I’ve had many of these on the ‘Works in Progress’ page, but with the absent mindedness that unfortunately continues, I had forgotten to actually post all the finished pieces! So several months later, here they are, along with my reason for starting the series. (Scroll down to read this).
24 x 30cm, £50
Oil paint, acrylic paint, oil bar and pastel on stretched canvas
40 x 40cm, £90
50 x 20cm, £85
Acrylic and oil bar on canvas board, 25 x 18 cm, £40
Acrylic and oil bar on canvas board, 24 x 18cm, £50
Screen print on 300g/㎡ paper, SOLD
Watercolour and pastel on watercolour paper.
£35
Oil paint and oil bar on stretched canvas
40 x 50cm, £95
Oil paint and pastel shavings on stretched canvas.
50 x 70cm, SOLD
Acrylic paint and pen on box canvas 24 x 30cm, £40
£50
Acrylic paint, spray paint, pen and pastel on reclaimed canvas
40 x 30cm, £85
Dried paint, acrylic paint and spray paint on reclaimed canvas, SOLD
Who Am I?
I began this series at the start of 2025 when I was struggling with some of the emotions I was experiencing. I am now pretty sure these symptoms are linked to the perimenopause. In the past I have also had thyroid issues though and, as a hormonal condition, meant that for ages I thought this might be the cause, as there are many overlapping symptoms. However, as blood tests confirmed a thyroid problem wasn’t the cause, I had to accept that I was entering this phase in life in my early forties.
I found that pretty hard to accept if I’m honest, as I still think of myself as being much younger than I am! However, the fact is I have noticed changes in my body, my face and particularly within myself emotionally. Unfortunately I haven’t had the smoothest life in terms of family health and have experienced some pretty awful things, which have obviously shaped how I deal with life and have changed me. But this is a very different experience.
The lack of control you feel and the flip-flop of feelings is intense and extreme. I don’t think I have ever been so angry, so sad, so frustrated, so anxious, so not-with-it, so forgetful, so down, so overwhelmed and, on a good day, just ‘ok’, feeling content and balanced.
Trying to explain this in words is hard and definitely not my strength, so I decided to try and show this emotional rollercoaster that I and many other women are on, through my art. I have purposely used various sized canvases, framed some and not others and used colours/shapes that don’t sit well together in order to add to the uncomfortableness, which is how I have felt.
These works are very different from anything I’ve done before. I’ve enjoyed creating them and letting my emotions lead and I will endeavour to use more expression in my future works as a result of creating these pieces.
I hope you like them and they succeed in conveying the feelings I felt at the time of painting them. If you are experiencing the same, I recommend you try getting the feeling out through some creative avenue, whether it be painting or something else. It has really helped me.
Emily Brand Art 