As a Lesbian illustrator, the themes in my practice are influenced often by my identity. My partner is a significant muse of mine, our experiences guide a lot of my narrative choices. With my partner being Butch, our relationship has taught me the differences she faces as someone who does not conform to social expectations of gender. By drawing from personal experiences, it is my design calling to give visibility to others who don’t feel seen in art or media.
“Blair’s Hair” is a children’s picture book I have been making since September. Inspired by experiences I’ve had with hair but is most relevant to my partner’s relationship to hair. I was influenced by children’s books on diversity and gender expression for boys. But there was a gap in this tone for girls. What about girls who also express themselves differently? It is important to normalise gender non-conformity for young girls too, tomboyish attributes shouldn’t be regarded as something to supress or ‘grow out of’!
My interest in gender expression transferred into my essay for DH&T, with more mature themes in relation to Lesbian gender and sexuality. My essay explores these subjects within cinema, comparing three iconic Sapphic films: ‘Bound’, ‘The Handmaiden’, and ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’.
“Blair’s Hair” is a children’s picture book I have been making since September. Inspired by experiences I’ve had with hair but is most relevant to my partner’s relationship to hair. I was influenced by children’s books on diversity and gender expression for boys. But there was a gap in this tone for girls. What about girls who also express themselves differently? It is important to normalise gender non-conformity for young girls too, tomboyish attributes shouldn’t be regarded as something to supress or ‘grow out of’!
My interest in gender expression transferred into my essay for DH&T, with more mature themes in relation to Lesbian gender and sexuality. My essay explores these subjects within cinema, comparing three iconic Sapphic films: ‘Bound’, ‘The Handmaiden’, and ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’.
