As a female in the art world, have you faced any struggles regarding your sex? If so, how?

The struggles I face are not being taken seriously because I am an attractive blonde woman. It is simple and sad, to get attention based on looks more so than artistic efforts and talent. I am generally an energetic and positive individual, in which my kindness and genuine interest is often seen by males as a sexual invitation. It seems that the more women try to feel good for themselves, the more unwanted attention is received.

When I first started ‘bodypiantography’ in 2009, I mainly painted on the female form because that is what I was comfortable with, but the outcome seemed to feed into what society wanted: more naked women on display. Only thin women would want to be painted because they conformed to societies construction of beauty and therefore felt beautiful. Since then, I have been challenging this notion of beauty by encouraging all sizes to see themselves as a work of art and by giving society the naked male on display as much as the naked female.

My father always wanted sons, and after I was born, the youngest of four girls, he began to treat us as sons; going hunting, paying intensive sports, riding motorcycles, etc. For this I am grateful for if there had been a son in the family I’m sure my father would have treated us much differently and I would not have the confidence i have today, embracing both my masculine and feminine sides.

What has your main struggle been?

My main struggle as a woman has been to be seen for my personality, mind and talent rather than my looks and body shape.

When you first emerged in the art world, were you at all discouraged?

My overarching discouragement comes from not knowing if my looks have taken me this far or my talent as an artist.

How do you think women have progressed as artists?

Women have progressed by embracing her sexuality for herself and no longer for the ‘male gaze’.

(reference John Berger: ‘Ways of Seeing’)