The holiday season can be a stressful time for many of us. This time of year can be even harder for the many women we work with who are dealing with the impacts of violence and abuse.

Many women accessing our programs and services do not get the opportunity to relax and celebrate amidst the seasonal rush to get everything done… pressures to decorate the home, coordinate gatherings, prepare meals, and more. For women experiencing the impacts of violence and abuse, isolation and financial crunch, along with the desire to make the holidays the best they can for their families, add additional layers of pressure.

This holiday season, support the Battered Women’s Support Services Holiday Hamper Program and make a difference by sponsoring the holiday Wish List of a woman accessing BWSS programs.

When you give to our women during this time of year, you are helping them and their families experience a brighter holiday season. The Holiday Hampers made possible through generous donations help to decrease the stress women feel around this time of year.

As a sponsor, you will receive a detailed Wish List on behalf of a woman and her family, including her special wish, the number and ages of any children, and their special wishes. We work with women in diverse family structures, including single women as well as mothers. Sponsors will be matched with women based on how many people the sponsor can provide for. Gift cards of $100 (single dinner) and $200 (family dinner) will be accepted to sponsor women whose special wish includes a turkey dinner. There is no stipulation on the amount that needs to be spent on other items. No matter the size or cost of the items you purchase, you will change a woman’s holiday season.

Hampers must be delivered to Battered Women’s Support Services by Friday, December 19. This ensures that each woman has enough time to pick up their hamper and shop for their holiday meal. Gifts should be wrapped or wrapping paper provided with the hamper.

To sponsor a woman’s Holiday Wish List, please contact Emma Ellison at 604-687-1868 ext. 317 or email emma@bwss.org.

Gracie Barra Vancouver & Raz Chan Fitness present Women’s Self-Defense Seminar to create a space where women can learn martial arts self-defense methods with a feminist approach.

Instructors for the event:

Raz Chan, Anica Simon, Max Rathburn, Norm Leung, Borhan Jiang, Murray Sogen

When: Saturday, October 11 at 1pm-3pm

Where: Gracie Barra Vancouver

2440 Main Street, Vancouver, BC V5T 3E2

Cost: $30 by October 8 (Early Bird Rate)

$40 after October 8

Contact Raz Chan at raz@razchanfitness.com to register or details.

All proceeds go to Battered Women’s Support Services.

If you could do something to end violence against girls and women, wouldn’t you?

Over 35 years, Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre (DEWC) has played a vital role by providing a safe place for women and children in Downtown Eastside Vancouver.

Battered Women’s Support Services is proud of our long-standing relationship with DEWC. For over twenty years BWSS has worked in collaboration with DEWC to support women’s empowerment and liberation including facilitating a Women’s Support Group every week at the DEWC drop-in centre.

From direct support services for women dealing with violence through to institutional and systemic advocacy our strong shared vision continues. We now extend our collaboration by featuring reflections of wilderness and natural world captured and painted by Robert Bateman, Ron Parker, Charles Fracé, and John Seerey-Lester. These numbered original prints are available for purchase with proceeds supporting the important work of Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre.

Robert Bateman

Wildlife Artist Robert Bateman is a Canadian naturalist and painter born in Toronto, Ontario. During his childhood, he was fascinated by the natural world, he recorded the sightings of all the birds in the area of his house and also found inspiration from the Group of Seven. He was interested in making abstract paintings of nature.

In 1999, the Audubon Society of Canada declared Bateman one of the top 100 environmental proponents of the 20^th century. Today, Robert Bateman lives on Salt Spring Island, BC, with his wife. He is currently an Honorary Director of the North American Native Plant Society.

The following are prints from his acrylic series. These reproductions are popular items, being sold in print galleries across Canada and internationally.

Blacksmith Plover

 “Driving through dry, big game country, watching for rhino, I saw instead this little plover huddled in the spindly shadows of a tiny tree. It was high noon and intensely hot. The network of cracks in the parched soil was
interplaying with the latticework of shadows.” – Robert Bateman

This image of the blacksmith plover was inspired by Bateman’s travels. The blacksmith lapwing or blacksmith plover are found commonly in the wetland areas of Kenya, Tanzania and southwestern parts of Africa. Plovers exhibit a great deal of parental care. If a predator is nearby, the parent may bluff an injury by dragging a wing or by limping to draw the predator away from the nest and towards the parent instead. When safely beyond the nest area, the parent miraculously recovers and swoops back to the nest. Plovers display extremely territorial and protective behavior when encountering situations such as intruders.

 Winged Spirit Owl

 “The Snowy Owl is a bird with great charisma. I am sure that everyone is thrilled if they are ever lucky enough to see one. They seem to bring with them some of the mystery and aura of the far north. This snowy is a male, as is indicated by the very few dark markings. He is silently winging over a frozen lake in Southern Canada. The late afternoon light produces an opalescent shimmering on the ice and snow. In the background is the wreck of an old wooden ship, perhaps an echo of the adventures of the early arctic explorers” –Robert Bateman

These large owls breed on the Arctic tundra. Parent owls are territorial and will defend their nests against all predators-even wolves. The owl is known to symbolize deep connection with wisdom and intuitive knowledge. The owl also offers the inspiration and guidance necessary to deeply explore the unknown.

Morning Dow Roe Deer

 “No deer have adapted better to human settlement than the roe deer. They are relatively small, twenty-nine to thirty inches at the shoulder, and can easily hide in a farm field, hedgerow or wood lot. This is a big buck in a typical nervous pose as he comes out of the forest to graze the meadow in the early morning dew.” –Robert Bateman

The roe deer is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well adapted to cold environments. The roe deer are very shy animals and symbolize shyness, gentleness and vulnerability. The symbolism of the roe deer often points to the stressed side of female sexuality.

Elephant Herd and Sandgrouse

 “In this painting a group of cow elephants and young have just entered the river. Their dusty, dry hides will soon be criss-crossed with dark splashes. The little ones are timid and stay very close to their mothers. The sandgrouse are dove-like ground birds of the arid bush country. They sometimes gather in flocks of hundreds to land at the water’s edge for a drink.”  -Robert Bateman

The sandgrouse is the common name for a family comprised of sixteen species of birds. Fourteen of those species are found in parts of Africa and Asia. They are ground dwelling birds restricted to treeless, open country, such as plains savannahs and semi-deserts. Sandgrouse are monogamous, where incubation and parenting duties are shared between both the male and female and young remain with their parents, as a family group, for several months. Elephants symbolize strength, royalty, connection to ancient wisdom, removal of obstacles, confidence, patience, intelligence, commitment, gentleness, discernment, and compassion.

Spring Marsh Pintail Pair

“If elegance is a word which can be applied to a duck, then the pintail would top the list. The long neck, well-proportioned head, slender tail with quiet but crisp colours all blend in a dynamic yet refined whole. Even the female, although coloured like the mallard hen, has a graceful, pintail proportion. This painting depicts a pair in early spring. The new, green shoots of the marsh have yet to show themselves. I was interested in the vertical patterns made by last year’s cattails and their reflections and the way that they relate to the elegant form of the ducks.” –Robert Bateman

The duck teaches the importance of getting in touch with your deepest emotions in order to get to a calmer state. Ducks are family oriented and enjoy companionship. The duck teaches us not to hold on to our past troubles and to live in the moment. Messages and meanings associated with ducks are family connections, emotional healing and calming influences. Robert Bateman has captured the calming image of two mates swimming side by side.

 Ron Parker

Ron Parker began painting as a career a little late in life. At age 35, he was inspired after seeing an exhibition of original bird paintings by Fenwick Lansdowne. His first effort was successful and he quit work at the lumberyard and began painting full time. Using watercolours, he began doing paintings of birds and mammals. Within four months, he was selling originals through the Harrison Gallery in Vancouver, B.C.

In 1982 he moved to the East Kootenays with his wife Maureen. At this time, Mill Pond Press began publishing limited edition prints of his work. Over the next fifteen years, Ron continued to produce wildlife paintings before branching out to landscape and portraiture.Eleven articles have been written about Ron’s wildlife painting in national and international magazines. From 1981 until 2003, Ron has had nineteen one-man shows of his original paintings many of which sold out. The Beckett Gallery in Hamilton, Pacific Wildlife Gallery in Lafayette, and the Harrison Gallery in Vancouver each hosted several shows. Ron was also invited to participate in shows at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. Ron was commissioned in 1993 by the Royal Canadian Mint to do a collectors set of four coins depicting the Sea Otter, and in 1994 he was the featured artist for the Vancouver International Wildlife Art Show.

Between 1997 and 2003, Ron had been doing figurative paintings as well as commissioned portraits and had also done a number of sculptures of the female figure. Ron’s one-man shows in April 2000 and in March 2002 were called ‘In Praise of Women’ and included sculpture, drawings, portrait paintings and nudes, the feature piece being of ‘The Creation of Eve’. International Artist Magazine included an eight-page feature article on Ron’s figurative work. His last wildlife show was in 2003 at the Goward House in Victoria.

Morning on the Lagoon- Mute Swan

Swans gracefully glide through the water leaving hardly a ripple behind. Their natural, effortless beauty reminds us to move gently through the currents of life and not fight against them. Swans do not dive into the water like other birds when feeding. Rather, they skim the water dipping their long necks and heads in and out. Water is linked with the feminine intuition and emotion. By following the swan’s example we learn how to view our emotions without getting trapped by them. In this portrait, Ron Parker captures the swan representing its attributes of grace and beauty on many levels.

Cardinal in Blue Spruce

Only male cardinals sport the brilliant red plumage for which their species is known. The color is a key to mating success-the brighter the better. Females are an attractive tan/gray. The cardinal reminds us to hold ourselves with pride, to stand a little taller, be a bit more regal, and step into our natural confidence as if we were born to lead with grace and nobility. Those who attract the cardinal are naturally energetic, love life, and happily help others when they can. Ron Parker captures both the regal male and female separately in these two portraits displaying their relaxed confidence in their natural habitats.

Cardinal in Brambles

  Whitetail & Wolves

In this piece, Ron Parker captures the alerted whitetail deer peering silently through the forest at a pack of grey wolves in the distance. The whitetail deer understands the power behind a pack of wolves, as they are creatures symbolizing strength, companionship and loyalty. The loyalty that binds this pack of wolves creates a sense of alertness and stillness in the lonesome whitetail deer in this image.

Charles Fracé

Charles Fracé was born in 1926 in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania. He began drawing at five and taught himself to paint when he was fifteen. Fracé remembers wanting to be an artist from an early age. His self-instructed talent earned him a scholarship to Philadelphia’s Museum School of Art, where he graduated with honors.

In 1955, Fracé began a professional career as a freelance illustrator in New York City. Eventually, he became one of the nation’s most sought-after illustrators of wildlife. However, Fracé soon grew frustrated by the restrictions of illustrating ideas conceived by others and longed to paint some of his own. He finished only one, which his wife took to a nearby art gallery. They insisted on displaying the painting in the gallery, and it sold that same afternoon.

In 1973, with the issue of Farce’s first limited edition print, he had finally made the permanent change to fine art. Fracé brings to his art over three decades of personal research and a close kinship with animals. Fracé and his art has been the subject of two books.

Perhaps the greatest honor of his career came in October 1992, when Fracé was recognized with a one-man exhibit of thirty-six of his paintings at the National Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Charles Fracé passed away December 16, 2005 after a long illness. His legacy will continue to live on in his masterful work that has captivated art collectors and intrigued nature experts for over thirty years.

Royal Pride – African Lions

The lion brings the symbolic message to focus on self-control that true strength is the ability to control and master your emotions. The lion symbol teaches to rise above and control the urges of impatience. Here, Fracé captures the powerful sense of community and togetherness of a pack of lions. Lions are the only cats that live in groups, a pack of lions are called a pride usually consisting of several females and one or two males. Lions have been celebrated throughout history for their courage and strength. Along with strength, lions also symbolize assertiveness and personal power. This is a beautiful limited edition signed piece by Charles that comes in a wooden frame.

My friend

Rabbits are highly social animals, displaying genuine feelings of happiness and affection. Vice versa, they can display aggression, jealousy, and hostility in their social environment. Symbolic rabbit meanings deal primarily with abundance, comfort, and vulnerability. Traditionally, rabbits are associated with fertility, sentiment, desire, and procreation. Rabbit meanings are also closely linked to the seasons, the changes of Mother Earth, and specifically springtime. All of us know the power of population the rabbit has- known for their ability to reproduce quickly. Rabbits have long been a symbol of rebirth, sexuality and springtime. Here Fracé captures the rabbit appearing vulnerable by its lonesome self in its natural habitat.

Uno (Florida Panther)

Uno was one of the first Florida panthers ever to be bred in captivity. Approximately, less than 150 Florida panthers are left in the wild. The Florida panther is an endangered species that lives in the forests and swamps of Florida. The young Florida panther loses its spots as it becomes an adult, indicating the Florida panther Fracé has captured is still quite young.

Panther meaning speaks to us of inspection, observation and scrutiny. In the wild, this creature will stare at an object, unmoving, for what may seem like an eternity. She does this with stillness, intense focus and patience. Fracé has captured the young Florida panther practicing the art of being stealthy.

Clouded Leopard Cub

The clouded leopard is a cat found from the Himalayan region through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as vulnerable. Its total population is suspected to be fewer than 10,000. The clouded leopard is considered to form an evolutionary link between the big cats and the small cats.

The clouded leopard has often been associated with understanding the perils of beauty. Beauty also has several disadvantages because people will easily recognize the beautiful even when they want to remain private and mind their own business. When you are beautiful in appearance or character, be rest assured that you will attract unnecessary attention that may also create you harm. Fracé has captured this young clouded leopard cub looking independent, however, will remain dependent on its mother until its about ten months.

Lone Hunter- African Leopard

Leopards are graceful and powerful big cats closely related to lions, tigers, and jaguars. They live in sub-Saharan Africa, northeast Africa, Central Asia, India, and China. However, many of their populations are endangered. The leopard is known for its adaptability and its independence. A solitary wanderer, the leopard is extremely difficult to spot in the wild. They have advanced skills at being stealthy, the leopard can move through cattle herds without notice. Here Fracé has depicted the leopard camouflaging and attempting to remain unseen by any potential prey.

Majesty- White Tailed Deer

The white-tailed deer, the smallest members of the North American deer family, are found from southern Canada to South America. Adult whitetails have reddish-brown coats in the summer and which fade to a duller grayish-brown in the winter. This buck is easily recognizable by its prominent set of antlers, which grow annually and fall off at the beginning of every winter. Deer teach us how powerful it is to be of gentle demeanor, to exert keen observation and sensitivity. Deer are in tune with nature and all it comprises.

Siberian Tiger

Siberian tigers are the world’s largest cats with an estimated 400-500 left in the world. They live primarily in eastern Russia’s birch forests where females raise their cubs with little to no help from the male. Cubs cannot hunt until they are eighteen months old and remain with their mothers for two to three years until they disperse to find their own territory.

Tigers symbolize the importance of personal strength in situations that require courage and determination in overcoming obstacles. The tiger has also long been regarded as a symbol of fearlessness and protection in many cultures. As mentioned, the tiger is a symbol for perseverance and determination; even the most experienced and healthy tigers only catch their prey in one out of twenty attempts. You may fail many times before catching anything, or completing a difficult task. Even in the face of extinction this Siberian tiger has persisted with perseverance, determination and strength.

John Seerey-Lester

A resident of Florida’s West Coast, John Seerey Lester was born in Manchester, England. With work hanging at the White House and in permanent, private and Museum collections, throughout the world, John Seerey-Lester has become one of the most renowned of today’s wildlife artists.

He moved to America over 30 years ago and is now a citizen of the USA. In 1980, after his first trip to East Africa, Seerey-Lester found his passion for wildlife. It was then that he decided to paint images of the natural world. His reputation and popularity on this continent soared as collectors and critics recognized his outstanding artistic talent.

Seerey-Lester devotes much time and attention to the preservation of wilderness and wildlife. Many of his paintings and limited edition prints have aided nonprofit conservation organizations. Artists who attend his workshops value the opportunity to work beside him in the field. He is an artist held in high regard, not only by his collectors, but by his peers as well. He has continued to travel the world in search of images, preferring to paint from life. He has visited such diverse locations as Africa, China, India, the Arctic and Antarctica as well as Central and South America. Published by Mill Pond Press, John has had over 400 different limited edition prints produced over the years, which led to him being one of the most sought after artists.

Daybreak Moose

The moose is an animal of contradictions. It is strange and yet majestic. It seems awkward but graceful. Despite its size it’s capable of moving silently and quickly. The moose is a symbol of being headstrong, longevity, wisdom, confidence, self-esteem, steadfastness and female energy. The feminine is present in the moose’s habitat through her mothering instinct. The moose spends much of its time in the water and water is often tied to the feminine or the womb. More feminine energy surrounds the moose, but it’s shared with male energy. This balance of male and female attributed to the moose comes from the Potawatomi tribe, a member of the Algonquin family in their creation myths. John Seerey-Lester has captured a moose appearing powerful and majestic through this particular work of art.