Description

This painting comes rolled in a tube and needs framing properly by you!

I deliberately went into my art shed to express my emotions into this painting. I was feeling disheartened about a really good, part time, job that I didn’t get. I’m also feeling despondent about how willing society is to accept the restricted freedom of women in public, especially when it comes to walking alone at night (it’s completely dark by 6pm in London during winter) – RIP Sarah Everard.

Most men do not harass or abuse, though most women have been on the receiving end and most have lost faith that it will be dealt with. Lewd comments, cat calling and not accepting, “No” as an answer, is learned behaviour that escalates over time. Men and boys need to take more responsibility to call each other out on this issue, though everyone has a role to play in preventing violence against women.

What kind of environments allow the least scrupulous and insecure of men to boost their self-esteem (with a short-lived emotional fix) by acting on their most hideous impulses?

The woman in the painting seems so dejected, holding herself protectively, staring into the middle distance – reflecting. I want her to take a sip from, “the glass of hope” so she can see the bigger picture and start planning!