Owning Yourself

The original of this painting is not for sale because the model will never part with this painting.   The painting is particularly powerful for me. I recognize another version of myself in this. She is young, beautiful , and perfectly accepting of where she is. Her beauty and her time are her own. I wanted to paint the decadance of this and the peace.   This is something I did not experience as a young woman. I felt like my youth, my beauty, and the space I occupied were not mine. I felt compelled to gain acceptance from the outside, from other people, and from the culture.  She holds all of herself for herself. This is a powerful image for me.