Broken Silence

The story behind this work

Sometimes a painting begins with a gaze. I found her eyes online and they would not let me go: quiet, clear and fearless. While I was painting, I felt that something was still missing. Then came the raven. I deliberately placed it in front of her mouth. The raven is often associated with death, and so it becomes the symbol of women being silenced. Far too many women are still silenced, sometimes loudly and openly, sometimes quietly and almost invisibly. But look at her eyes. She is not silent because she has nothing to say. Her gaze says it all: I am here, I see you, and I have more to offer than you think. This work is a tribute to all women with a voice that wants to be heard.