Who says that you have to be pregnant to create a body-image piece of art? Not the people at soul food cafe, that's for sure. In this exercise, they are encouraging students to think about armor. I can't think of one time in my life when I needed some heavy duty armor than during my infertile times. One of my good friends and artistic creativity coach sent me this page, because she knew that I would "get it". And I do. I have a belly cast from Ivy hanging on our bedroom wall. I love this idea with the mannequin, but I think that it would freak me out having it in my house. Here are the directions for the activity.

Making Armour - A General Outline

Buy a plastic molded store dummy for around $15. You can buy male or female models. Ours are just like these, except they include a hanger.
Given that armory was designed to provide as much protection as possible consider what you need to protect, nourish or shield your creative spirit.
Brainstorm and write down some of the things that you could use to 'dress' this model to represent what will protect you. Consider what you turn to when you are under siege? Think about the things that sustain you.
Check out and find out what sort of protection other people have developed.
Try the exercises below. Keep sketching and making notes.
Hang your model where you can see it and look at it often.
Begin to gather the 'clothing' and 'armory'.
Surround yourself with magazines, materials, glue, scissors, beads, baubles.
Visit recycled shops and gather interesting buttons or buckles, beads and bric a brac. Let your imagination run wild!
Consider all possibilities! HAVE FUN WITH YOUR MANNEQUIN and if family and friends look at you strangely laugh and tell them you need the armory to protect yourself from their conservatism.
Document the process and record how your ideas about armory change during this project.

For photo examples and complete imagery/writing exercises, go to http://www.outbackonline.net/soulfoodcafe/Armoury.htm