Proposal+D

Sally Clark was born in 1953 in British Columbia and moved to Toronto in 1973 to study Fine Arts and Drama Production at York University. She has since become a multi-medium artist as she creates films, paintings and literary works. Many of Sally’s plays deal with the subjection of women, revenge and “soft-feminism”. Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s, Sally Clark wrote a series of plays, usually adding a comedic twist to an otherwise dramatic tale. She also wrote and directed a film called //Ten Ways to Abuse an Old Woman// (1983). Her plays include the following: Saint Frances of Hollywood (1994), //Life Without Instruction// (1991), //Jehanne of The Witches// (1989), //The Trial of Judith K.// (1985). Since moving she has been playwright-in-residence for Theatre Passe Muraille, Shaw Festival, Buddies in Bad Times and Nightwood Theatre. She has won the Chalmers Award for Moo (Belfry Theatre, 1988, directed by Glynis Leyshon) and been nominated for the Governor General’s Award for The Trial of Judith K. (Tamahnous Theatre, 1985, directed by Moris Panych). []
 * About the Playwright:**


 * About the Play:**

Before viewing //Life Without Instruction// it is important to know that all characters portrayed throughout the play are, in fact, historically accurate. Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-c1653), Caravaggio (1571-1610), Agostino Tassi (1578-1644) and Orazio Lomi Gentileschi (1563-1639) are all renowned Baroque era painters. Typically, 17th century art was produced solely by males, Artemisia is considered by scholars to be a pioneer in this field for women. Her works contributed to the careers of female painters such as Elisabetta Sirani, and gave a significance to the female figure in art which cannot be overlooked. Also, //The Book of Judith//, more precisely, the biblical story of //The Beheading of Holofernes// is portrayed on stage, and it too is conveyed in a historically accurate fashion.

__Artemisia Gentileschi:__ was an Italian Early Baroque painter. She was mentored and heavily influenced by Caravaggio. She was the first female painter to become a member of the [|//Accademia di Arte del Disegno//] in Florence. She was one of the first female artists to paint historical and religious paintings, at a time wen such heroic themes were considered beyond a woman’s reach.
 * Characters:**

__Agostino Tassi:__ was an Italian painter, mostly of landscapes and seascapes.

__Orazio Lomi Gentileschi:__ was an Italian Baroque painter, one of more important painters influenced by Caravaggio (the so called Caravaggisti). He was the father of the painter Artemisia Gentileschi.

__Caravaggio:__ was a Italian artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta and Sicily. His intensely emotional realism and dramatic use of lighting had a formative influence on the Baroque school of painting.

Wikipedia Sources: [] [] [] []


 * Paintings:

** __Susannah and the Elders__ by Artemisia Gentileschi The story of Susannah comes from the [|Book of Daniel] in the Old Testament. In the story, Susannah, while bathing in the gardens of Babylon is spied on by two lustful elders. When she spurns their advances they accuse her of public adultery. She is tried and sentenced to execution, until the character Daniel cleverly uncovers the truth about the elders lies. As a result the elders are executed and Susannah is justified. Many critics suggest that Artemisia Gentileschi’s paintings are autobiographical, and that she painted Susannah and the Elders based off of her rape.

__Judith Beheading Holofernes__ by Artemisia Gentileschi This historic painting has, in recent years, become an important piece of Baroque art history, as well as feminist art. Prior to Artemisia's version of this classic painting, Judith was portrayed as a woman disgusted with the beheading before her, even though she herself is committing the act. The beheading painted by Artemisia portrays Judith as a strong woman, determined to her task. Artemisisa's work was relatively unexplored and deemed unimportant until the 1970's, around the time that Sally Clark was studying fine arts at university.

Brooke McGovern Dusty Green Charles Lindsay Laurie MacKenzie Ben Savoie (Thanks, guys.)