When invited to participate in The Female Gaze, I mulled over what that could mean. Turning the question around, I invited friends to share what it means to be a woman, shifting the gaze inward. They range in age from 24 to 93. Their distinctive perspectives were reflected in a combination of gourd shapes, colors and meanings, using Braille to incorporate their words. I use Braille to refer to social, political, and cultural blindness. The patterns formed when drilled into the clay contribute to the composition of each piece and I welcome the curiosity it provokes about what it means. Gourds are symbols of fertility, good luck, prosperity, and abundance, among many others. The forms reference the female body with its generous and generative shapes and curves. Our culture regards women as mysterious; our bodies, minds, and lived experiences have been the subject of speculation, giving rise to myths and efforts to keep us in check. I made the creative leap to Pandora, whose “box,” when opened, led to miseries and troubles—just like a woman! I thought about how to reveal something about each woman and transform the narrative of Pandora. Last summer I read Hannah Carlson’s book, Pockets: An Intimate History of How We keep Things Close. Women’s clothing neglected to include pockets when introduced 500 years ago. The challenges and disadvantages were manifest; women had to continue using a bag or purse for personal items. This brought me to creating a pocket to hold postcards for each piece; a stylized container, or “box.” Each postcard has that woman’s words, revealing her mystery, making it available to be shared with others. I hold the hope that the act of reaching into the pockets is transformative, and, just a bit transgressive. You are welcome to take a postcard—send to a friend!