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This etching was inspired by an illustration in Alice in Wonderland, drawn by Lewis Carroll, where Alice grows so large she seems cramped into the page. I’ve long been drawn to the figure of the giantess in my work, using her as a symbol of alienation, otherness, and restricted potential.
As both an artist and a mother, the image of the giantess resonates deeply. We loom large in our children’s lives—part goddess, part monster perpetually shifting between nurture and overwhelm. Our presence is of paramount importance, yet we often feel invisible. The giantess also speaks to the sense of confinement many mothers, especially artist mothers, experience: torn between the emotional labour of caregiving and the demands of a creative practice. There is a constant tension between the routine of domestic life and the desire for personal exploration and expression.
My work is rooted in transformation—those delicate yet powerful moments when we shift from one state of being to another. I’m especially drawn to myths, folklore, and fairy tales that explore metamorphosis. These stories offer a symbolic language that helps me express the real, lived experiences of change. Through surreal imagery, I seek to capture the emotional and physical transitions that shape our everyday lives.
This piece is a copper plate etching. The tonal range was achieved through aquatint, and the mottled textures are the result of a technique called soap ground or white ground, whereby the artist uses a mix of soap, linseed oil and water to apply to areas of the plate in which smoky, uneven marks are desired. The image is printed on Somerset Velvet paper and forms an edition of 25 prints.
