Honoring Ourselves as Women

I titled my last art show Devina - which means heavenly, divine, beloved.  I felt this name reflected what my intention is whenever I paint a woman - to show the beauty of the female form, by honoring the lines, and the curves that create her.  I feel strongly about the need to honor the beauty of a woman's body because for so long, women in many cultures, in many times, have not been so honored.  They were (and still are in some parts of the world) told to cover up, to hid, to not even look upward and be counted.

And even when a woman in our culture is "appropriately" clothed some people feel the need to attack the beauty of a woman, and highlight their idea of perceived "flaws."  When Jessica Simpson made a fashion misstep, amplified by an unflattering camera angel, it made headlines for weeks.  And now we have this whole Kim Kardashian "incident" because someone accidentally posted a pre-touched up version of her photo shoot.  Which was in my opinion so minorly touched up, it should not have even been reported on. 

It feels like at times that between the media and our own negative voices, we as women sometimes forget how beautiful women really are.  And forget to honor our bodies and ourselves. My point is that the female body in itself is a work of art.  And I hope in my art to bring that out, so women recognize it, in the piece AND in themselves. So next time you pass a mirror, be kind to yourself, and honor the heavenly, the divine and the beloved in you.

For another female inspired post, see Love Yourself Gorgeous!