Woman with a headscarf

Oil on wood and canvas

31.5" x 31 " x 10 " (closed)

2008

Friend and co-worker, Leslie, was intriqued by my paintings and the experience of being a model, so she volunteered to pose for a life-cast. The contrast between Leslie and the subject of Raphael’s (1483-1520) painting shows the idealizing distortions of Raphael, plus in the faces, the changes of age.

Woman with a fan

Oil on wood and canvas

34.5" x 29 " x 13 " (closed)

2006

(private collection)

In conversation with friend Fiona, she mentioned a love of Pre-Raphaelite art. So I sought out a suitable Pre-Raphaelite image and settled on one by Rossetti (1828-1882) and then recruited Fiona to pose for the life cast. The doors and figure inside set up a good contrast between the idealized and the real, which are the poles of representational art.

Mother and Child

Oil on wood and canvas

41" x 32" x 13" (closed)

2002

(private collection)

In my almost constant reading of art books I came across this painting by Sargent (1856-1925 ).  A wonderful image but I sought to explore issues beyond beauty and charm, so I recruited Sylvia and her daughter, Kelsey, to pose for the life-cast. Kelsey has Down Syndrome, and to Sargent and his contemporaries, she would not be a suitable subject, but Kelsey’s charm and beauty clearly equal that of Sargent’s subject.

Venus

Oil on wood and canvas

29"x 35 1/4"x 11 1/2"(closed)

2000

I put up posters at tattoo parlours seeking a decorated model. The only woman to come forward had the perfect tattoos for Venus, wave designs around her waist. The doors use a Venus by Cranach (1472-1553) and set up a discussion about different ideals and definitions of beauty across time and cultures.

Princess

Oil on wood and canvas

36" x 28" x 7" (closed)

2003

My youngest daughter, Meliah, posed for the life-cast for this painting when she was 12. The creation for this painting was spurred by Meliah’s older sister giving her the princess shirt as that was Akasha’s assessment of her attitude and behaviour at the time of age 12.The doors use part of a painting by Velasquez (1599-1660) of a Spanish princess.  As Meliah has Down Syndrome there is a good contrast of who was and is valued enough to be depicted in art.