Llewellyn Skye

Says Llewellyn Skye of this work, "The figure has become an important part of my storytelling again. Positioning myself within the narrative feels all of the above—raw, vulnerable, necessary. I’m continually interested in floral motifs as a symbol of the feminine - something that has been long associated with female energy, behaviours, reproduction, genitalia, the list goes on. We bleed, we desire, we bring colour and darkness all at once. Our power has been disassociated with us for too long."

"Creating this body of work has been such a different process for me, not only because of inspiration and materials rather than a fast, intuitive painterly response, but also because these works are about connection and finding something that allows stories to unfold that aren’t just my own."

"Having time to reflect and research during my New York residency has been such a game changer in how I approach my practice. It feels new and exciting, but at the same time, it feels like a world that has always been there, waiting for me to explore.

"My work is often, if not always, centred around feminine experience. I was raised in a female only household with a strong understanding of my female lineage. Perhaps this has a lot to do with my practice. I feel strongly about being a voice for the women silenced that came before me, in the present, and in the future, in a way that’s hard to describe in words. I feel this often and in different ways—sometimes gentle, sometimes strong.

"If I could explain it in a sentence, I’d say that I’m exploring matrilineal archive, feminine archetypes, personal and collective histories, stories, rituals and beliefs, It feels like the beginning of a journey, raw, vulnerable and necessary.

"I’m ready for it, in any way it leads me."