A Fiendish Rage
My new work focuses on the unique experiences of aging women, re-imagining Mary Shelley’s "Frankenstein" through the transformative lens of middle-age and menopause. By referencing my own aging body and using an expressive approach, I aim to expose the psychological effects of deeply ingrained gender and class narratives I've internalized over a lifetime. For these drawings, I created my own tools for manipulating the media; using handmade and found nets, hair and linens to move the loose graphite powder and press faint images directly into the surface.
My new work focuses on the unique experiences of aging women, re-imagining Mary Shelley’s "Frankenstein" through the transformative lens of middle-age and menopause. By referencing my own aging body and using an expressive approach, I aim to expose the psychological effects of deeply ingrained gender and class narratives I've internalized over a lifetime. For these drawings, I created my own tools for manipulating the media; using handmade and found nets, hair and linens to move the loose graphite powder and press faint images directly into the surface.
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #1. 2024. Loose graphite on Stonehenge Colors, grey. 11"x14".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #2. 2024. Loose graphite on Stonehenge Colors, white. 11"x14".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #3. 2024. Loose graphite on Arches. 22"x30".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #4. 2024. Loose graphite on Stonehenge Colors, grey. 11"x14".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #5. 2024. Loose graphite on Stonehenge Colors, grey. 14"x11".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #6. 2024. Loose graphite on Stonehenge Colors, cream. 11"x14".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #7. 2024. Loose graphite on Stonehenge Colors, cream. 11"x14".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #8 2024. Loose graphite on Stonehenge Colors, ecru. 11"x14".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #9. 2024. Loose graphite on Stonehenge Colors, ecru. 11"x14".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #10. 2024. Loose graphite on Stonehenge Colors, ecru. 11"x14".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #11. 2024. Loose graphite on Stonehenge Colors, grey. 11"x14".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #12. 2024. Loose graphite on Stonehenge Colors, cream. 11"x14".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #13. 2024. Loose graphite on Stonehenge Colors, white. 11"x14".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #14. 2024. Loose graphite on Arches. 30"x22".
A Fiendish Rage, Untitled #15. 2024. Loose graphite on Arches. 30"x22".
Grotesque Internal Devastation. 2024. Ink, watercolor and thread on paper. 18"x24".
The Angry Woman Syndrome
The title of this work comes from a 1971 psychiatric journal article of the same name that listed symptoms that included "periodic outbursts of unprovoked anger, marital maladjustment, serious suicide attempts, proneness to abuse of alcohol and drugs, a morbidly oriented critical attitude to people and a contrary obsessive need to excel in all endeavors, with an intense need for neatness and punctuality". Notably the specific common denominators (WOMEN) in the angry woman syndrome set it apart from any established present day mental health classification.
In this exploration of the “angry woman” stereotype, I accept and communicate my rage, challenging the gendered conception of certain emotions as “inappropriate” for women to express. This work reflects my righteous anger regarding encounters I had with the culture of silence and sexism surrounding menopause. Here, I use domestic techniques like sewing and braiding to create pieces that evoke the sense of outrage I felt navigating the profound changes of my mind and body without any guidance from our healthcare system. I use binding and needlework to express the violence I felt during these transformations inflicted on my mind and body. The repetitive, controlled motions of sewing echo the slow, painful process of stitching together the remnants of my former physical and emotional self, transforming a traditional feminine craft into a powerful medium for confronting my deep grief and rage.
The title of this work comes from a 1971 psychiatric journal article of the same name that listed symptoms that included "periodic outbursts of unprovoked anger, marital maladjustment, serious suicide attempts, proneness to abuse of alcohol and drugs, a morbidly oriented critical attitude to people and a contrary obsessive need to excel in all endeavors, with an intense need for neatness and punctuality". Notably the specific common denominators (WOMEN) in the angry woman syndrome set it apart from any established present day mental health classification.
In this exploration of the “angry woman” stereotype, I accept and communicate my rage, challenging the gendered conception of certain emotions as “inappropriate” for women to express. This work reflects my righteous anger regarding encounters I had with the culture of silence and sexism surrounding menopause. Here, I use domestic techniques like sewing and braiding to create pieces that evoke the sense of outrage I felt navigating the profound changes of my mind and body without any guidance from our healthcare system. I use binding and needlework to express the violence I felt during these transformations inflicted on my mind and body. The repetitive, controlled motions of sewing echo the slow, painful process of stitching together the remnants of my former physical and emotional self, transforming a traditional feminine craft into a powerful medium for confronting my deep grief and rage.
A Figure Most Hideous. 2024. Repurposed vintage linens. 6'x4'.
DETAIL: A Figure Most Hideous. 2024. Repurposed vintage linens. 6'x4'.
I Gave it All. 2024. Embroidery thread on vintage linen. 15"x32".
Abhorrent and Angry. 2024. Ink, acrylic and thread on Arches. 22"x30".
DETAIL: Mary W. Shelley's Hands. 2024. Silk thread and ribbon, vintage fabric. 18"x36"x6".
Installation View: Mary W. Shelley's Hands. 2024. Silk thread and ribbon, vintage fabric. 18"x36"x6".
A Crone's Purse. 2023. Colored pencil on Stonehenge Colors. 11"x14"
Take it, I seem to be done with it. 2023. Tracing paper, ink, thread and pins. 17"x12"x5".
A Crone's Purse. 2023. Colored pencil on Stonehenge Colors. 11"x14"
A Figure Most Hideous. 2024. Leather, fabric and yarn. 30"x12"x6".
Tumor (in the wild). 2024. Fabric and nylon netting. 16"x18"x18".
Bound. 2024. Leather. 30"x12"x6".
Self Portrait at 56. 2023. Colored pencil on Stonehenge Colors. 11"x14"
Brain Fog. 2024. Ink, acrylic and thread on paper. 16"x20".
On Loss. Hair and embroidery on vintage linen. 9"x14".
Leftovers. 2023. Pencil and botanical prints on tracing paper, thread and pins. 25"x15"x5".
A Representation of My Body at 56. 2023. Colored pencil on Stonehenge Colors. 11"x14"
