I've always been fascinated by hair. It's my favourite part of the drawing process and I love taking my time adding in every line; it really brings my characters to life. Ever since I began printing, my women have been adorned with hair covering their bodies: beards, bushy eyebrows and long, luscious locks. I've been drawn towards artists who depict this too: Frida Khalo, Audrey Niffenegar and Dante Gabriel Rosetti.
One of my latest prints: Hair raising, has been an image I have draw over and over again. It symbolises a quiet chaos; things that are normal becoming more and more out of control. It has taken many different forms throughout my life. Below is one of the first deceptions of it:
The sketches I begin with are inspired from everyday life: films, art, poems, songs etc. I store these away, forgetting about them until I see it emerge again in my own artwork- I realise then that I am less original than I thought.
This image above is taken from a really interesting book: Rapunzel's Daughters by Rose Weitz. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rapunzels-Daughters-Womens-Tells-about/dp/0374240825
At the beginning of my art career, I co-created a clothing brand with a friend. I tried various depictions again of the woman with hair spiralling out of control. However, at that point I hadn't quite found my style.
Below is another version of the piece. This was early in my career when I had just begun experimenting with aquatint. I love the girl's facial expression and the careful brushing of her hair by her mother behind.
The image below is so far my most favourite and latest version of the picture. I love the strong black background and the wildness of the hair. The woman is still. Motionless. Trapped in the world of print as her hair begins to erupt. I hope you like it. I'm sure I will be revisiting this subject again soon.
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