These were painted towards the end of my first pregnancy. It was a confusing time and I was miserable for most of it. They represent not just personal pain but also, in the vein of Picasso, a universal image of suffering. At first the act of painting was cathartic, but soon enough melancholy turned to melodrama. While they weep, the women knowingly mock themselves for their overblown hysteria. Their supplements and auxiliary fixings also add to the feeling of imbalance: they could physically become unhinged at any moment.

2015 - Exhibited at the Tetley, Leeds as part of Painting In Time, curated by Sarah Kate Wilson.