If you’re really lucky, you know an amazing woman. If you’re exceptionally lucky, you know more than one.
I can go further than that. I am so lucky that one of the amazing women I know had an idea and let it grow into something phenomenal.
It’s no secret that I sometimes express frustration with the representation of female bodies and how that makes me feel. Back in November, I tweeted:
“I want to see pictures and think I could recreate that.”
That tweet has led to something amazing. The beautiful 19syllables replied privately,
“When I see a picture of you I wonder if I can paint you.”
The thing that made this into something so much more were the words,
“Can we make a pact to protect each other’s vulnerability in this?”
Suddenly, I knew that this was more than an idea. There was so much connection and understanding about what this was. A truth, an honesty, a vulnerability and a pact of support which made it safe to move into a new space of being.
Taking a picture to show light, shadow, weight and texture and the truthful reality of me as a woman was tricky. When I tried, I posed too much. That’s where another amazing woman came in. Focused and Filthy captured me in the early morning London light and sent the image to 19syllables.
Since then, I have felt my soul grow every time I have been sent an updated image. This has given me a whole new way to experience looking. I would never normally choose to share an image of me at this angle with nothing posed carefully. I would be too protective of myself to allow the scrutiny. And yet, knowing that the image was going to be explored in such detail looking for light, texture and shapes – all of that vulnerability became a strength instead of something that I needed to build a wall around.
I have to admit, I have felt such a lot about this that I have not known how to capture it in words. I hope that you can understand a feel a flavour of those emotions and realise the strength of phenomenal women creating and allowing each other to grow.
All the feels.
Literally.
(I’m saying I’m feeling myself up looking at this)
Nice read!
Wow, wow WOW, this truly is phenomenal. And so beautifully moving. The love expressed here is quite overwhelming ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Brought to life by three incredible women I’m proud to know 💋💕
Wow .. you put the Nom in phenomenal x
This is such a stunning portrait of your Honey. Haiku has totally captured your beauty and strength. I love that together you made that pact this is the beautiful result and so many amazing women contributed
Molly
What a beautiful collaboration! And the way you affirmed each other by using your creative talents in covenant together. Warmth, beauty, sensuality combined!
‘In covenant’ these are the perfect words. Thank you for bringing them. xx
You can be sure, I wanted to explore this picture from every angle. Great way to show yourself the way you feel is right. xoxo
All three of you should be proud, the model, the photographer and the painter. What you have created is amazing.
Gosh, this is a fantastic! So much strength and beauty!
Stunning portrait but then you’re a truly stunning individual x
A beautiful portrait and testimony to wonderful friends xx
Oh Honey, this is STUNNING. I absolutely love the painting, and love the collaboration too. Your words brought tears to my eyes, as I could feel the love you have for all the equally phenomenal women you have in your life. You are gorgeous!
Rebel xox
Reading this gave me such happy tingles. What an incredible collaboration and what a stunning work of art. I do see a whole lot of strength emanating out of this masterpiece.
This just the most wonderful thing and I fully teared up when I saw it last night and haven’t been able to stop thinking about. Such a special wonderful thing.
A massive yay for women lifting each other up, what a wonderful collaboration and a beautiful portrait x
Oh, so beautiful, the picture and the process ❤
“Beauty behind the moment you decide to be yourself” Coco Chanel
It began and I’m so pleased to be part of the journey that followed to this.
Missy x
I obviously meant to type beauty behind the moment you decide to be yourself.
….. but I forgot to proof read that message. Sorry
What a beautiful, touching and lovely collaboration.
Wow this is absolutely amazing I’m very glad you all worked together to create this stunning piece of art!
This is so beautiful and the fact it was made possible by all three of you being involved is so wonderful, it actually gave me goosebumps thinking about all the love and friendship that has been poured into this image x
This is incredible – a combination of powerful women and talent. I love how everyone contributed to creating art. Honey, 19 has captured you so beautifully x
I shared my feelings on Twitter when I first saw this but reading through it today, I felt tears well up again. The desire to hold each other and uplift each other in this collaboration, is one of the things that just fills me with so many emotions. It’s so lovely and the ultimate work produced, glorious you, first captured beautifully in photo, then deftly painted, is just stunning. Haiku’s comment about the pact to protect vulnerability is such a beautiful think and I’ve been thinking about it for days and hoping to implement it into my life 🙂 xxxxx
Fabulous picture, really phenomenal as your post says. I don’t even have the words to convey how much I love this!
What a wonderfully moving collaboration and celebration of friendship, trust and vulnerability, I absolutely love it!
What an utterly amazing depiction of a beautiful lady with so much presence. And a beautifully written expression of the process and the women responsible for it.