Far from the Velvets’ 1969 tune, these girls aim to explore issues affecting women through art

You’re officially invited to the One Year Bomb Ass Holiday Party! With a name like that, seriously, how could you refuse?

It’s three days filled with music, art, food, beer, bicycling and friends, all to celebrate promoting equality.

The blowout begins with an overflowing, diverse collection of paintings, free-standing sculptures, photographs and more featuring positive, empowering images of women: the Femme Fatale Art Show. A spoken word performer from Charleston, S.C. and DJ Summer will complete this multimedia collaboration celebrating women and showing an estimated 20 artists, including local artist Sarah Napier. Each work will feature women, feminism or simply portray female identification struggles.

Inspiration-struck Erin Collins, a UNF mechanical engineering junior, plans to create a sculpture with her friend with intent to submitting it into the art show if it’s completed in time, she said. Collins belongs to the Women’s Collective, who works together with Best Friends Ride to coordinate the events. Jacksonville’s collective, born this past September, opens its proverbial arms to everyone and consists of about 13 people thus far, mostly UNF students brainstorming and working to propel the local mindset and media away from sexism.

Collins’ passion extends further than equality between men and women.

“Some people think feminists need to be women who hate men and try to be masculine to be on an equal level,” Collins said.

She recognizes the divide can grow even deeper, especially between women in the business world versus female homemakers, she said. The Women’s Collective congregates to equate that division.

Jimmel Walsh, a UNF journalism senior, will pop her art publicity cherry Friday, Dec. 11

“I’m really nervous, but I think that’s why I’m so excited about it,” she said.

She plans to show three pieces inspired by women and considers the showing a perfect outlet.

“I just want to put [my art] out there for other people to enjoy and give some feedback,” Walsh said.

The artistic exhibition is just a portion of weekend-long festivities commemorating the one-year anniversary of Best Friends Ride, formerly labeled Women’s Ride. Since this monthly excursion includes all genders, the seemingly misleading name sparked a re-branding. They are more than just a biker community of women, they are now best friends riding together, with everyone welcome.

Beer for tips and free desserts, donated by Let Them Eat Cake, puts the icing on the cake.

Then, you can dance off those extra calories from the previous night toward the end of Saturday’s rockin’ concert at Steamworks. Rushholme Ruffians (post-punk/new wave), Charleston’s Oicho Kabu (neo-soul) and Phillip Cardona with Strange Fires are scheduled to provide the audio delight of the night, which concludes with a DJ mix. Two bucks get you in the door.

This holiday-ridden December month’s ride has been rescheduled from its usual occurrence on the last Sunday of every month to Dec. 13, so more bikers can attend. The biking adventure begins in Five Points, and loops around to downtown and Avondale.

Cherri Czajkowski played a lead role in organizing the holiday party, for the purpose of promoting a positive view of feminism and ending sexist imagery in the media. Also a member of the Women’s Collective, Czajkowski strives to change our neighborhoods by confronting our rape culture, she said.

In October, a well-known female was gang raped in the middle of a populous area of Riverside, after she was knocked off her bike at 8 p.m. The Women’s Collective and Best Friends Ride discourage the subjugation of women and are working to improve the general view of women in our society.

There exists power and safety in numbers. This One Year Bomb Ass Holiday Party aims to bring together a community to fight against the sexism tide that is still flowing through our city.