Eli

Oil on linen, 24” x 18”

One day, when my youngest was four or five, we went to get passport photos. She was not happy about it—and this is the image I used for the painting.

For generations, little girls have been taught to smile, be nice, stay quiet, and please everyone. That conditioning carries into adulthood. While I think things are changing, I believe it’s essential to acknowledge our inner rebels—to give ourselves and our daughters permission to explore their strength, to feel what they feel, and not be shamed for it.

That’s some awesome anger there! And it matters. We shouldn’t pathologize women’s anger or women’s strength. Too often, a man’s anger is seen as legitimate and powerful, while a woman’s anger is dismissed as hysterical or excessive.