Scarlett Fotheringham

Killara High School

MORE IS MORE AND LESS IS A BORE

Painting

Acrylic on canvas

In a society that idolises flawless youth, my body of work represents the vibrancy and unapologetic characteristics of elderly women, challenging the myth that a woman's 'prime' is tied to smooth skin and conventionally youthful beauty. Focusing on lived-in skin and self-expression, my intention was to celebrate ageing in women as a form of liberation that comes with letting go of societal expectations, where age is not a decline but an elevation into a more colourful, authentic version of the self. Skin is not something which needs to be 'corrected' but is an expression of experience, emotion and living.

My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Maggi Hambling, Cindy Sherman, Vincent van Gogh, Isabella Cotier, Hope Gangloff, Hans Sieverding, Willem Jonkers, Iris Apfel, Bruce Gilden, Colleen Heidemann.