A BIT ABOUT MY WORK
I am a London based artist who produces Endometriosis Awareness-based portraits, figurative works and commissions, and my practice derives from my personal experiences of living with the condition for over ten years.
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I am continually inspired by conversations I have with other people - whether they are experiencing pain, have been diagnosed with a reproductive condition, or are in search of an answer, and work in a range of different materials to try and depict this. These include oil paint, charcoal and graphite.
MY STORY
Endometriosis, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome & Miscarriage
I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was only 11 or 12 - a condition that I had never heard of at the time, and a condition that immediately attached itself to concerns over infertility and pain.
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At a young age, I could never imagine the pain I would go on to experience. It took the majority of my adolescence and my diagnosis of endometriosis when I was 18 to feel heard, and all the while, I never realised the psychological impact countless physical examinations, tests, and conversations had had on me. I had gone into a sort of trance - I dismissed the pain I was in and accepted and separated myself from what my body was doing.
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Every day, I create work that requires me to be present and address the pain I experience and speaking with other sufferers continues to inspire work that I hope is uplifting but accurate. Each of these women, myself included, lives in fluctuating pain every day but stands tall and tries their best to continue with day to day life, and with endo often being labeled an invisible destroyer, I wanted to find a way to highlight this trauma but celebrate this resilience.
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Experiencing a miscarriage, until recently was something that I never thought I would be able to comprehend, and having always been told that I would struggle to fall pregnant, it was something I never thought I would need to prepare myself for.
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This is why my work is important to me. If I can help one person feel positive and proud of their body, despite what it has experienced, I know I am doing my job right.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
ENDO SOCIAL - HOLLAND & BARRETT MARBLE ARCH
As part of an event hosted by The Endometriosis Foundation in partnership with Parla, I will be displaying and selling some smaller pieces of work as part of their Endo Social.
As well as drinks and nibbles, there will be a panel will be discussing the role of diet, among other aids in improving endometriosis symptoms.
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20% of sales will be donated to The Endometriosis Foundation
PREVIOUS EVENTS
7 March 2023
THE ENDOMETRIOSIS FOUNDATION LAUNCH EVENT
The Houses of Parliament
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In 2021, I began conversations with Carla Cressy; the founder of The Endometriosis Foundation about the potential of exhibiting a series of paintings at their launch event in The Houses of Parliament.
Delayed by Covid-19 restrictions, this launch celebrated some of the really exciting work planned and carried out by the charity so far and offered an amazing opportunity to meet and connect with different people over shared experiences.
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I was overwhelmed by the reception my work received and am excited to continue further involvement with the charity.
ENDOMETRIOSIS UK
0 - 7 mins
In late January 2022, I was invited by my therapist Margreet Hendricks to speak about my experiences of Endometriosis and therapy for a webinar hosted by Endometriosis UK.
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This was one of the first occasions I had spoken this publically about my condition outside of social media. Although I was very nervous, this opportunity became a turning point in my art career. I could see the impact speaking about my experiences could have on others and this became the fuel for my practice.
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July 10th - 19th
LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY DEGREE SHOW 2022
Over the duration of my degree, I always struggled to find the core topic of my work, and until experiencing a period of prolonged pain in 2019, I realised that I wanted to create work that helped myself and others.
The exhibition showcased an accumulation of work from my final semester and focussed entirely on individual experiences of endometriosis.
SURFACE GALLERY
July 16th 2022
As part of my exhibition, I was invited to discuss my work with Jez Kirby, a member of the awarding board for the East Midlands Graduate Project and Residency at Surface Gallery.
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SURFACE GALLERY
Nottingham
MIRIAM ESCOFET
BP Portrait Award 2018
Member of Royal Society of Portrait Painters
As part of my Degree Show, I was given the pleasure of discussing my work with Miriam Escofet. Her interpretations and advice was truly priceless and I thoroughly enjoyed touring her and her team around the wider exhibition.
LU ARTS
'What My Disability Can Do' Competition
2nd Place Winner 2022
Throughout June and July 2022, I had the pleasure of my painting; 'More Than A Bad Period', displayed on bus stops around Loughborough to raise awareness of hidden disabilities.
