SW8: This Way To Sarah - Lady Egress!

This week we hear from Sarah Shown aka "Saddle" Sarah or Lady Egress - from This Way to the EGRESS!  Sarah comes to us by way of Bethlehem, PA - so East Coast Steampunks should be very familiar with her work - West Coast folks, watch out! 

How would you define/describe yourself?

I am the partner, leading lady, piano/violin player and songstress of This Way to the EGRESS. I am a multi-tasker, turd polisher, DIY warrior. I was raised in a musical family and have been playing since I was 7. I met Taylor and teamed up with him in EGRESS in 2008. We were so diluted by the current musical temperature that we decided to create a band where we didn't adhere to any boundaries and created music that we would like to hear. I think the most steampunk thing about me is I am rather anachronistic. 

How did you find steampunk?
I was actually lucky and steampunk found me. In 2009 EGRESS was approached to play a handful of steampunk events. It was through those shows that we learned about the subculture. It was really awesome to find that a lot of what we already loved and had interest in was all coming together in a scene. That there weren't boundaries about what you could be like there are in a lot of other scenes. The steampunk community has greatly supported and adopted EGRESS and myself as it's own even though at times we seem to march to our own beat. That is a part of what makes it so great, we can create our own reality.

Describe one of your creative processes.
I suppose it depends on what I am working on. It rather bi polar actually. My creative process' change according to my moods. Mostly when it comes to song writing however, songs come one of a couple ways. The lyrics first and then I put them to music, the music firs and then I write lyrics to it or sometimes I sit down with a concept or a purpose, like "I am going to write about what's happening in the world and how it effects me" or I am going to sit down and use this new scale I have been working on and create a song from that. One thing that is consistently the same is that I like to create things my friends and I would like to wear or listen too or look at. A lot of times its just an organic process I give it over to a higher place and it creates it's self through me.

Who or what inspires you?

Some of my biggest musical inspirations are my experiences and travels. My emotions and humanity. I have experienced a decent amount of death that seems to weigh heavily on my every day life. I draw quite a bit of inspiration from our fans and their stories. My friends and family, especially my mom. My muse, Taylor. He has an incredibly refreshing approach to live and it inspires me daily. I am incredibly inspired by stories about change and self awareness. I think that is the most difficult thing for lots of folks to do and I love it and watching the transformation and sometimes I am lucky enough to be a part of that transformation. I am heavily influenced by film and the films I like, mostly dating back to my teen years. Lastly, Tom Waits. 

What projects are you working on right now? 
Right now every inch of my focus is going into This Way to the EGRESS. We about to release our third full length album. It's entitled Great Balancing Act and it is being unleashed digitally onMay 19th however we are having some record release parties one of which is at this years Steampunk World's Fair!! There is so much that goes into being in a DIY band that I am completely encompassed with the sphere of it all. We have finished booking a tour and now we are working on promotions places to sleep and all of the work that goes into being on the road like over hauling the van, packing, over hauling our gear, practicing and preparing our stage show. In between all of that I am running the social media campaigns trying to find time to be

human and plant my garden : )

What advice do you have for young steampunks? 
Be true to yourself. No matter what and at all costs. You are in a great scene for that!! If you don't know how to do something or make something, Learn how. The best thing about steampunk is it is largely a DIY community. If you don't have the interest in learning how to make a pair of goggles or a mini top hat than support  the arts!  In fact support the arts anyway. Music and Art and Words are suffering in our culture at large, don't let it become a thing of the past. Give that gift to the future by becoming a part of the movement. We don't have to just eat what society force feeds us, we can be in charge by supporting the things we think are important.

Website: www.thiswaytotheegress.com

SW7: Jocelynne Simone, AKA Madame Askew, and the Art of Tea Dueling!

This Monday's blog features the irrepressible Madame Askew, time traveler, tea enthusiast, and proponent of the fine art of tea dueling, where one settles differences with tea and biscuits rather than bullets and guns. She is also known for her clothing construction and corsetry, as Lady in Waiting Fashions. Making her home in Tuscon, Arizona, Madame Askew has wielded her teapots at Wild West Con, AetherFest, and other steampunk conventions.

How would you define/describe yourself?
I think I start from a place of optimism. I always endeavor to find the very best in the people around  me, the experiences of my life and the places I visit. I adore people as individuals in the vast myriad of unique ways each person exists. Interacting with people, creating spaces of laughter or inspiration really feeds my soul. My, an extrovert, and it certainly shows! Nothing picks me up after a bad day quite like spending quality times with a friend or group of friends. It’s rare that I want to hide away and hibernate though it does happen.

For all of my love of spending time with people and my excitement for life, I am fundamentally an artist which does mean a great deal of time spent working in a solitary environment. Long ago I had a vocal coach tell me that for some of us to be happy in the world, we would always need to do some type of art, in some manner. I have found this to be very true, and I have been fortunate to have my life filled with both the performing and creative arts, especially in recent years. Not only do I have the opportunity to build costumes and see them grace the bodies of many wonderful people, but I also get to stand before small bands to large crowds of people and entertain them with my merry band of tea drinking fiends.

Given that I pursue art as well as volunteer in my local community extensively, I am grateful that a final facet of my character is that I am what some might charitably call driven and others might describe as a workaholic. I love doing and filling my life with acts of creativity, giving and performing. I firmly attribute this to a drama teacher I had in middle school, Tyrone Wilkerson, who chastised those of us in class for squandering our time. He gave a compelling and inspiring speech about filling every moment with something that feeds our brains, our souls or both. I have tried to live my life with that speech propelling me forward.

How did you find Steampunk?

 Like many people in our wonderful community, I believe I found Steampunk long before I found the term. I remember watching the classic Disney adaptations of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth with great glee. I loved the aesthetic and the costumes. I wanted to be in those places. As I was older, I began to seek out books that captured that same feeling. For quite sometime I had quite the challenge tracking them down. I didn’t quite know how to describe them to librarians, and of course, I’m old enough to have lived before searching by internet was a possibility. It was The Difference Engine by Sterling and Gibson and then Death of a Necromancer by Martha Wells that finally introduced me to the term. From there, it was a few years before I discovered that there was an entire subculture that had sprung to life. The internet was certainly a boon in that exploration, often making a community that would have been too far away very accessible. 

Describe one of your creative processes.

For my costumes, I like to start with a scenario, activity, or destination that drives the function and then look of the costume. For instance, I might have a client who wants to be a lady airship captain. Rather than doing a visual search of modern costumes by other designers – whose work I love but I never like to emulate too closely – I go to the historical record of the nineteenth century. I start by doing a visual search of photographic plates or drawings. In this case, I would start by searching for female adventurers of the era or female military costumes. An airship captain, after all, would need to be able to move practically and efficiently on her ship. The visual search might send me down the trail of particular historical figures and how they managed to live and work in their field. Often there will be more pictures and some historical notes about why they wore this or chose that equipment. I take all of those details and throw them into the blender of my imagination, and then add in what I know about the particular character of my client. From there I often do some sketching to try to capture what I’m envisioning.

Who or what inspires you?

 I have been incredibly fortunate to meet many amazing humans. These individuals have inspired me in countless ways, and the list is extremely long. However, there are several particularly inspirational figures in my life. My grandfather was an inventor, engineer, independent thinker, and one of the most genuinely gracious humans I have known. He taught me how to build things in the workshop, how to dream about design, and to believe that everything was possible. He also told me when I was very young to remember that every human was born the same and that it was our actions that set us apart. My dear mentor, Carlos Tuttle, in high school provided me with a great deal of life coaching which I believe saved me from treading down a path of bitterness and self-serving. When I was distressed that I could never repay him for his support, he agreed that I should in fact not even attempt to repay *him* but to pay back my debt by helping others in the future. My dear Aunt Kristi has forged a life of art and happiness. I have watched her dedicate herself and find a balance that is true to her vision even while it may not always be a secure or easy road. She taught me what it meant to pursue work as an artist. Finally, for this very short list, my dear teacher, Mrs. Grongberg, showed me the power of intellectual integrity and words, especially poetry, and opened my mind to a new way of seeing the world. When life has been difficult, I have been able to return to those lessons and find some poem that lifts my soul. 

 What has been your greatest adventure?

Honestly, life as a performer. In my early 20s, I gave up pursuing a career as a performer for a host of reasons that seemed very sensible, wise, and practical at the time. That decision left a hole in my heart. In this later phase of my life, I have had the great gift of performing again, regularly. I am humbled and frequently in awe of that gift.  That, of course, has been mostly a metaphysical  adventure.

I think in a more real world sense one of my greatest adventures was driving to the Grand Canyon by myself when I was 21. It was August, terribly hot and dry, and I had absolutely no idea how to prepare myself. I was terribly poor, packed too little food, did not take sufficient water, and I was driving the most terrifying old car. (I bought it for $600 which at the time was a princely sum for me.) I strapped my trusty Godzilla figure into the passenger seat and drove. It was incredibly beautiful country. I had hours to myself and I remember very fondly singing at the top of my lungs with all of the windows rolled down because there was no air conditioning in my car. The Grand Canyon itself is beautiful beyond my ability to describe it, but it was the sheer act of surviving the ride and knowing I could so entirely depend upon myself, even ill prepared as I was, to make my adventure happen that was the sweetest part.

What projects are you working on right now?

 Currently, I am very fortunate to have an extremely full queue of projects for clients and backers. I’m making a variety of tea duelling sashes for people I truly adore, several waistcoats for gentlemen who deserve to be dressed to the absolute nines, and a couple of corsets. I am especially thrilled about the corsets as one is for a client who has never owned one before and another is for a friend who has weathered a rough few months. I may also get to work on a Japanese Steampunk ensemble, including a corset obi, and I hope a summer weight ensemble for Madame Askew will soon be in the works. 

What advice do you have for young Steampunks?

 Being a Steampunk can go far beyond the simple costumes and accoutrements that we all love. Find who inspires you and encourages you rather than those who would tell you how to do things only their way or that tell you only what you are doing wrong. Learn the difference between constructive criticism and unkindness. Read. Read about your passions and those who have gone before in your field, read the technical materials of your particular vocation, read the fiction of Steampunk or whatever inspires your imagination. Fill your mind, build up your spirit, and do not be afraid of being smart or authentic. Beyond that, ask questions and learn to listen. Listening does not mean agreement with all that you hear, but it does provide time to actually judge the merit of information. If you meet those who refuse to answer your questions, there will be others who will step up to the challenge.

SW6: Ay-leen the Peacemaker (Diana M. Pho) and Multiculturalism in Steampunk

This week we're looking at one of the champions of multiculturalism in Steampunk, Ay-leen the Peacemaker (Diana M. Pho). Ay-leen discusses some of her most recent projects. In her life as an editor for Tor Books, she's starting off this week at JordanCon and ending it at the International Steampunk Symposium. She's also the author of the Beyond Victoriana blog, which is one of the foremost resources on Steampunk and retrofuturism from outside a Western-dominant, Eurocentric perspective. Thankfully she was able to take some time to answer questions for us!

How would you describe yourself?
I am an urban adventurer with a penchant for all things retrofuturistic and timey-wimey.

How did you find Steampunk? 
I was introduced to Steampunk by my fiancee, Lucretia Dearfour, who basically described it as her and her friends, dressing up in sci-fi anachronistic Victorian clothing, going to conventions, and having people take pictures of them. XD But I also know that steampunk had become much more – I would now define it as an art movement inspired by retrofuturism and 19th century science fiction and fantasy.

Please describe one of your creative processes.
I work as an editor by day, crafter/costumer by night, and I run a blog. So there are a lot of different processes I think about in terms of “creativity.” I like being absorbed by art – my art or other people’s – and then breaking it down into all sorts of bits and pieces and putting it back together again, only stronger. That’s basically how an editor works, that’s how a cosplayer thinks, and that’s what many steampunks do.

Who or what inspires you?
Stories, especially folklore and mythologies. New ideas and processes. Scientific discoveries that impact society. A good shot of fine vodka.

Tell us about one of the projects you're working on...
I wrote the introduction to the Best of Spanish Steampunk recently (here’s an interview I also conducted with co-editor Marian Womack), where I talk about the impact of local histories when conceptualizing steampunk stories, and Monturiol, who invented the first steam-powered submarine.

What advice do you have for young Steampunks?
Read and be curious. Don’t be afraid to fail with a project and have to start over from scratch. Don’t get caught up with some idea that to be “successful” you have to be some sort of community icon. Always be open to new ideas and to share your own.

Ay-leen the Peacemaker (photo by Phillip Ng)

SW5: Samantha ‘Frenchy’ Stephenson: Living A Creative Life

SteamWomen is pleased to present the incredibly multitalented Samantha ‘Frenchy’ Stephenson  - one half of the fantastic musical duet Frenchy & The Punk. We're thrilled she was able to take time from her very busy schedule to share her thoughts with us - thank you Samantha! 

How would you define or describe yourself?

I am an artist, performer, healing arts practitioner and traveler. The need to lead a creative life has always been paramount to me. Though my journey has had many twists and turns, I now travel my true path and it is amazing! As an artist; I draw, paint and sculpt. As a performer; I started in the performing arts at 4 years old when living in the UK with classes and performances in ballet and modern dance as well as piano. Later, after moving to the U.S., ballet changed to jazz and hiphop dance and since 2005 I have been the singer and percussionist for the Folk Punk Cabaret duo Frenchy and the Punk. As a healing arts practitioner; in 1999 I began my studies in Polarity Therapy at the Open Center in NYC which encompassed Craniosacral therapy and energy healing. I believe in the power of movement literally and figuratively. Through my experiences in dance and as an aerobics instructor, I find that physical activity is a great catalyst for transformation and empowerment on all levels. The spark to move forward in life can be inspired through the performing, visual and healing arts. Through our music, we endeavor to inspire people to move, to want to do something, to get up and get going. As a traveler; it started early on for me as I traveled quite a bit growing up (I was born in France and lived in the UK and Brazil before coming to America) and the band travels year-round touring all across the U.S. and in Europe.

How did you find Steampunk -OR- how do you define it?

I was performing, along with guitarist Scott Helland, at events organized by Jeff Mach and he said; “You’d be good for Steampunk events” and we said, “What’s Steampunk?!” We had already been performing at Faerie Festivals, another very creative and spirited community, and Alternative Music Festivals and Conventions since 2006 and it seemed that Steampunk was somehow an extension of a similar world. I was immediately attracted to the creativity and European feel and aesthetic of the community as was Scott and he, coming from a Punk Rock background, immediately heard the ‘Punk’ part of the name! That was back in 2009 and since then we have performed at almost all of the major Steampunk events in the U.S. and Europe and have become one of the ‘go-to’ bands for the genre. Steampunk is a beautiful explosion of creativity. It attracts and fosters a maker’s mindset which I love and has a transformative feel to it. It has a very tactile aspect to it too and brings a sense of warmth to a world that can at times feel cold. It brings together a community of people who are at once creative, adventurous, fun-loving and action-oriented.

Please share with us one of your creative processes. 

I write the lyrics to the Frenchy and the Punk songs and sometimes the melody. Writing lyrics can be a mysterious process. It feels like there is a well that I plunge into to access the words. Scott is constantly playing guitar and sometimes when he is playing a riff I hear lyrics attached. It’s like they already exist within the notes. The process is such a validation of the idea of a Muse. It feels like a gift when those words come. It is the same for Scott, he is incredibly connected and his ability to tap into that golden essence of music through guitar is amazing. Sometimes, after seeing a movie, art show or perhaps driving through some amazing scenery or meeting someone along the way who tells me something interesting, I will get an idea that pops into my head. A phrase can form out of nowhere that just keeps going. If I don’t write it down right away or sing it into my phone, it disappears! Again, it feels like a gift, floating in the air, waiting to be caught and communicated to the world. If the melody comes with the lyrics, then I sit down at my keyboard to figure out the chords. I studied piano for 7 years when I was a kid, and it really comes in handy.

Who or what inspires you?

Nature, movies, art, music, people I meet, life experiences in general. I have been inspired by artists such as Camille Claudel, Bill Viola, Edward Gorey and authors such as Isabel Allende, Paulo Coelho, Joseph Campbell, Dan Millman and singers like Johnette Napolitano, Siouxsie Sioux, Joanne Shenandoah and Chrissy Hynde and performers such as Blue Man Group and Corvus Corax.

The song ‘House of Cards’ was inspired by the PBS Murder Mystery series and Agatha Christie’s Poirot and actually started from the idea of a ‘villan in the house of cards’ after listening to Ace of Spades from Motorhead. ‘Fe Fi Fo Fum’ was inspired by the fight against Monsanto and general apathy about protecting our natural resources. ‘La Vie de Boheme’ was inspired by my experience living in an artist warehouse in NYC for 5 years where my resolution of making the creative life my fulltime career was cemented. Our drumming instrumentals like ‘Rock Paper Scissors’, ‘Blacksmith’ and ‘The Chase’, that we have been performing since the beginning in 2005 were inspired by my time living in Brazil and my visits to West Africa. ‘Dark Carnivale’ was inspired by the community in which we perform and the feeling that every day is Halloween. ‘Why Should I’ comes from those times when I just feel like giving up but somehow find the kernel of strength within to carry on. ‘Silent Movie’ with the idea of “imagine life were a silent movie, there’d be music all the time!” is inspired by that Charlie Chapin time period and the idea of choosing your own soundtrack for your life. And, I could go on and on!

Every song has its inspiration and life experience. Many of my lyrics are empowerment songs like 'She Was a Flapper; Ode to Lois Long' or ‘Batgirl’. I am thought of as the bat girl because of all the fabric finger puppet bats I’ve been hand sewing and selling since 2002. Bats symbolize rebirth and transformation which is something that resonates on a deep level for me. In fact, our symbol for the band is a Batfrog as we have taken my favorite creature, the bat, and Scott’s favorite, the frog, (which, incidentally, also symbolizes rebirth and transformation) to create our Frenchy and the Punk symbol, the Batfrog. So, ‘Batgirl is a cheeky song about women banding together in support of each other to create a better, kinder and more sane world.

Women’s empowerment is something I have been connected to and inspired by all of my life. When I was in high school I learned that Iceland had voted in a female president and that gave birth to my fascination for that country, the desire to visit it and opened the scope of what women could achieve. As I have struggled to empower myself along my journey, I find that my focus has somewhat shifted. I believe we are living in a pivotal time right now. Building on the struggles and victories of women from past generations, we are at a turning point, and I believe this is due to the recognition and honoring of the feminine aspect in general, which exists in both men and women. This time of change is not only women coming to an equal standing of respect alongside men but also women and men working hand in hand to make this a reality. The men who understand and participate in this cultural evolution are equally as important in the process as they can be the voice that is most likely to be heard in chambers that may be deaf to the voices of women. Women and men working together is much more effective. It transcends gender. It is all about balance.

Please tell us a bit about what you're working on...

Frenchy and the Punk released a CD just before our European tour last August, ‘Bonjour Batfrog’. We released a music video for the song ‘Carried Away’ in February that was shot entirely in Paris mostly on the Champs Elysees. It was our 6th music video. I do all of the editing so I have my work cut out for me! We will be releasing more videos this year for songs off of that CD. We’re very DIY. I do all of the website design, the graphics for the CD packages and poster images. You can see a funny video on our youtube channel about ‘the FnP crew’.

I will also be conducting a panel at conventions this year that brings together some of what I spoke of before. The panel is called ‘Steampunk As Metaphor – Reinventing and Transforming Your Life’. I will be offering it at the International Steampunk Symposium in April in Cincinnati as well as the Steampunk World’s Fair in May in New Jersey and at Clockwork Alchemy in San Jose at the end of May. Those interested in participating can look on the website for our schedule of events on the Tour Dates page.

Apart from that, when we are not touring we are always working on more music and art in our studios in New York.

What advice do you have for young Steampunks?

I think that people are attracted to Steampunk for different reasons and it’s good to know what that reason is. Are you attracted to the aesthetic and just looking for a place to be that is creative and fun to get away from the usual every day? Are you an aspiring writer? Do you like the creativity of making outfits? How is the community an extension of who you are or even who you want to be? It’s a great place to explore, to be adventurous. It’s not so much what advice I would have for young steampunks but rather that steampunk brings out the kid in all of us, whether you are 18 yrs or 35 yrs or 60 yrs old or whatever, it is a creative environment that nurtures that child-like curiosity and desire to bring that creative energy into your life, it’s a spark. We were all born with certain likes and gifts and to not honor those is a crime! They are meant to be a part of our lives and we must explore them because when we give ourselves the chance to be happy, it impacts and empowers not only ourselves but those around us. For more of that discussion… come to my panel!

Where can we find you next?

Our schedule is filling up nicely for the year and there are lots of exciting events coming up. For the Spring, we'll be at the International Steampunk Symposium in Cincinnati April 24th-26th, Spoutwood Faerie Festival in Glen Rock PA  May 1st-3rd, Watch City Steampunk in Waltham MA May 9th, Steampunk World’s Fair in New Jersey May 15th-17th Clockwork Alchemy in San Jose CA  May 22nd-25th, Steampunk Weekend with Jeff Mach and Friends June 6th-8th in Blackthorne NY, Maryland Faerie Festival in Darlington MD June 12th-14th, Webster Hall with percussionist, of ‘Dead Can Dance’ fame, Peter Ulrich in NYC June 20th, and lots more throughout the Summer and Fall including DragonCon in Atlanta GA. Details are all on our website www.frenchyandthepunk.com.

And here is Frenchy & The Punk's most recent music video release!

 

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