Scarlet Hooded Maiden - 2012

My work centers on reclaiming myth and reimagining feminine archetypes. The two pieces I have submitted reflect the traits and behaviours I’ve encountered on my journey to define womanhood - a journey shaped by my personal experiences and a deep awareness of what it means to navigate this world as a woman. These paintings explore some enduring themes that continue to resonate with me:

• Visibility: Celebrating the power of being seen.
• Ancient Feminine Strength: Honouring the timeless, intrinsic power of the feminine.
• Transformation: Charting the evolution from innocence to empowerment.
• Self-Realisation: Embracing the journey toward a fuller, authentic self.

This body of work is my invitation to rediscover and celebrate the many layers of womanhood through art.

I specialise in painting, mixed media, and textile pieces that explore themes of memory, emotion, folklore, and nature. My creations serve as both personal expression and therapeutic exploration, delving into the feminine dimensions and highlighting the spiritual essence of women as divine beings deeply intertwined with the earth.

Inspired by spirituality and mindfulness, I am also a dedicated advocate for animal rights, channelling this passion into my visionary art and protest pieces, including digital aura painting and mixed media. My mixed media original wall hangings use fabric paint, applique, and embroidery, blending traditional techniques with contemporary themes to create unique, expressive works. My paintings are created with oil and acrylic on canvas.

Beyond visual art, I am an author, contributing memoirs and prose to various publications. My work has been featured in magazines and interviews, reflecting my commitment to creativity and advocacy
across different mediums.

I grew up in Plymouth, Devon. I was surrounded by art as a child. My father was a portrait artist and encouraged me in paving my own career in art.

Later, my journey was shape d by my travels in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where I immersed myself in art, culture, and spirituality.

I have exhibited my work in London, Liverpool, Devon and America.

Reimagined through a feminist lens this painting was inspired by the fairytale, ‘Red Riding Hood’. The tale becomes a potent symbol for International Women’s Day. Her journey - from innocence to empowerment - mirrors the transformation women experience as they navigate a patriarchal society. The red cloak, traditionally seen as a mark of danger, is reclaimed as an emblem of passion, courage, and visibility, symbolising the boldness of women who assert their space. While the original tale casts the wolf as an external threat to innocence, a feminist reinterpretation invites us to see the wolf as a metaphor for systemic patriarchal forces and exploitative behaviours. This shift challenges the notion that vulnerability equates to weakness, instead framing it as the starting point for developing resilience and self-protection - an important reminder given the very real dangers many women face. Modern retellings now portray Red Riding Hood as an adaptive and resourceful figure who turns the tables on her adversaries. Her survival and transformation become acts of defiance against narratives that have long confined women to passivity. Moreover, the forest in her story symbolises the unknown and transformative realm where societal constraints are challenged, and new identities are forged. In this light, Red Riding Hood is not merely a cautionary tale about naïveté or danger but an enduring emblem of the complex journey toward self-realisation, empowerment, and resistance a narrative that I feel resonates deeply with the spirit of International Women’s Day.

Oil on Canvas

46.5x52.5cm

Framed in an open frame