ArtsyGirl Claire Nicholls | unveiling truths | pathways to empowerment | PART I

slices of a sugar-coated life

artist statement

slices of a sugar-coated life  is a poignant and incisive examination of the ways in which young girls are fed indoctrination narratives about gender roles, which encourages masking the hurts of inequity with a veneer of sweetness. This body of work draws on the adage "a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down," highlighting how societal expectations continuously compel girls to soften their experiences in the face of injustices. Each canvas stands 48"x12"

slices of a sugar-coated life

sugar and spice, and everything nice,

a good girl's unspoken admission price.

"boys will be boys," is how they play,

toughness praised, roughness okay.

fairy tales with damsels meek,

awaiting a prince is all they seek.

love the goal, the only cure,

leaving little girls feeling unsure.

with ribbons and bows, and navy tights,

sweetness fades in the shadows of knights.

secret treats spins wrongs into rights,

forgiveness served in frozen delights.

trapped in towers, hearts so pure,

innocence and virtue an undying lure.

in stories old, their fates seem weak,

no strength to find, no words to speak.

sweetness hides in insidious lies,

filling heads and clouding eyes.

"be small, be less,"

but be sure to wear a pretty dress.

let's reject tales of ancient lore,

break the chains of myths that bore.