Art as therapy continued..
In between taking Art History examinations and Sculpture and painting classes, I found a surgeon, had my lump removed through his skilfull hands and had my nipple carefully re-positioned at the end of October this year. They have learnt a lot from cosmetic surgery! He did suggest I could have the other breast reduced in size to match- but I demurred. They are small enough as it is!
This experience became the inspiration for my first soft sculpture. I constructed an armature from wire, which was tied togeher with masking tape, about 1m high. It was initially intended to be a fertility image - a large breast with multiple nipples. Why fertility images at the age of 61? Good question. I have no idea where my inspiration comes from. I had been working on this theme for a while.
After the operation I was full of anger. Bitter and resentful at the mutilation of my body. Upset with my loss of part of my breast. Was it vanity? No. I do not think so. It is part of what essentially defines me as a woman. My femininity.
Whatever it was , I decided to change the form of my work. I cut the rounded form and made an inverted slash into it about 50 cm long. This was my scar!
I covered the whole form with batting and sewed a grey stretch velvet cover for it. The scar was a quilted, puffed up, bright pink velvet, with a red form inside it. Every stab of my needle helped me to vent my anger. Boy it was therapeutic!
I sewed in embroidery threads, my nipple scar around the areola, and finally attached multiple small breast forms to it with tangled pink and red threads.
More another day.....
