Marilyn M.

Marilyn M.

pastel on paper / pastel sur papier

18" x 24"

property of / propriété de :

J. Faria

Sap collecting / Collection de sève à St-Ambroise de Kildare

Sap collecting / Collection de sève à St-Ambroise de Kildare

oil on canvas / huile sur toile

10" x 12"

$ 250. can.

Artist Statement

My artwork looks at the female body, mind and sense of empowerment. I enjoy creating erotic art and this in turn allows me to comment on social, political, cultural and sexist ways women and all females are perceived. I attempt to speak on the violence done to women as well as the beauty of femininity. My work tried to reproduce familiar concepts of the nude and the female erotic while inserting new elements such as political and anti oppression narratives, commentaries and symbology.

I create my erotic art from the inside out, as a woman born with a biological condition called transsexuality, i have had to come into my own as a female through much hardships. My path towards re-claiming my femininity and sense of womanhood was a struggle, and emotional pain, a constant reminder of society’s misogynistic and sexist attitude towards women in general and specifically towards females such as i. I think that my life experiences have given me a unique perspective, one that i try to share with all. I am passionate on many issues but i am generally even more vocal when it comes to women and the treatment they are sadly often subjected to because of abusive and oppressive stereotypes and prejudices born of patriarchy.

For the past three years, my art has involved the creation of a celebration of females in all their multifaceted splendor and beauty. I have put over a year in painting and drawing a series of pieces just about vaginas, because i felt they deserved celebrating and respect and honor. I have had a few shows in which my vagina paintings were showcased. Of course, i was influenced by plays, books, friends and especially from the fact that i had to have corrective surgery in order to finally have my own vagina. I had to work a lot and go through so many hurdles and barriers to finally be in a position to have my body aligned with my brain to be whole. It is probably clear by now that i am a feminist and that i do what i can to empower everything female.

I am also a queer woman, known for my penchant for the female erotic for which i give no apology, i simply love females. I think that speaking out through my art is what i should be doing. I am influenced by all the great women of the past and present, be they known by all or admired and known only to me.

I draw and paint in a realistic style and my training as an artist consists of five years in a private art school in Montreal, Canada, otherwise i am self taught. It is important to me that i broach topics deemed taboo or not for polite company as i take comfort and satisfaction from all the artists of the past who created erotic art. I have had paintings in various Erotic Art Shows and Events, in Canada as well as in the USA. Many will note that my paintings are somewhat reminiscent of the old masters, this is because i have always had a profound love of their work.

My art has won awards and has found homes in many private collections. I live in the Lanaudière region of Quebec, surrounded by beautiful mountains and lakes, my two cats Violet and Corky and the love of my life.

Circé

Project idea and call out

Hi,

Since coming back to my art, i've been concentrating my efforts on producing a series of pieces around the idea of vaginas, more specifically, the voices of women through the vagina. What can i say, i am SO in awe of Eve Ensler's * Vagina Monologues * and what it says to me as a woman that i just had to lend my voice.

Soon, this present project will be completed and i'm already looking at creating another. I'm hoping to assemble a group of women interested in putting together an Art Show. I don't yet have all the details but i would like to make it so that a small percentage of all sales went to a Women's Shelter. Any women artist who come across this blog, please do not hesitate in contacting me as i'm certain we can work together to bring this idea to fruition. For the sake of understanding; i'm in the province of Quebec and would work with any woman ( any self-identified woman ) in the province or in Canada.

Joëlle

In my new studio

Well, it's been about two weeks or so since i've been in a position to paint given that we just moved in and had sooooooo much boxes to unpack and get an electrician to come by and install four sets of neons for my studio.

Today, i finally took the day to resume painting, what joy. I worked on two paintings that i had begun before our move and started a new pastel. As soon as they are done, i will post them on this blog.

I'm thinking that i might stop the series on vaginas at ten or twelve because i'm simply not sure what will become of them once the exhibit in march is over; will they sell, will they collect dust, lol.

I'm starting to go out for short walks and am taking photos of the landscape around our mountain home, the area is simply breathtaking with it's mountains, forests and lakes. I'm told that tourists invade the area every summer and so i'm thinking it would be nice to have some landscape pieces ready.

Lert me hear from you, what you think of my art, what you'd like to see and any comments about art in general.

Circe

Mon blog en Français

Voici l'URL de mon blog d'art en version francophone.

L\\\' art de Circé

Yes, i do commissioned pieces.

If you would like to have a portrait of yourself or that of a loved one done, it only takes a good photo or maybe, if you are not too far from me, for me to take some pics and then work from one to create a painting that will not only last a very long time but that will be a cherished keepsake.

Asides from those pieces posted on this blog that already belong to private collectors ( clients ), all my artwork shown here are for sale. I am willing to consider almost any subject matter and i can work in graphite, sanguine, pastels and oils. Landscapes, still lives, nudes, portraits are topics i enjoy painting so don't be reticent, contact me and order your original painting.

sincerely,

Circe