What does my relationship with femininity look like?
Artist Statement
In my portfolio, I explored the question of “what does my relationship with femininity look like?” Growing up as a woman in today’s society, I channeled my emotions through unique symbolism derived from pieces of literature and famous artists. I focused heavily on themes of objectification, guilt, aging, the female body, and the pressure society puts on women to change. In my portfolio, I aimed to create pieces that also reflect how animals, family, and traditions impact my relationship with femininity.
I chose to explore my relationship with femininity as a way to make impactful statements about what I feel it’s like to be a woman in today’s society. In my pieces, I sought to capture the emotions provoked by common experiences that many women have.
Sustained Investigation Project 1
Property of The Farm
Oil paint on canvas, mixed media collage, 12” x 12”, The Masters School, 2023.
In this piece, I explored my relationship with femininity and considered the effect that a patriarchal society has on it. Through the use of a cow branding and farm-related symbols, I examined the feelings associated with female objectification and ownership. This work goes together with my other piece “Tagged” in a two part duology.
Sustained Investigation Project 2
Tagged
Oil paint on canvas, mixed media collage, 12” x 12”, The Masters School, 2023.
In this piece, I continued exploring my relationship with femininity and considered the effect that a patriarchal society has on it. Through the use of a cow ear tag, I continued exploring the feelings associated with female objectification. By using the number eighteen as a symbol, I prompt my audience to consider how the transition from girlhood to womanhood feels.
Sustained Investigation Project 3
Apple of My Eye
Oil paint on canvas, 8” x 10”, The Masters School, 2023.
In a continued exploration of my relationship with femininity, I created this unsettling piece that emphasizes my self-portrait. I challenged myself to use saturated, contrasting colors to highlight tone. Using symbolism from the story of Adam and Eve, the apple represents sin in this Eden-like landscape. The arrow hitting the woman instead of the apple illustrates the idea that in society it is common for men to blame women even when they are at fault. The snake, a symbol for wrongdoing and evil, points towards the person who shot the arrow, but simultaneously tethers the woman to the tree.
Sustained Investigation Project 4
The Mime
Mixed media, pastel on canvas, needle and thread, cardstock paper, letter stamps and ink, cling wrap, 16” x 20”, The Masters School, 2023.
This mixed media piece, highlighting a mime drawn from oil pastel, emphasizes the traditional gender norm that women are expected to be quiet. The unique symbol of the mime represents the idea that women are seen as more valuable in society when they are most like objects, such as when they “look pretty,” as highlighted by the mime’s excessive makeup, and do not speak. I included the traditional sexist phrase that women are “better seen, not heard” in conjunction with the mime to exhibit that in society, women’s ideas and opinions are often devalued. In addition, I used a red thread to show that the mime’s mouth is physically sewn shut and unable to open, symbolizing the idea that even if women want to speak up, there is often the pressure of the patriarchy that makes it very difficult. Using an unconventional material, I covered the entire canvas in cling wrap before I added the cardstock paper to mimic the look of the mime being trapped in a glass box. The box reflects that the mime cannot escape or be heard within the box, however, it is still on display for the world to see.
Sustained Investigation Project 5
The Main Course
Graphite drawing, pencil on paper, 6” x 4”, The Masters School, 2023.
Largely inspired by The Sacrificial Lamb by Josefa de Óbidos, I turned a religious symbol into a motif about femininity. This pencil sketch represents the idea that oftentimes if a woman speaks up to protect herself and other women against the misconduct of men, she makes mental sacrifices and subjects herself to society’s scrutiny for the greater good. The wolves, blending into the background, serve as a symbol of this scrutiny, and the rope around the lamb’s feet illustrate how difficult it can be to escape from it.
Sustained Investigation Project 6
Baby Teeth
Oil paint on canvas, 24” x 24”, The Masters School, 2024
I worked large for this oil painting, testing my abilities and pushing my limits. I chose the perspective to be from inside of the mouth to put the audience into the point of view, and even body, of a girl. The dentists pulling out perfectly healthy teeth serves as a representation of how society pressures women to change, even when it is not necessary. The empty spaces reflect that even after changing to fit society’s standards, women are often still left with an unquenchable, learned desire to change something else about themselves . I chose a vibrant, yet eerily cool color palette to reflect the negative emotions associated with the theme of the painting. In addition, I chose to make the ceiling look like a grid to mimic social media, and how nowadays it heavily contributes towards women internalizing the constant influence to alter themselves.
The idea that a woman is having her teeth removed by men additionally suggests that men sometimes take advantage of women by taking their ability to fight back. By removing a person’s teeth, they are unable to bite as a defense. I saw this as a direct parallel with confidence, and how society takes away women’s confidence so that women are blind to how they are being controlled.
Sustained Investigation Project 7
Squeeze
Charcoal on sketching paper, 12” x 4”, The Masters School, 2024
I decided to try a different medium to expand my charcoal sketching skills. For this piece, I relied heavily on my memory to create the fragments of bodies. Exploring the societal pressure put on women to be thin, I depicted a figure grabbing their stomach fat and a figure lying on the floor with their legs up against a wall. The figure grabbing their stomach is a reference to women looking in the mirror and being unsatisfied with how they look because of what society expects from them. Similarly, the “debloating” position on the right is a symbol for the desire women feel to look thin, ultimately reflecting what society has taught them.
Sustained Investigation Project 8
You Were Given A Voice
Mixed media collage on canvas, 8” x 12”, The Masters School, 2024
I challenged myself by trying to use as many different mediums as possible for this piece. I started by painting the background with acrylic paint and then I created pomegranate and apple stamps using linoleum blocks. From there, I used oil paint to paint a 3D apple and began writing with a red sharpie. I copied a quote that I saw on Pinterest multiple times across the canvas: “You were given a voice the same way Eve was given an apple. Use it and be martyred.” The quote highlights the illusion that women are “given” the option to use their voices in society, because in reality, they are often punished for doing so.
Lastly, I cut out pieces from several magazines and used a thread and needle to sew them into the canvas. Although this piece is more abstract, I was attracted to the apple symbolism as a reflection of the story of Adam and Eve. The body parts from the magazines are symbolic of the fact that women are often valued solely for physical qualities, while the mothers protecting their children are reminders of the important role women play in society. Additionally, I used the thread to represent the outdated expectation that women are meant to take care of household duties, such as sewing. The pomegranate and apple stamps are both symbolic of the mythological stories, Adam and Eve and Persephone and Hades, when women were punished for the “sins” of men.
Sustained Investigation Project 9
Time Flies
Oil paint on canvas, 16” x 16”, The Masters School, 2024
In this piece, I examined the fear of aging and getting older that is imposed on women by society. Using symbols for time passing, such as candles, an hourglass, clocks, and a calendar, I illustrated my feelings of being trapped and surrounded by reminders that I will not be young forever. The little girl in the painting is my childhood self, reflecting the fear I used to feel of getting older. I was inspired by Salvador Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory when painting the clocks to give the piece a surreal look.
I chose to explore my relationship with femininity as a way to make impactful statements about what I feel it’s like to be a woman in today’s society. In my pieces, I sought to capture the emotions provoked by common experiences that many women have.
Sophie Alex Miller 