HANGING OUT - IN NATURE

2020 was a brutal reminder of the devastating effects of ignoring the still stigmatised topic of mental health. Within 3 months, I had lost both my partner, Simon and my friend of 26 years, Conrad, to suicide. On the 31st of May 2020, I completely crumbled. Gut wrenching pain together with years of suppressed emotion, took me to a scary, yet honest place. My series portrays my femininity and fragility. It portrays being held captive, not by lockdown regulations, but by my self-limiting learned beliefs. A time of pain and loss, of letting go, beginning the journey of self-forgiveness. A growing awareness, means no longer am I able to hide from myself. Self-sabotage, once a mystery in its obvious insanity, continues to wait in the wings, yet I draw strength from nature, both teacher and healer. A. All self-portraits were shot on the 31st of May 2020, in Cape Town, South Africa. B. Each one of the natural elements was shot in Cape Town, South Africa during the Covid -19 lockdown. The individual locations vary. Nature continues to reinforce that change is the only constant in life. My self-portrait series is ongoing and undoubtably will also change and evolve over time.