When I decided to paint Anna, I stood at a crossroads. There were so many brilliant facets to her that I didn’t know which to focus on – should I explore her acting career, or her work as a writer, or her poetry, or her queerness, or her motherhood, or our friendship, or her gorgeous style? Should I try to cram all these components of her into one painting? I decided to book in a time with her to try and work out the best way forward, however when the day arrived, Anna had just received heartbreaking news. And there it was, Anna generously allowed me to perceive her as she processed her grief.
Both Anna and I are deeply inspired by the concept of having plans, ideas and visions for your life and then seeing them fade, wither and die, either by time, circumstance or age. What do we do with all the women we will never be? What do we do with all the women we have already been? Both the story of The Little Match Girl and Sylvia Plath’s fig analogy in The Bell Jar are strong influences behind this notion.
Material: Oil paint on textured plaster on board. These paintings have a strong textured background, emphasising the concept that there are layers of history behind the the image we see today. Please see close up photos for detail shots of texture.
~ Selected as a finalist in the 2025 Brisbane Portrait Prize Salon Des Refusés.
Painting:
When I decided to paint Anna, I stood at a crossroads. There were so many brilliant facets to her that I didn’t know which to focus on – should I explore her acting career, or her work as a writer, or her poetry, or her queerness, or her motherhood, or our friendship, or her gorgeous style? Should I try to cram all these components of her into one painting? I decided to book in a time with her to try and work out the best way forward, however when the day arrived, Anna had just received heartbreaking news. And there it was, Anna generously allowed me to perceive her as she processed her grief.
Both Anna and I are deeply inspired by the concept of having plans, ideas and visions for your life and then seeing them fade, wither and die, either by time, circumstance or age. What do we do with all the women we will never be? What do we do with all the women we have already been? Both the story of The Little Match Girl and Sylvia Plath’s fig analogy in The Bell Jar are strong influences behind this notion.
Material: Oil paint on textured plaster on board. These paintings have a strong textured background, emphasising the concept that there are layers of history behind the the image we see today. Please see close up photos for detail shots of texture.
~ Selected as a finalist in the 2025 Brisbane Portrait Prize Salon Des Refusés.
Oil paint on handcut wooden shape. D-rings for hanging on back
Please note these items are handmade so there will be slight differences in size, texture and shape.
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