TANYA COLE

Contemporary Portrait Painter

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An ‘ode’ to Frida. Why I paint Frida.

27/05/2017 By Tanya Cole 2 Comments

Why I love Frida and why I paint her…and keep painting her.
‘Fabulous Frida’ Original Acrylic on Paper © 2017 Tanya Cole
Frida left a legacy, a voice for women as equal to men. She wore pants, she smoked, she loved hard; yet she was not afraid to express the duality of her nature ` the feminine aspects of self.
She had incredible style and appreciation of colour; wearing beautiful, vibrant dresses. She had an eye for beauty. Frida expressed her soft nurturing feminine side despite her exposed heart being hurt by a man who indulged his own vices before honouring a woman who had proffered up her heart and soul to him.
Equal, if not better than her husband as an artist; during her time she was kept in the shadows in the art world, whilst her husband shined and was celebrated. I like to think that given Frida’s tenacity, this pushed her to work harder, paint better and persevere.
Frida suffered enormous physical pain and loss…loss of a child, motherhood, loss of pain-free quality of life. Yet she dug further into her souls expression through her art as a way forward and shared it for the world to see. What a gift she gave us!
A beacon for how we, should misfortune come visit us; with physical suffering or heart, soul or psychological suffering…to find it within our depths to fight on, to push forward, to ‘live’!
Like many, I connect with Frida on so many levels. As a woman who has suffered loss…the loss of a pregnancy, the loss of a love, the suffering of physical abuse by a partner, psychological abuse by a partner, the void of not being treated like a man in this world…as an equal.
But I also relate to Frida as a woman in touch with her power despite all the suffering and loss. Art made Frida transcend the agony of physical suffering into another level of consciousness through her paintings. She saw through her work that she was more than her body. She explored her internal landscape whilst her physical body interrupted, crumbled. Frida showed us that we are more than our physical self and that we can continue on living despite our suffering.
Frida helps guide me as a woman to also see beauty in the world, to open my heart and be vulnerable and soft and at the same time unbending and strong on a path of conviction. She whispers to me to listen and be led by my passion and advocate for what is right and true.

‘Weaving Our Divine Creations’ Original Mixed Media on Canvas ~ 24″ x 30″ © 2017 Tanya Cole The Artist Archetype

And as an artist, Frida inspires me to explore the seemingly untouchable parts of ‘self’; to bring into the light, any experience of human darkness and suffering. Frida makes me see the light again and what is most important.

(Sold) ‘Frida Guiding’ Original Acrylic on Canvas 18″ x 36″ © 2017 Tanya Cole

This is why I paint Frida. As I paint her, I honour her and all that she upheld…as the woman, as the lover, as the daughter, as the sister, as the friend, as the helper, as the artist. But mostly I paint her to reach and connect with the deepest part of me…the universal. Then I release what I feel and ‘see’, back out into the world for all to enjoy, including me. Art, inspiration, the gift of love and hope is circular and it keeps giving and giving to those who will share it with others.

This was my first Frida painting as I transitioned from whimsical proportioned faces to more realistic proportion faces ~

(Sold) ‘Frida’ Original Acrylic on Canvas 18″ x 36″ © 2016 Tanya Cole

Here is the piece I am currently working on ~

(Sold) ‘Frida’s Courage’ Original Acrylic on Canvas 18″ x 36″ © 2017 Tanya Cole

postscript: Frida’s monobrow. I did not mention it in the body of my writing. For it’s importance is not in the value of a woman, but for what it now stands for. It is a symbol with a poignant message much like the flag of a country. Whilst Frida’s facial hair is notable and up for discussion much; it has been made iconic as a  symbol for embracing all of ourselves as women in all our natural wonder. It is sad that in Western culture and society women have been made to feel shame for having hair that sprouts from places that men determined, makes them more masculine. Are we all not a beautiful blend of both the feminine and masculine but forced to deny those aspects in ourselves? Painting and celebrating Frida’s monobrow represents a liberation, a reclamation…a ‘fuck you’! to a history of patriarchy-led oppression of women. So the monobrow becomes an important symbol. Which I honour.

* FOR LIMITED EDITION FINE ‘FRIDA’ ART PRINTS  ~ Click here.

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Filed Under: frida Tagged With: frida, frida kahlo, kahlo, tanya cole paintings

Tanya Cole

About Tanya Cole

Contemporary Expressive Artist, Creativity Coach & Therapist

Comments

  1. Alyssa says

    28/05/2017 at 8:44 pm

    Frida is almost (well, is) a mentor, icon and muse for female artists. I have always admired her, and I feel such a connection with others who do also! We have the benefit of seeing her life as a whole, looking back on it, and it’s such a privilege, as well as an insight. She provides hope that there is substance and meaning beyond pain and loss and, after her death, has brought many into a solidarity that can only be discovered through dark journeys. I love your Frida portraits, they shine.

    Reply
    • Tanya ColeTanya Cole says

      30/05/2017 at 10:01 pm

      Oh, she so is, Alyssa! Yes, me too. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on Frida with me and thank you for your kind words…my Frida’s (and our Frida) are my studio companions that journey with me. I feel very blessed and grateful.

      Reply

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