I have created a series of paintings based on fairy tales, exploring how they address the anxieties of growing up through dramatic themes. I have been focusing on the heroines of the fairy tales and their glamorous transition from girl to woman, introducing new ideas on perspective, lighting and costume. The growing sexuality of fairy tale heroines is presented through surprising underlying symbolism within the stories. By researching the early versions of fairy tales I discovered dark themes, such as incest and rape. Little red riding hood has some of the most obvious symbolism, for example: red symbolises scandal, danger, the menstrual cycle, deflowering and more. Over the years fairytales have become more sanitized; the sexual undertones have become subtle. I have been combining the evolved tales with the original versions to create the uncanny: an image familiar yet strangely not. The age of my models has been left deliberately ambiguous to question the appropriateness of any displayed sexuality.

 After experimenting with familiar tales I have moved away from the uncanny to concentrate on tales unheard by most (‘Donkeyskin’, ‘Bluebeard’, ‘Diamonds and Toads’, ‘The Wild Swans’). Allowing me to create an image without any visual interpretations to influence me, like Disney films. These images of unknown fairy tales also allow the viewer to create their own narratives. ‘Diamonds and Toads’ is one of many examples of how fairy tales use hair to represent good health and fertility. In ‘Diamonds and Toads’ this is presented literally through the luxuriance and wealth of the jewels.

My work combines elements of reality with fantasy to create a zone between the real and the imagined, innocence and experience. Recently I have been developing my work by exploring more fantastical imagery from fairy tales, to present heroines in less familiar settings. My paintings are large and confrontational, leaving the viewer as voyeur, whether willing or not.