Phenomenal Women by Maya Angelou

I came across this poem, Phenomenal Women, by Maya Angelou, and was completely inspired by and enthused with it. Not only is Maya a spectacular writer, but she is also an admirable advocate for women, one who both understands the female figure and the complex trials it faces and then promotes positive body image through her lyrical language.

Phenomenal Women captures the very essence of the positive body consciousness that Resident Artista strives to provide to all its readers. Women should love the strange twists and turns of their bodies simply because they are a beautiful part of the female form. So read the poem below, and indulge in your own wonderful woman parts.

PHENOMENAL WOMEN
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

The Joy of Nude Modeling

For women seeking to gain a higher level of comfort with their bodies, I highly suggest becoming a nude model for a figure study class.

Yes, yes. I can hear many of you snickering as you read, but I am being very honest. Nude modeling for a figure study class not only benefits the artists at hand, but will also help a woman become more comfortable in her bare skin.

There is something very liberating about posing in front of art students. While laying, sitting, or standing naked in front of an audience you will have nothing to hide, and you soon realize that the artists aren't there to judge your figure. They are there to enhance their own drawing abilities, and will quickly become focused and fascinated by your twists and turns allowing you to gain a greater self-confidence. A women will realize that her imperfections aren't being judged, but rather admired, and that they really are "ok."

When you walk past a mirror, you will think "now that's just fine," and find yourself appreciating your curvature like never before.

A women mustn't be the picture of perfection either to be a nude model. In fact, the farther from the social standards a woman is the more interesting she is to capture on paper or canvas.

That doesn't go without saying that nude modeling isn't necessarily easy work. Nude models can expect to hold poses for long durations of time, and have to use their imaginations and artist's eye to strike interesting poses for the artists. Check out this WikiHow article for a fairly accurate description of becoming a nude model.

So check out your local college or artist guild. They may have a strong need for female nude models allowing you the opportunity to gain enhanced self-esteem, a few extra bucks, and maybe some new pieces of art.

Inspiration: Art:21

For those living without a large or diverse art scene, such as myself, I suggest checking out PBS' Art: 21.

PBS is known for introducing highly informative, and sometimes less entertaining, TV shows, but Art:21 is a whole new experience. While watching the show you basically embark on an international gallery crawl with the artists guiding you through their own works and creative processes.

"The series is entirely dependant on the artists’ ability to describe their work, as they narrate trips to their studios and exhibition spaces," writes the New York Times. "All prove adept in their means of self-expression. In fact, many artists overcome a particular reticence or general wordlessness, and they obviously enjoy having their say.”

What is absolutely fantastic about Art:21 is its diversity. Artists come from all over the world, and we don't see the show dominated by males or females or certain perspectives. The best contemporary artists can all be found on the show regardless of media, level of success, or general subject matter.

So if you ever want to surround yourself with successful and creative artists to gain inspiration, traveling to the nearest metropolitan area isn't necessary. Simply turn on Art:21. You'll have a living room full of artsy friends and mentors who are just as messy and creative as you in minutes.

The Female Figure

The female figure is always a topic of heated debate. With magazines boasting perfectly airbrushed beauties to the Dove campaign expressing that every woman is beautiful in her own right, people aren't too sure how to feel about a woman's body – women in particular.

I won't lie. I believe that every woman is beautiful whether fat or skinny, primped or natural, yet I find myself chasing after those magazine images. Scolding myself privately in the comforts of my own bathroom mirror for putting on an extra pound or two.

However, I wouldn't entirely blame the media for a woman's desire to be of societal standards. Woman have been trained from the get-go to look at their bodies in an entirely incorrect way. The foundation for a woman's self-loathing and poor body image stems from the very art that we often find release in.

In most figure study courses, the female figure is classically categorized into four shapes: Apple, Banana, Pear, and Hourglass. Although these shapes are seemingly organic enough to define the female figure, they are hardly so. The definitions of each shape are as follows:

• Apple: downwards triangle
• Banana: rectangle
• Pear: upwards triangle
• Hourglass: downwards triangle meets upwards triangle

The female figure does not consist of geometric shapes, and these hard-lined definitions have skewed society's perception of the female body. A woman's body is organic, not linear. Full of mysterious and beautiful curvature. Art categorized women this way to diminish the worries of capturing the unruly curvature of the female figure.

I have what would be categorized as a hourglass shape, but I would be silly to say that my body looks exactly like two opposing triangles. My breasts are entirely too big for my waist while my hips dominate my rather skinny legs. There are no triangles or rectangles, simply wild lines that move and create a shape not found in any art textbook.

Women are designed to be organic. That's why we carry more fat than men, and I thank my body fat for my unique design. Stop thinking of women as linear beings. We are free-flowing, each with individual designs. This is possibly why most men desire to see as many of us in the nude as possible.

When women stop seeing geometric shapes, they will no longer let them define their bodies and struggle to chase unattainable straight lines. They will no longer be marred by societal demands of the female figure, because there will be no foundation for it. Women perpetuate the current image. We keep it alive by believing in it. By striving for it.

The female figure is without definition. There are no triangles. There are no rectangles. Only free-flowing movement that creates a unique female figure for every woman.