“I'm the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll.” Poison Ivy

Subject - Poison Ivy Rorschach - The Cramps - Kristy Marlana Wallace - Arrived in this world February 20th 1953 - San Bernardino, California USA

Vintage leather jacket - Acrylic leather paint, studs, detritus of life, classic button badges.

Date created 2026

Sweepings from the studio floor. An ongoing series of hand-painted leather jackets celebrating women who broke boundaries, challenged convention, and inspired generations through their courage and creativity. Each piece is created as an original artwork — a tribute to individuality, rebellion, and fearless self-expression.

Poison Ivy was a co-founder of The Cramps. She rarely presented herself as an overtly political spokesperson. Instead, her views on women in music were reflected more through her work and attitude than through manifestos or activism.

Some recurring themes from interviews and her career include:

• She rejected being treated differently because she was a woman

• "I never wanted to be a female guitarist. I wanted to be a guitarist."

Poison Ivy consistently wanted to be recognised first as a musician and creative equal. She disliked the assumption that female guitarists were unusual or less capable and preferred to let her playing speak for itself. She valued independence

As a founding member of The Cramps, she wasn't simply a backing musician. She was deeply involved in the band's sound, songwriting, visual identity, and artistic direction alongside Lux Interior. Many fans and critics regard her as the band's musical anchor. Her stage presence combined glamour, horror aesthetics, vintage fashion, and raw musicianship. She refused the idea that women in rock had to choose between femininity and credibility—they could embody both.