Paper Dolls

Making paper dolls in my studio last night from a bunch of photocopies of nudes from Lucie-Smith's book The Body. I'm working on 5 pieces to submit to The Black Frame exhibit. I have to have them done by the 30th. I'm continuing with this male/female theme - Adam & Eve, Anima/Animus, The Lovers...

I'm calling the series Wounded Man with Woman I, II, III, IV, V.

I'm using this photocopy of a wounded soldier (I left the book at my studio so do not have the title of this painting at hand. It's The Wounded ______. Can't quite remember his name. He's from Greek mythology I think. It's a GORGEOUS painting...) to create a linoleum block which will be the unifying image in all five pieces. He will form a frame around each piece. And inside the frame I am putting 5 different female nudes. I am interested in the balancing of masculine and feminine energies - within ourselves, within relationships, and within the world. Our world is in sore need of more Anima. I see the wounded man here as symbolic of a crumbling Patriarchy (a system that in my opinion, just doesn't work). I see this wounded man in need of assistance, and angry about it (angry = scared...) and hesitant to accept help from a woman. A common way that this shows up in our culture is that men typically have a difficult time allowing themselves fear and sadness, and women typically have a difficult time allowing themselves anger.

Anyhow, this is the beginning of the series. I will cut the lino block and print it over 5 separate drawings of women. I am doing the drawings with charcoal and watercolor - I may add some pastels and acrylics. I'm tempted to do some collage as well...we shall see.