look at my Goddesses and find one that had skin and hair and eyes just like hers. It became an obsession with me. I would research a Goddess to find out as much as I could about her, then I would Google faces from that ethnicity or tribe until I found the face and clothing that I wanted to recreate, and I used that information to create Goddesses that people could relate to.

What projects are you working on right now?  
My focus at the moment is Clockwork Alchemy 2015. I’m on staff and working in the Art Gallery and Artist’s Bazaar, and trying to organize a Goddess panel, so all of my energy is focused there at the moment. Check out more at www.clockworkalchemy.com

What advice do I have for young steampunks?  In the beginning, we had nothing. If we wanted it, we had to figure out how to create it. In recent history, some members of the steampunk community have determined that what they think qualifies as steampunk is steampunk and what they think isn’t, isn't. This trend reminds me very much of high school cliques. If you conform to my vision, you’re in. If you don’t, you’re out. In my opinion, this stifles creativity, and creativity is what steampunk is all about. So, my advice is not to listen to the clique segment of steampunk. Ignore them entirely. Create away. Do what makes you happy. Share what you learn and learn from others who are willing to share with you. Experiment. Research. Innovate. Throw this and that together with abandon. Have fun! Steampunk is about creativity and having fun with others who are creating and having fun.

Where to see Teri's work: 

She can be contacted at: wetlandwriter@gmail.com or on FaceBook - you can see a gallery of her Goddess images here. It can also be seen in the Art Gallery at Clockwork Alchemy, in San Jose, Calif., Memorial Day weekend.

Teri asked for us to link some of her musical inspirations:
Abney Park, Unwoman, The Nathaniel Johnstone Band, Frenchy & The Punk, Steam Powered Giraffe

SW3: Interview with Renate Goodwin of The Cog is Dead!

For our second interview, we're featuring Renate Goodwin/Renate Eights, the drummer/percussionist for The Cog is Dead. A 19-year-old native of Daytona Beach, Fla., she's a newcomer to the steampunk scene, but she's made a big impact thus far!

How would you define or describe yourself?

It's kind of hard even for me to describe myself honestly. I guess I would say happy, hyper, maybe even a little rebellious at times. I love to smile and laugh, so I would definitely say happy. That's why I love playing music because it makes people happy. I'm already excited because I get to play drums. I get even more excited seeing everyone else get excited! That's when I start getting hyper! I am definitely a music lover. Music plays a MAJOR part of my life. Who knows where I'd be without it.


You say you are a little hyper and rebellious. What was high school like for you?

High school was all right, I guess. I was cool with a lot of people, so I pretty much never had any high school drama because no one disliked me. My school buddies would call me a modern-day hippie because I wore tie-dye shirts and ripped jeans or shorts. Can't really have enemies of you smile with everyone. I treated everyone the same and laughed with everyone; probably the most trouble I would get into was not showing up in class or making jokes. I was always into more fun things like skating, surfing, or going to reggae concerts so if I had to choose class over the other, class would always lose. I made good grades, though. Surprised myself sometimes with my grades! I got the best grades in weightlifting class and I was the only girl that actually worked out. The other girls would just sit around. Maybe they were too cute and pretty to work out haha. I hung out with anyone who was chill to hang with me. I didn't care what group they were with I'd hang with them. Only if a certain person was known as bad news or drama-causing person, I'd keep my distance.

My closest group of friends were a few people and we would always get separated in every class we had together because we'd either talk too much or just laugh too much. They all hung out with different groups so we never met up as our own group but things like that never bothered me.

How did you find Steampunk, and how do you define it?

I didn't even know steampunk was a thing actually. I heard a friend mention it once or twice because we were watching Alice in Wonderland, but I was too busy in my own thing to really ask about it. 

My friend Bradley [Harrington, bassist for The Cog is Dead]  he had a graduation party, and it was Steampunk themed. I showed up in swim shorts and a t-shirt. You can obviously tell I had no idea what was going on!

The funny thing about it, he was playing songs from The Cog is Dead but we both weren't in the band at the time and probably would have never imagined being in the band either. Bradley eventually joined the band months before me and they had a local show for an art exhibit. I wanted to go to support my bro Bradley because I never saw him play with the band. We always had our own jam sessions at his place.

At the show, they were playing their music and everything was going pretty cool. They had an intermission and I started talking to John's dad [Captain John Sprocket, lead singer of The Cog is Dead] because he was the drummer. He asked if I wanted to play in the set a little bit so I did a solo. John jumped on the mic and said they have one more song. I was going to hand John's dad his drum sticks back but he was like, "Play the song!" 

I kinda was like "ALL RIGHT!" but at the same time I mini-panicked. I had no idea how to play the song, so I just winged, and it  fell together all right. It was fun! I definitely didn't regret it.

John later contacted me and asked if I was down to play a show in Piscataway, N.J.! [This was the 2014 Steampunk World's Fair - ed] I was sooooo down with going North to play drums! I officially joined the band  after my first show in Jersey.

It was crazy mentioning to my friends that I was going out of town for my first gig with the band in Jersey! I honestly couldn't really believe it either. It was definitely weird when I saw my face on the posters! I still get weirded out by it, but it's a good weird. When I started in the band, I was already on my own at 18. So it was a big decision for me to just leave out the state. I had no home of my own, I slept on my friends' couches and floors, I had a few bags and some old drum sticks. So I figured, why not go, because I had nothing to lose.

I started going to different cons for Steampunk and anime. I liked it because I actually got to see creativity from total different strangers in one area. It takes A LOT of work to get all these costumes that these people were wearing together. I like history, so going to Steampunk cons are like stepping into world where the clothes are old school but they were using iPhones and Androids. I did notice Steampunk seems more mature than some other subcultures but the people STILL know how to have fun.

How do you like to get ready for a show? 

Before I play, I gotta put on some music on my headphones to get me ready. I'll put on Jimi Hendrix, Lenny Kravitz, Tribal Seeds, New Kingston, Red Hot Chili Peppers etc. pretty much anything that'll get me pumped and ready to play. When I get close to the stage, I always listen for the crowd, because it's my job to make sure they're happy and hyped by the end of the show. So if they aren't hyped yet I gotta make that my goal, and if they already are, let's see if I can get more out of them! When they get excited I get excited!

Who do you consider to be your musical influences?

If it wasn't Sheila E., I probably wouldn't be playing drums today. When I was younger I watched a live show of Sheila playing Glamorous Life. She was playing the drums, then kicked one of the cymbals with her heels! Since then, drums have been my love. My grandma would save coffee cans and boxes so I could beat on them all the time.

I love most different genres of music but I love Reggae and Classic Rock. The different styles of music influences the way I play drums. It's a mix of pieces of everything  Jimi Hendrix  and Bob Marley have always been my inspiration to play and to KEEP playing music no matter what. They were both humble and strived to have a positive influence in people's lives. I want to have that same impact on others. Music isn't about what pays, its about the message or creativity and FUN that goes into it. That's why music in an art. Art is based off the artist's emotions.

To expand my style of playing, I listen to bands like Tribal Seeds, Slightly Stoopid, Rebelution, Fortunate Youth, Steel Pulse, etc. to get a Reggae feel. For a good number of Cog songs, there is a more rock feel, so I turn to Jimi Hendrix Experience, Green Day, Led Zeppelin, and Nirvana. I also watch a lot of drum covers, so far my favorite drummer to watch is Cobus Potgieter. I love the way he plays on the set. If I named everything I would go on forever, so to sum it up, my inspiration on how I play and do what I do can come from everything and anything.

Did you have formal music lessons or take music lessons in school? When did you get your first drum set?

I was in band all middle school and some high school. I loved band in middle school and I never had the stereotypical issue with getting picked on as a band geek. My middle school band was actually known for being one of the top middle school bands. Plot twist! I didn't even play drums! I was a trombone player in the advanced and jazz band. I'd always try to play around on the drum set though. 

I never had lessons on drums. I just picked it up and practiced on my own with music books and watching music videos. I couldn't ever afford any lessons even if I did want it. Music called to me enough where I didn't have to worry about it. Drums were the first real instrument I got into and just learned in the way. I did play drums in high school though. I was only in jazz band in high school for one year because the directors never took their job seriously. I actually conducted a class because this one particular band director wanted to see if I could do a better job than him. Long story short, the band ended up playing the song correctly. Ha, the dude had pride issues and even though he didn't know how to play drums or most instruments he's always try to tell me what I was doing is wrong. I always joked around in the class (which would get me sent to the office) but played seriously when it was time to.

I remember my first "rockstar" moment at our school band recital. My director thought he'd get me back by making me play congas on what he thought was my favorite song. The other kid didn't even have his own drum sticks with him so he had to use mine. We played the song and when it ended there were a few claps here and there. We got the cue to change instruments and as soon as the other drummer handed me my sticks everyone got loud! I was sooooooooooo stoked about it. I smiled so hard and waved at everyone. It was awesome hearing my own school cheer my name!

I got my first drum set at 14. I worked and paid for it myself. I'd do yard work and save up for it. I seen it at a pawn shop and just had to get it. I was in between my mom and dad's homes at the time. My drum set was kept in my room at my dad's place. I'd drive him mad playing it all the time. I guess I could tell when I really started getting better because he'd let me play in the garage so the neighbors could hear me. I remember one time the neighbors across the street started coming outside dancing. I still have the same drum kit too. I just replaced a lot of the parts on it. It's my baby!

What is going on with the band right now?

There are future shows and a new album coming out from The Cog is Dead. June 6th, 2015, is our big show in Del Land, Fla., at the Athens Theater. It's going to be a live DVD and CD so we're trying to get people to come in and enjoy this – because it's kind of a big deal! I'm really excited for it!

Do you have any advice for young Steampunks?

Kids! Stay in school and make sure to stay out of trouble – but really, remember to have fun. If you want to do something that people say is impossible to do. Do it anyway. Don't let anyone, including yourself, tell you that you can't accomplish your goals. If you really want to do it, it'll happen. I always knew I'd be doing music, I just never knew when. I ended up in a band traveling the states before I even graduated high school! Also just a little suggestion, you can enjoy life wayyy more when it's based on giving and not taking. Playing drums and making music makes people happy, and that's why I love it!

You said stay in school. Are you going to college for music?

I'm in college now to be an automotive technician. I think they just say that to be fancy and professional. In simple terms I'm working on being a certified mechanic. I'm the only girl in my class and I get better grades than most of the guys. I think it's funny because when I first started the class, I kept hearing that it's a man's job until they realized I know what I'm doing and talking about. I get along with my whole class and all we do is joke with each other. My professors have been awesome with trying to work with me when I have shows that may slow me down in class. They always help me make up any missed work.

I have been asked plenty of times before why I haven't majored in music, but I figured everyone needs a their car worked on. Having a trade is easier to fall back in when you need a little cash. I made more money working on friends' cars than I did playing my friend's guitar by the beach at home! I'm going to keep music as my career, but I'm going to use my certification to help finance it. I like engines because my dad was a mechanic, but like I mentioned before, music rules over all.

Find out more at:Renate Goodwin's Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/renate.goodwin?_rdrSoundcloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/thecogisdead
The Cog is Dead's Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/thecogisdead

SW1: Interview with Isabella Bennett

For our very first interview, we are delighted to feature Isabella "Bunny" Bennett of San Diego, CA, whom many of you will know from the popular band Steam Powered Giraffe. In addition to her mad skills as a songwriter/singer/performer, she is also a gifted illustrator and writer. We will be featuring videos and images from her all week-long on our facebook page. 

How would you define or describe yourself?
I guess I'm a big nerd and geek at heart. And the most down-to-earth person with their head-in-the-clouds I know!

How did you find Steampunk, and how do you define it? 
When I was a child I read War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. The imagery of the Martian machines was so inspiring, and yet I had no words to describe it. I always enjoyed it as an aesthetic in movies and around 2008 when it really started taking off, that's when we started doing the Steam Powered Giraffe robot act. I chose to make my character the industrial revolution sort of robot.

Steampunk to me is an artistic aesthetic. It drums up so many themes of sci-fi, technology, and Victorian romanticism, and for some reason that seems to really capture people's imaginations.

Please give us an insight into one of your creative processes.
Showering is surprisingly where a lot of my ideas begin; be it a song or an illustration, or a story- it probably began while washing my hair!

Who or what inspires you? Inspiration is sort of that universal symbiotic relationship we have with each other, yeah? It's a give and take from other humans. Everyone and everything is game. I'm just sure to experience as much as I can to fuel it!

Please tell us about one of the projects you're working on. 
I'm currently working on a children's book called "Pudding Bat's Big Night Out." It's a cute little spooky story about the importance of patience. It should be out for October 2015.

What advice do you have for young Steampunks? 
I always say- there is no wrong way to Steampunk. Spray paint that milk carton or build cardboard armor. Wear goggles even if everyone is already doing it. Don't let anyone stifle your creativity. It's your imagination.

Anything else you'd like our readers to know?
I'm very grateful for the Steampunk communities I have interacted with. Going out to events, art shows, and concerts is always such a pleasurable experience and I look forward to sharing those moments with everyone again and again!



Find out more at: 
Steam Powered Giraffe: www.steampoweredgiraffe.com
Isabella's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bunnybennett
Isabella's Art Gallery: http://bunnybennett.deviantart.com/

Welcome!

For about the last 1-2 years I've been asking "Why isn't there more of a focus on the amazing women of the Steampunk scene who are the makers and doers, the artists and designers, musicians and writers, and other creative folks who make the scene tick?" And thanks to friends who were probably sick of me voicing this question, I have decided to go forth and create a blog that does exactly that.

Steampunk is a genre that appeals to a wide variety of folks from different ages, genders, and backgrounds.  Attending a Steampunk convention will pretty much guarantee the attendee an eyeful of equal amounts of amazingly-dressed men and women, views of 2-3 generations of families attending, and a heavy focus on DIY, history merging with fantasy through all of the arts, and discussions about social issues and building a better future.

But while we see male personalities and makers of all shapes and sizes being celebrated, there seems to be a much more narrower lens for the ladies, and that causes me concern. I want to see the amazing women of this subculture ALL featured, regardless of age, size, or background.  If Steampunk is "The Future of a Past That Never Was" then I want to make sure the younger ladies of the movement have a diverse amount of positive, realistic role models to look up to - and there is no shortage of them!  And I don't want to make this about who's "doing it wrong" - but instead, let's focus on making it better for everyone.

I already have over a dozen ladies on my list I would like to interview and feature.  I will be creating google forms shortly on submitting women to feature (whether it's yourself or someone you're a fan of) and I would also love to hear from folks who would like to help with the interview process and contribute to this blog.

If you're interested in contributing, please drop us a line at SteamWomenBlog(at)gmail.com

Cheers!