If you have ever wondered why I paint what I paint, you have come to the right place.
First of all, I am a woman myself, and therefore, I create works of art that reflect my life and experiences. I have had a handful of people ask me “where are the men?’ To which I reply, ‘In someone else’s art.’
There is no lack of male representation in the art world and if that is what you are looking for, great… but that’s not my art. My art relates to me and the women around me who have experienced the hardships and wonders that come with being a woman.
But why Naked Women...?
I have also had many people ask me why I paint women naked, and my overall reasoning is simply that I think it is a beautiful form of art.
I grew up in a household that had mini nude statuettes, a large poster print of Rodin’s, “The Kiss” (actual image of the framed poster), and other nude artwork all around on display.
I was shown the human body in a respectful and artistic way, allowing me to see the human body in that same light.
Being desensitized to the human form at an early age has allowed me to appreciate nude art for what it truly symbolizes, and not simply shy away from a body that the media says should be covered up.
I am not the first or the last.
Nudity in art is nothing new. I mean one of the first pieces of art that we can date is of a nude woman (a very curvy nude woman, I might add).
Venus of Willendorf c.28,000-25,000 BCE
And there are many reasons for nudity in art, such as:
showing the human anatomy in its rawest form
focusing on the individual and not external factors such as historical contexts in clothing or accessories
showing the naturally artistic nature of the body with its curves and lines
So if nude artwork makes you uncomfortable, I am sorry (not really) to say you're out of luck. This form of art is not going anywhere.
It's time to take back our bodies.
Naked women have been depicted in art for a variety of good and not so good reasons.
At some points in time women were depicted as goddesses, something to be worshiped for all that their body is capable of.
At other times - since artists historically have been male - there have been depictions that show nude women through the male gaze.
Sticker by Sarah Courtney
To me, the body should be appreciated and respected, and we as women should be the ones who get to decide what that looks like. Which is why it is especially important that I, a female artist, work to take back our bodies and show them through our own eyes.
Our bodies, our rules.
Lastly, I paint nude women of all different shapes and sizes because the idea that there is one perfect body type is absolutely ridiculous.
How are we supposed to love our body like all these self-esteem promoting ads and campaigns (you know the ones) say we should when we are still constantly bombarded with the idea that our bodies are something to be ashamed of?
We are told we should look a certain way in order to have value, and that we should cover up to be respected.
But our value is not tied to what we look like, and we deserve respect no matter how much of our body is covered.
Women deserve to see themselves represented in the media and in art in a way that is not only accepting but appreciative of the uniqueness we each hold.
Sticker by Sarah Courtney
And for me, that means showing the body in its most natural form - naked.
So do you get it?
If after all of this you still don’t understand why I do what I do, then maybe my art isn’t for you.
And I am okay with that.
Because the people that understand and agree with what I have just said, well, those are the ones I am here for.
But ya seriously please stop asking me to paint dudes.
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