Information about the series of 18 Pastel drawings on canvas.:
Hi Everyone! How are you? I hope good things have shown promise for you so far this year. I’ve already been quite busy starting up my new series for end of year exhibition. The series is titled ‘ Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’, and basically, it’s to present the audience with a series of pastel drawings on canvas, and titillate feelings embracing compassion, empathy, admiration, and hope.
As of October 2018, I have now completed the final and last of the 18 drawings in this series! I have found this a very unusual and unique experience doing these drawings on canvas. Some of the women are so private that it has been important to change certain aspects to their drawings because of the story being attached to their identity. Other changes I have made are because I know that some of the women are rather self conscious about certain aspects of their appearance. Others have proven to be indifferent. Whatever the changes, Hyper- realism is not of consequence here, but a representation of each woman stands the narrative, and respects the wishes of the women. Some stories are left to be shortened due to the the sensitive nature of the narrative and the model. To have a portrait of a reminder of a bad experience is such a personal brave act on the part of the sitter.
However, these portraits are celebrating clear reward and acknowledgement to the courage and honesty these women have had to use to overcome these great adversities.
What they have gone through is a real tempestuous reminder of their journey. Truly though, it should really be a wondrous reminder of how they are absolutely wonderful in the face of their adversities!
The women that have been drawn are very special. They are a few of many women who walk silently within our midst who should be recognised for their heroism and courage through coming out victorious (though often not unscathed) from some sort of every day life adversity.
I would like to sincerely thank the contributing women that have bared their soul to me in honest sincerity and trust. It takes courage to tell another their story of the adverse encounters that we all must learn from, either be eaten and beaten down, or fight through the experience and still fight long after the barrage of unseen nightmarish ghosts that come to haunt us long after the incidence. Do we ever come out of something unscathed? I think not. Not with these sort of adversities!
These women have provided me with their experiences that they have bravely encountered and overcame. Most of these women have had other tumultuous experiences in their life, but have chosen these specific adversities for this exhibition project.
Thankyou ladies. These are the wonderful ‘ Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’.
I Wish Thee Well. Completed 19th December 2017
The first completed example(depicted above) , the self portrait “I Wish Thee Well’ that is the first completed pastel drawing , is about children leaving home. This is such an ordinary experience usually , but it can become so much more complex when the mother has been a single mum for many years. In these cases, often protection for her children is on high monitoring, and it can also become even more complex when there has been a cot death of the first born child. Having a child leave home on top of an extraordinary life experience can be a heavy cross to bear. Fears of losing is often a case after losing a child to death.
Within the mother, there’s the heart pulling the child in for protection and there’s the mind in the heart that says’ Go Forth And Multiply… and, ‘May God Be With You Always’…type of thing.
Sensibly, we know what is the right, and what standard to follow. Banners are held high for the exiting of a Mother’s child who has proved independence many times over already. That love and training over the years has proved worth all those extra hard yards! However, in this case, a grown up daughter who disappears not saying goodbye is estrangement, and that is like having another death.
Abaddon’s Locusts- Completed 12th February 2018
The 2nd recent work that I have done since, for this series is ‘Abaddon’s Locusts’. This is a drawing of a woman who went to a local church, trusting that the people in the hierarchy could be deemed as trustworthy, dependable, reliable, knowledgeable and confident – all the things necessary to a reverend and his helpers in the church. Her experience tells of deceit, subterfuge, sexual advances, single and group bullying, manipulation, dishonesty, brainwashing, gas lighting, and lies.
When I heard her story, it was saddening because this type of mistreatment unfortunately is an everyday occurrence and can even end fatally. Straightaway, I felt genuinely moved for this woman who not only was put to ‘working task ‘ for this church but also monetarily contributed as well.
She told me that by the time she had managed to leave, she was a mental and emotional wreck. Having several people gang up on her telling her cruel things that were going to happen to her, and that she should take under advisement that to counteract all this ‘bad karma’ she should do these rituals and such, or do this work for the church.
Do you see through all this bullying? Sadly, a lot of people don’t and can get bamboozled into these sorts of situations.
This is just one of life’s lessons- learning about trust, who to trust, what sort of people can be identified as bullies, or charlatans and such.
When you get kicked hard enough…you learn the lesson.
She has come out richer for it. She can identify the fakes and magicians from the genuine carers, and she has learned to steer clear and avoid life’s ‘sideshow alleys’. Sometimes this lesson is learnt when you are not young anymore, and harder the lesson learned, and perhaps, though not always, harder the lesson to get away from.
Jewel Of Denial- Completed 1st March 2018
Being titled ‘Jewel Of Denial’ this 3rd work is now completed.
It is about a woman- (a mother’s daughter), who found herself in a situation one would never think they would be in. Beside herself, three family members were involved in this story. Mother, brother and sister all had at the time varying degrees of mental illness which greatly contributed to a disastrous outcome.
A verbal financial agreement was made with the daughter and her mother, that she could build a house and live on the same land with her. The mother promised to pay her back once the house was done. The deal was made and the house was eventually built. All was steady until it came for the mother to pay her daughter back. Thousands of dollars were put into building the house, and the mother refused to pay the daughter back.
Court ended up to coming to a decision that the daughter pay the mother monies outstanding instead. It was after all the court finalisation that the daughter realised that the mother was actually showing signs of dementia. Had she known earlier on, it could have benefited her outcome in the courts more favourably and perhaps a congenial plan be set up. The problem was that the daughter was not living on the property at the time, and was working in Sydney. When she could, she had to keep travelling up on the weekends to the house to check things out. She also found out that her siblings both being adults could not relay any of the signs of dementia or information regarding her mother, as both siblings suffered from Schizophrenia. The daughter finds out much later that often people suffering from Schizophrenia do not understand or find it very difficult to see facial inflections, thus not having the ability to relay important information .
At the time of the court hearings, the mother was not yet recognised as getting dementia, though the daughter sees in hindsight that it was a certain possibly already occurring.
I guess the moral of the story is not to make verbal contracts with people you suspect of getting dementia?
Thoughts arise as to the question, that if you can’t trust your own family, who can you trust?
I must say that speaking with this lovely woman, I can see that she has learnt a big learning curve in trust, and is very careful in signing any sort of documents. It is very much a story she can tell, but makes sure she has no artifacts around her, or in her home, or even her friend’s homes that could be reminders of this painful yet heroic experience. To sally forth regardless of such a disaster and still choose to be happy over grief is courageous to say the least. It takes heroic effort to keep that chin up and carry on after all you believed in was tested to be false…
Not- too-pleasant grand effects can occur when things are left in the hands of novices rather than skilled lawyers. Belief systems can shatter and cut your idyll when a family member chooses to go to war and chooses bloody greed over familial love . Such a disappointment, and unfortunately happens a lot.
Anastasis- Completed 12th March 2018
4th drawing in the ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’ Series.
Anastasis means ‘to rise up’, ‘to rise up again’, ‘to be reborn again’, ‘resurrection’, to be ‘resurrected from a debilitating illness’.
I have chosen this title as a way of perceiving this very traumatic event as to see it from the point of view where the ending proved to be nothing short of a miracle through Specialists, Doctors, friends, family, and prayer. The title is certainly not to negate the fact of its intimate severity either, but to be given credit and just reward in acknowledgement at the memory of the outcome’s success.
This narrative involved the woman to watch helplessly while her little girl’s life was in the balance . It is any parent’s nightmare.
To have faith in something that is believed that cannot be seen, to be there for her when all else could fail, and all to be finally rescued (through what seems like everyone’s personal eternity), is now seen as a past memory that makes one shudder at the recall of this memory which is still so vivid and lucid, to have already arrived at it now being a few years later.
Amour-Propre. Completed 21st March 2018
5th Drawing in the ‘Every day Matriarchal Heroines’ Series.
Amour-Propre means ‘sensitive self love, self esteem, loving oneself as in the kind of taking good care of oneself.
I have chosen this title because it is apt to the story of this remarkable previous breast cancer patient who overcame her breast cancer through listening out for her body, and did what her body was saying to her. If that sounds strange to you, it really isn’t when it comes to putting the language of your body first before doctors, before others and actually having a quiet time to actually listen, then take important immediate action. This action actually saved her life. Her interview stated that she believes that if she had actually listened to her doctor instead of her body, she would not have survived. Her sister in law took the doctor path head on and sadly did not survive. Survivors guilt is dreadful to have to be feeling, but that’s what life is really all about- surviving. It has now been ten years since those days, and an emotionally mature and sensible woman has become of this. Spiritual and open minded to the wants and needs of her precious body.
Manumission. Completed 23 March 2018.
This is the 6th pastel drawing work in the series for ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’ which will be part of a series of 12 drawings of heroic women. Manumission is about a story of a woman who was being violated by her previous husband and was rescued from a pathetic fate by the man she is married to today. The intricacies to the story go much deeper, as this beautiful woman also suffers from MS. She works full time and takes a lot of life in her stride. She is grateful that every day is away from her former dreadful past. Having MS is a hard slog, and to know her is to but admire her.
Valerie. Completed 26 March 2018
This is the 7th pastel drawing work in the series for ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’series that I am currently making.
Valerie is about a very valiant and courageous women who runs an art gallery in Sydney. In the last very few years she has had to move the gallery to different locations to keep this gallery running. The importance of this gallery is to help beginning artists find a place that is affordable for them to exhibit their work. On the other side of the coin, many artists that are now very well established also exhibit their work there too. Humble beginnings by the now established artists return to exhibit there time and time again, never forgetting the warmth and dedication she has always had for them. This remarkable woman is the true philanthropist in caring for and helping artists of all kinds making a place for themselves. From painters, to film makers, singers , thespians and acrobats, she supports them all. She advocates for the Gay , Transgender and Lesbian communities, and is often helping out everyone that needs venues for artistic practice and space.
Her life has been so dedicated to this gallery for over 25 years now, and she has literally been thrown out of places with extremely short notice when the council has decided to take over the rental property for more fiscal generating interests.
Art and artists are the most important things in her life, and she will do anything to keep what she believes in alive. This sedulous woman is a credit to her bravery and valiance in very hard times of adversity, when bureaucrats do not see the arts as a necessary part in people’s lives, she does. She lives and breathes what she believes in.
Saeva Bellua Completed 9th April 2018
This is the 8th pastel drawing for the series ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’.
The name Saeva Bellua is Latin for cruel brute…and ‘brute’ in Latin means beast, or monstrous or monster like animal. ‘Saeva’ means cruel.
Events surrounding this gentle, but intelligent woman are many, from a life of being adopted then banished.
She has been violently abused by the father of her first , beautiful, sweet daughter.
To the dismay of her own helpers, she was duped by a clever solicitor and had her first daughter taken away to live with the violent ex husband.
Sometimes only evidence presented in courts can be a stark, perhaps incomplete, or twisted truth for the facts.
Sometimes being too beaten down can confuse or even tire out the woman so much so that she hasn’t the mentality nor energy to cope with the stress of clever liars with money who see the obtaining of their own children as collateral to be regarded as winning a trophy.
Her situation worsened when she met a man after her ex spouse was almost finally gone. He too was abusive as well. Very abusive.
History can often repeat the situation until we finally learn how to move out of it.
Desperate measures call for desperate times. .. and she’s now finally done it!
At interview, this lovely lady had bruises, cuts and large sores on her body where the father of her young toddler threw this tiny petite woman into a brick wall.
This woman is a very spiritual woman, and she does believe that justice will inevitably occur. When? She does not know, but she will wait and see it happen.
She’s now making headway in that she has recently moved house and landed herself a new job.
She is in the list of Heroines because she has proved hardy and deserving of goodness in her life.. She has the marks on her shield showing true courage in the face of fear and despair. Mind over brawn.
Her love for her daughter, spiritual beliefs, and life, keep her going. Honestly, standing up to one brute is one thing but two? She weighs no more than 42 kilograms!
Addiction Affliction Completed 10th April 2018
This is the 9th pastel drawing on canvas in the ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’ series.
A caring and loving woman, this woman can not seem to say no to the family situation.
Thinking objectively, one would like to say to her to ‘Just drop the little creeps and get them to grow up by taking charge of their own responsibilities and consequences”! … or… thinking along moral and ethical grounds, you would probably like to say “How could she ever desert them when they need someone to look out for them, especially the grandchildren”!
This woman has a lot of serious health issues on top of trying to cope with the crap that her grown up children cause her. It’s like a ‘damned if you do, and a damned if you don’t situation’. Whatever the case may be, and whatever side you may opt for, this woman, through her own martyred conscience, and her love for all life, be it young or old, impaired or ridiculous, this heroine works hard. Very hard, to try to do the right thing for love.
Keeper Of Secrets- Completed 1st August 2018
This is the 10th pastel drawing on canvas in the ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’ series.
A woman of deep feeling and a loving mother and partner deals with anxieties and other mental disorders bought on by the (non) parenting from an adopting mother that provided all the material comforts but neglected to give emotional, psychological, sexual , physical and loving support.
As a parent myself, I find that loving your children is an easy effort, though as we know, they can be trying at times. But despite all of that, we just can’t stop loving them. When they bring home their best friends, we in turn welcome them and they in turn feel like part of the family. These things are natural, and even quite normal. What is not normal is emotional neglect. Someone to confide, confer, and commit to when the going gets tough is left out. By having strong support, we grow. When we find we are alone, it can be very tough. We know within ourselves that to love and be loved back is a warm, cosy and cuddly feeling. To be emotionally neglected can lead to the stumping of emotional maturity, anti social behaviour, abandonment issues, and desperately seeking what one has not been given. No one sees the traps and pitfalls when we have not been taught these things that come naturally through love.
All of these things can effect future relationships.
– which in this lovely lady’s life, did. Several times.
Her previous marriage was one that they grew apart and ended. It took courage, planning and resourcefulness to leave what was supposed to be loving. Living life and knowing when a relationship its over, is learned, then accepted once resources have been expired.
Life can be a hard sweat.
She has attained personal emotional maturity in ‘the life of hard knocks’ way.
In her interview with me, it hasn’t only been one source of support in her life. She believes Psychotherapy, friendships, counselling, medications, and Mental Health institutions have helped. So too Women’s Health Centres and Police. She has also found solace and support in her spiritual beliefs. They have all been there to help her.
I asked her: “What have you learned from all of this”? She replied, ” Always talk to someone for help. Don’t be afraid to speak up. My perception of people and weighing things up in my mind is now very good. I have empathy, and an appreciation of my own family. I am resourceful, and I have the ability to love and to feel loved “.
That’s not bad, hey?
Prism. Completed 5th August 2018
This is the 11th Pastel Drawing on canvas for the ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’ series.
According to one of Google translation, the definition is described as Quote:” a glass or other transparent object in the form of a prism, especially one that is triangular with refracting surfaces at an acute angle with each other and that separates white light into a spectrum of “colours. ” Unquote.
I have named this particular drawing ‘Prism’, as it describes the life story and outcome of this woman’s personal philosophy in life. She is a quiet and loving woman who has gone through blow after blow of tragic circumstances and an unfortunate inability to control situations. Time after time of helplessness.
A definitely unsavoury cocktail of irresponsible adults ; sexual situations,; suicide; many still births; lost love; abandonment; and other tragic experiences. Most of these often experienced very early in life , and then challenging the rights to Motherhood in which her story revealed the loss of her marriage, which took an unfortunate toll because of the pressure of trying to have a baby. This resulted in a full term pregnancy still birth. All in all nine babies, and one husband . Lost.
In her narrative interview, it was heartbreaking to read just what has gone on in her life over the years. Like all of the wonderful women in this series, somehow something inside of these women have an incredible gift of still being sane enough to lead a self functioning life.
In reading the narrative, I read how she is self loving; that she speaks gently… even caringly of the children and grandmother of whom she loved so dear. Suicide is not a script for young children to learn about. Being protective, as parents are expected to be, we would normally do everything in our power to protect these children from learning things that a young mind finds hard to understand.
After reading her touching and most sad dialogue, I just wanted to hug this woman. Emotion rains down when you know someone you already think you know: then the ‘bomb’ drops and you end up being protective due to the blast .
Frankly, I just want to reach out and hug all these brave women in this series. Such an eye opener. I am not alone. Women everywhere share my sentiments.
The narrative is definitely not for the faint hearted.
What has come of this? One child in her life was born and she is protective and loving and a wonderful mum. She prefers a quiet place where she can see the sunsets, travel and learn about people, a strong appreciation of life, and is seen to celebrate it to the fullest. She is spiritual. Reflecting. Sees worlds within worlds. She sees angles often not seen by others. A teacher of the celebration of life.
Prisms reflect beautiful colours. She reflects that “Sometimes the breaking up of things is also the beginning of rebuilding life.” (She ponders of worlds within worlds.)
(Prisms may feel like prison sometimes) “It is also a chance to reflect on the break up, to analyse and address, take action, and move on.”
Spinal Tap. Completed 11th of August 2018.
This is the 12th Pastel Drawing on canvas for the ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’ series.
Time after time at a lot of these interviews that I have done for this series, I have found a horrid neglect on the so called part of ‘adults’ who are supposed to know how to love their children and take good care of the responsibility proudly. Here is another case in point.
Sadly, this lovely woman has no memory of any years of her life before the age of seven. She has experienced pain on all levels. Beatings, mental cruelties, cruel pranks, lies, deception , physical and mental and emotional anguish, and bullying. Outcomes of these parental cruelties left her with trauma, pain on all levels, grief, and a dreadful sense of self worthlessness.
This resulted in chronic pain and physical diseases that would last for years, ending up with 13 painkillers a day.
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Renal Failure, broken bones, chronic pain in her legs and back, bad falls. She has had to learn to walk again three times in her life.
There were other unfortunate tragedies in her life where she fell at 5 and a half months pregnant which resulted in spine injury, a split pubic bone, and an inability to walk. She has also suffered Ulcerative Colitis since a very young age and it wasn’t until she was 17 years old that her parents finally listened to her cries for help, and a diagnosis was finally medically made. Recovery was very slow in all of these experiences. She has also suffered kidney disease and was in the early stages of Renal failure.
Her list of heartbreak after heartbreak in her life seems endless.
She is now a health coach for EFT ( which is a form of psychological acupressure, based on the same sort of energy meridians used in traditional acupuncture to treat physical and emotional traumas and ailments. This sort of treatment has been used for over 5ooo years. This beautiful lady swears that this is what has cured her of many ailments in her body, even curing herself of her 13 a day painkillers habit. She can now walk without walking sticks, move about as if she never has had such a brutal past.
She has written an autobiography of her life experiences online and now coaches others to learn how to help heal themselves.
Her advice to others is to ‘find gifts of gold when you are going through something so bad. Look for the good . Utilise it. Use everything that is available. Fight for yourself. In fear comes courage. Look at meanings and patterns. Be reflective. Really think about what really matters. Think!.
She has learned self love, empowerment, true strength, and a solid identity.
She says she has gained clarity in her life. Inner strength. Love of life and living. A purpose to help people. She knows how to break the cycle of pain.
Truly, she is an amazing example of a miracle, but one which came with a river of blood, sweat, and many tears. How many candles must we light for the sadnesses we have to encounter before we break through to something on a safe and higher level? I believe this amazing woman knows how many she has had to light….
‘Untitled’. Completed 16th of August 2018.
This is the 13th Pastel Drawing on canvas for the ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’ series.
At the request of the model, the information has been temporarily removed until further notice. 22.11. 2018.
Pandora’s Box. Completed 29th August, 2018.
This is the 14th Pastel Drawing on canvas for the ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’ series.
Here is a story of a brave young little girl at the age of 9 years old, whose migrant mum walked out and left her to look after her 5 and a half year old sister by herself. Migrant Dad had passed away about 6 months before. Her mother would visit every few weeks to give her food.
Later on as an adult, her body actually shut down , and she found herself in a mental institution suffering from depression, mental problems and physical malnutrition. This ‘little girl who had to grow up too fast’ was suffering meltdown . She also learned the rudimentary facts of life the hard way as she never had the parental guidance of the birds and the bees. She had problems with this too. Is this truly love?
This was pretty much a rat’s maze of a life she had to learn from.
Once she had learned and assimilated the rules of life, she had what she calls an ‘epiphany’. A realisation that her mother was so well looked after by her father while he was alive, her mother never needed to learn to speak English or look after the children or shop or make decisions. I don’t know about you, but I feel that this sort of protective love from a partner ultimately mars growth to the detriment of even the children in this case. This beautiful woman’s realisation is that her mother never knew how, never learned how to be a mother, a parent. Was helpless in many ways herself. Could you imagine a mother’s helplessness? As for advice on life, this humorous and intense lady says she has learned that its important to be a good mum. To always be there for the children. Don’t abandon them. She says that her challenge was to learn how to be a good mother, and that her natural love led her to doing the right thing by her own children as well. The advice she gives to us is to treasure the time that you have with people you love around you. Be kind to the older generation for you too will get there someday and your values will also need to be understood by a newer generation. Whatever bad start you get you can overcome it with dedicated love . Take time out for people- even strangers.
Standing Tall And knowing. Completed 7th of September 2018.
This is the 15th Pastel Drawing on canvas for the ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’ series.
This rather strong and intelligent woman was feisty at a very young age. Ward of the state for many years and many foster homes later, she learned that life is a plate of many coloured peppers and that each experience will result in some sort of reaction after action. Biting off more than you can chew can lead you into dire situations. She has pretty much stood her ground in just about everything she believes in. People often don’t appreciate such assuredness and often try to oppress by not allowing them self expression.
I sat with her listening to all her colourful stories. Stories of wrong decision making and divorces and religious arguments that broke up families and many, many deaths in the family growing up. I know from experience myself that losing loved ones all the time causes terrible feelings of abandonment which can effect you for the rest of your life. This woman claims she sorted her issues out when she hit 19 years of age and has never looked back. It has always been her love of doing art in her life that got her through.
Mysticism has also been an important part of her life as listening to religious arguments for many years with family members just didn’t bring the peace she needed. A healthier, more free spirited expression and way of thinking of a God was what she does believe in, and it is also this that has taken her through from having lost her identity to her gaining one finally.
A life well lived and a life well loved can bring about a something from a nothing. This woman is definitely to be noticed. A woman who made a mustard seed have faith in her!
Treasure Hunter. Completed 10th September 2018
This is the 16th Pastel Drawing on canvas for the ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’ series.
Looks can be very deceiving, can’t they?
This sweet woman has had many awful events happen to her in her young life. Raped at 13 years of age, was one important major event, and there were also many deaths in her family. So, it has been hard for her to feel safe in many ways. Loved ones that die around you can make you feel isolated and alone. Perhaps it is a way for nature to help us develop faith, as faith, it is said, can move mountains….and this young lady moved mountains. Big ones.
Being married for twelve years now, she is blessed with a very cute 2 year old daughter. This is a marvel in itself.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome has been the basis of all her struggles. Syndromes are diseases that have a whole lot of other diseases encapsulated within the main disease. PCOS for short, makes weight loss impossible as there is so much auto immune inflammation, there is also the excessive hair growth…unfortunately not in the right places, so hairy face, and arms. PID is another which is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, and of course Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome (FHCS) on top of all of that too, and this disease effects the mesentery that joins all your gizzards together. There are also liver problems and tumour growths, as well as the number one sadness in all of it- the improbability of ever being able to have children.
Well, this lovely ‘Treasure Hunter’, decided to try everything possible to see if she could have a child. Against all odds, and especially no ‘fors’ from the doctors, she decided to clean up her act, go vegan, clean her system out of toxins etc, and have a benign tumour removed, So after being vegan and having a healthier situation for her own ‘vessel’ , she did in fact, fall pregnant after about ten years of trying. Not without hardship in carrying to term and the birth itself.
All in all, it really is quite amazing. She made her body as clean as she could get it. She became the treasure chest and found her jewel within. What a way of marvelous-ness. To be rewarded with life.
Can you imagine just how anxious you would get with these situations?
She gives advice from her own incredibly anxious and harrowing experiences. She says it is important to keep in touch with the doctors and be aware of everything that is happening to you. She says to write down all idiosyncratic symptoms for it may be early signs of something coming on. Weight gain? Weight loss? These symptoms can be an early sign of PCOS. Furthermore, advice of life’s wisdom : “Never give up on life because everything has a meaning, you just never know what is around the corner. That experience might show up then… and your experiences can help others “.
Like all of the women in this series, she is marvelous, courageous, and deserving of great love and acknowledgement.
PS: One thought does leave me pondering. So many women that I have interviewed that have had rape experience, have all had problems with birth or bladders or vaginas, or have had problems with bowels, or sexual intimacy problems or just plain pain and chronic pain. Big time.
Abuse comes in many forms, and is also expressed outwards in many ways too.
Wise Choices. Completed 9th October 2018
This is the 17th Pastel Drawing on canvas for the ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’ series.
Quote: “Zig Ziglar Quote: “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. The best is yet to come.” Unquote.
The title of this work is ‘Wise Choices’. I was reading her story of adversity, and she ended her story with the above quote by Zig Ziglar.
Here is another amazing woman who has a story in which she has lost a beautiful baby, a wonderful mother and even nearly herself.
Her attitude to life is one of accepting… that , although life itself can be wonderful , it also holds such tragedy. Personally, I think it is this acceptance of her own experiences of loss and a brain aneurysm in the mix, that has brought her much wisdom. Having such near death experiences both to herself, and experiencing the loss of those loved ones, she has become more objective about life and compassionate toward others .
I believe, it is these experiences that shape us to where we are at right now.
Reading her story is like reading a tragic storybook. In it, there is one thing after another in succession.
Sometimes we can ask ourselves just ‘when does it all end’?
Reading about her story makes me see her wisdom in her experiences.
Keep loving life. Keep living life. Trouble always surely comes even on its own. We accept this about life. We also keep moving on…and onto the next learning experience.
A very strong and gentle, loving woman.
A Miracle. A Gamble…And A Chance. Completed 10th of October 2018
This is the 18th and final Pastel Drawing on canvas for the ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’ series.
In the 1970’s a lot of tattoo parlours did not sterilise their needles, and a lot of piercing places didn’t sterilise their needles either . Some tattooists would just refill the needles with ink and move onto the next person for the next inking. Likewise, who would think that another human being could carry such a dreadful disease?
Though this lovely lady never had a history of drug using, her liver told another story years later. Doctors state that she had probably had Hepatitis C for many years until her liver was giving out. At first the usual course of action to save life with Chemotherapy was administered but just didn’t work. It had failed to cure her. Her life was in severe decline and unless something could be done, then of course it was ‘the long sleep coming’.
She was quite devastated. After about a month after the course of Chemotherapy, her Liver specialist asked if she would like to trial a new drug. She accepted and knew that she had nothing to lose. She went ahead with 9 months of the new trial drugs. After the 9 months had lapsed she was actually cured. The Hepatitis C was totally gone. She wrote to me about her adversarial experience and said that she could not believe it at first. Quote: ” It was for me a miracle a gamble and a chance that paid off, and the reward was my life and I WON! And here I am !”.
How humble is this woman.
I learned too that she was in the last lot of pharma ‘guinea pigs’ that led to the wonderful breakthrough for the cure of Hepatitis C ! Instead of nine months of taking the medicine, it is now only a three month course. She has left a legacy for those with Hepatitis C. Aided to save lives even after we are all well and truly gone.
Wow. She has what it takes… And like all of these women that have been represented in this series, I admire every one of these most amazing, marvelous, splendid and powerful women. What great examples of Heroism and brilliant courage.
If you are interested in seeing a larger image of any of these portraits, just put their name in the search bar and it will course you to the image. Thankyou.
TAP GALLERY EXHIBITION: November 2018
The Everyday Matriarchal Heroines exhibition runs from Monday the 19th of November to Sunday the 25th of November, 2018.
The OPENING for the Everyday Matriarchal Heroine’s Exhibition will be on Tuesday the 20th of November, 2018, at 6.00 pm.
Address: TAP GALLERY, up the stairs, and immediate right, 259 Riley Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Artist talk is Sunday the 25th of November 2018 at 3.00 pm.
Phone Gallery for more enquiries and speak to Lesley. (Curator). 0400610440
Emma Husar, Guest speaker at the Opening.
Emma Husar photo.
Jenn, Shane, and little Belle was there too! All smiles! Posing in front of her portrait.
The Everyday Matriarchal Heroines exhibition series is a travelling exhibition so that everyone may be able to read of these wonderful women’s heroic life experiences.
EXHIBITION : MAY 2019
As of May 2019 , New Exhibition at the Gallery ONE88 at Katoomba. It is a joint exhibition with artist Mary Pace. Don’t forget the Opening celebration! See below:
Curator of Gallery One88 Fine Arts Victor Peralta posing with artist Anna Boros. Victor is an accomplished portrait painter himself, so he really connected with this exhibition.
This exhibition went very well with a good interested crowd. Speakers were Victor Peralta of the Galleryone88.
He was quite interested in this particular exhibition as he is an accomplished portrait painter himself.
Ms. Mary Pace gave an enlightened speech about her works and was quite entertaining…and…
I gave a heartfelt speech on the Everyday Matriarchal Heroines Series.
I sincerely thank Sharon and Victor Peralta and the staff of GalleryOne88 Fine Arts, ; Mary Pace- a wonderful artist in this joint exhibition, Bill for his help in this venture; Nicholas Aarts and Marina, and every person that came and viewed the works in this exhibition. 🙂 . It was a fun time had by all ! Thankyou! 🙂
(Lots more people but only can upload shots with their permission).
EMH series on wall. Mary Pace works on lounge.
There’s effervescent Mary Pace with me in this lovely shot!