GOOD GIRL LIBERATION ASSOCIATION

[an art series]

artist statement

The Good Girl Liberation series was created by Oklahoma born artist Lauren LEIGH Henson…

The series depicts Lauren’s inner dialogue as she expresses her works as a woman, gravitating to redefine the ‘yes girl’ and ‘embracing the wild within’ as she pushes the envelope to challenge societal norms, fighting the straight and narrow while finding balance, and personal acceptance through the Good Girl Liberation series.

The Good Girl Liberation thoughtful color palette and iconic expressionism are transformed through hours of hand-painted mixed media applications, demonstrating

Lauren’s experiment with perspectives and social norms to create art that tells a story to empower women.

MEET THE MEMBERS

A black and white illustration of a woman with curly hair wearing a hat, crop top, shorts, and boots, standing with arms raised and middle fingers extended. The background features a pink, white, and green checkered pattern, with a brown sidebar on the left displaying the letter 'W' twice. Below the illustration, a caption reads 'Born to be WILD'.

Hailing from Nowhere, OK, known for her southern twang, Edie Mae is the eldest daughter of three. Loves to boogie to Cocain Country Dancing or anything really. She was born with a sharp tongue, quick draw, and never misses a shot. This highway queen is always a good time, but hard to find.

Anthem: Wild, The Bones of J.R. Jones

Angry Girl Song: That Thing You Said, Luna and the Mountain Jets

Honky Tonk Song: Cocain Country Dancing, Paul Cauthen

EDIE MAE | MEMBER NO. 1941

MAKE ME YOURS

A mixed media artwork depicting a person riding a horse in a desert landscape with mountains and cacti in the background. The person appears to be holding a hat in the air. The words "STAY WILD" are written in yellow in the top right corner.

The biggest sweetheart you’ve ever met with the mouth of a sailor. She requires sunshine, her rib-eyes mid-rare, a plethora of cowgirl boots to suit her many moods, and a partner to match her stride in life. Abhorring domesticity, you’ll find her out herding her own cattle by day and leading the line dance at Cain’s Ballroom every Friday night.

Cocktail: Gin Fiz

Honky Tonk Song: Stay a Little Longer, Bob Wills

Porch Sittin’ Song: Walking After Midnight, Patsy Cline

Theo winifred | member No. 1941

SOLD

Black and white illustration of five women dressed as cowgirls, wearing cowboy hats, chaps, and western-style clothing, all smiling and holding ropes, with a pink background containing faded text that reads 'Okay Ladies Let's Get Some Money'.

This girl gang met after joining the GGLA. Meeting later in life, this unexpected friend group bonded over being reformed people pleasers and the need to be seen for who they are becoming. Recently returned from their yearly vacay with sore bellies from laughing so hard, noses all a little sunburnt, and pictures to last a lifetime, they are feeling revived while also swearing they’ll never drink tequila again [until they do].

Anthem: Formation, Beyonce

Vacation: The French Riviera

THE GIRL GANG

SOLD

A stylized black and white illustration of a person in a marching band uniform with a tall hat, holding a piano and standing on a green and white checkered background.

Margot is President of the Good Girl Liberation Association and captain of the majorettes. Housewife raising kids turned CEO. Don’t call her darlin’, ask her to smile, or be part of the good ole boys club.

Favorite Past Time: Painting her nails on the front porch.

Anthem: The Man, Taylor Swift

Cocktail: Margarita

MARGOT | MEMBER NO. 1079

TAKE ME HOME

A graphic illustration featuring six marching toy soldiers outlined in black against a pink and green background. The soldiers are in formation with one larger figure at the front. A handwritten text in yellow reads, 'AREN'T WE ANGELS? DEVILS'.

You’re in good company with this no-so-average majorette girl gang. The majorettes have led the GGLA annual Fourth of July picnic and talent show for four consectuvie years! After last year’s perfomance of WAP and Folsom Prison Blues, folks around town are still cluthchin their pearls. Big hats, high kicks, and big love are the core of this tribe.

IN GOOD COMPANY

SOLD

Black and white illustration of two women in vintage clothing, standing close together, with one woman touching the other's face.

HISTORY LABELED THEM ROOMMATES

WILLIE | MEMBER NO.1574

Bernadette and Willie have been inseparable from the day they met at a small-town Oklahoma college. Sharing clothes, reading books to each other, two stepping, and splitting a pitcher of Marshall’s beer every Thursday at the local honky tonk watering hole. History labeled them roommates, but their favorite song, 1950, by King Princess would say otherwise.

Favorite Past Time: Late night at-home dance parties

Sad Girl Song: A Cigarette, Gavin Adcock

Cocktail: Margarita

BERNADETTE | MEMBER NO.1372

SOLD

A poster with a pink background, green text saying 'Come one, come all,' an illustration of a tiger in black and white, and a red and white price promotion for $1.84 labeled 'Special'.

THE DOG AND PONY SHOW

Emmylou is the OG honky tonk queen, likes any song with a good backbeat, a tender heart, fiery soul, reads her horoscope and believes it when it suits. She wishes on rainbows and has dreams as big as the open sky. The world is her stage and she’s doing it her own way.

Daydreaming Song: American Dreaming, Sierra Ferrell

420 Song: Bam Bam, Sister Nancy

Honky Tonk Song: Hot Damn, Paul Cauthen

EMMY LOU | MEMBER NO. 1539

SOLD

Pop art style image of two women dressed as Rosie the Riveter, flexing their arm muscles with a checkered background in pink, blue, white, and gold.

TILLEY | MEMBER NO. 1351

She my Best Friend

Tilley and Mable, a friendship for the books. They can be found singing karaoke on Tuesday nights at Elks Lodge. They take their Martinis seriously and agree that the C word is the best for compliments and insults.

Tilley Karaoke: You’re So Vain

Martini: Filthy gin, Condesa Gin Clasica, stirred (not shaken)

Mabel Karaoke: Shoop

Martini: Slightly dirty vodka Martini, top shelf, blue cheese olives

MABEL | MEMBER NO. 1411

SOLD

A mixed media artwork featuring a black and white illustration of a woman holding guns, superimposed on a colorful checkered background with teal, gold, white, and maroon squares, and a brown floor with a light teal upper wall.

The miss congeniality of the group, she’s a lady, but cusses a little. She’s not a fan of cooking or any of the domestic things really. She’ll call you out on bad behavior and make you her best friend all at once. Sunset watching, with a good hound by her side, and something on ice are her loves.

Sunset Song: Lost in the Light, Bahamas

Feel Good Song: Sway, Kacey Musgraves

RUTHIE | MEMBER NO. 2173

SOLD

A black and white drawing of a woman in vintage clothing, leaning forward with one hand on her hip and the other pointing, set against a colorful checkered background with brown, orange, blue, pink, and white squares.

Betty is happily in love, a sucker for breakup songs, lake sunsets, wildflowers, music, dancing, and driving her man crazy. So sweet with a mean streak, catching life’s curveballs, changing moods with the tide, and betting on herself is her MO.

Break Up Song: Little Girl Gone, Chinchilla

Anthem: Church Girl, Beyonce

Love Song: Lady May, Tyler Childers

BETTY | MEMBER NO. 1673

TAKE ME HOME

Street art of a horse rearing up with a rider, outlined in pink and black, on a pale background, with the phrase 'You can go your own way' written in small letters.

This former debutant has shed her pearls and exchanged pageant days for barrel racing. She had a bit of a rough patch last year, but her fellow members pulled her through and she’s back in the saddle again. She’s forging her own path and thinking about getting a three legged dog with one of those human names.

Anthem: Follow Your Arrow, Kacey Musgraves

Angry Song: Break Stuff, Limp Bizkit

Honky Tonk Song: Just Because I’m a Woman, Dolly Parton

ADELINE | MEMBER NO. 2041

SOLD

A sticker of a group of seven women wearing hats, posed on a blue and white checkered surface, with faint pink background and gold glitter accents.

The red dirt gals are the founding members of the Good Girl Liberation Association. Hailing from a historic line of women tired of walking a tightrope, being told to shut up and sit down. The RDG formed the GGLA to encourage women to stand up, show up, and be anything but meek.

Anthem: Just a Girl, No Doubt

THE RED DIRT GALS

SOLD

Street art graffiti of a woman holding a gun with a sign that says 'BANG' against a checkered background of black, white, red, pink, and teal squares.

This Oklahoma smoke show is a different kind of lady. She has a knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, she’s not afraid to use her voice for the underdogs, forgotten ones, for the baby’s that you put you in the corner. Dancin’ with the devil down in Shelbyville is just another Tuesday for her, she’ll eat ‘em him and spit him out.

Personal Anthem Song: “Slut!” (Taylor’s Version), Taylor Swift

Angry Song: Rebel Girl, Bikini Kill

Cocktail: Whiskey neat