Sally, my sister accepts the baldness as her new, but temporary identity. However, her comment: “baldness on a woman is like writing cancer on your forehead,” compelled me to collect, comb and literally apply her hair to the (wig on the) canvas so it became deep rooted and united with her portrait. Sally’s baldness is juxtaposed with decoration, a colourful scarf and make up, to convey a courageous woman of beauty and confidence. Despite attempting to connect with and process feelings of fear, attachment and loss, the top left of my composition includes an abstract canvas of vibrancy and positivity.
I enjoy painting landscape and portraiture and have won awards for both. Last Month I won the Tom Urwin Award for the SWA, at the Mall Galleries, London. The subject of portraiture enables me to question the concept of identity and its link to sense certainty and consciousness. I painted ‘Facing It’ when my sister was going through treatment for Cancer and ‘Facing Dementia’ after my mother’s diagnosis. Both portraits reflect, analyse and focus on one’s psychological, emotional and mental health. As a creative release, I was able to analyse, record and cope with the challenges ahead. Inspired by Rembrandt, the recordings were like a visual diary but on a psychological level, to capture the fear, vulnerability and emotions. I’ve always been passionate about exploring the psychological more than the physical state of the human condition. My paintings aim to encourage the viewer to question, consider and to empathise.
