SPLIT LEAF
The Acute Moment
I remember wanting to express the actual moment of penetration, the no-turning-back moment. It was certainly not just that particular moment, though; it was the entire experience, the confluence of moments that led up to this point in which everything changed - the terrifying realization that I was out of choices.
Surprisingly, one woman felt that this was a moment of empowerment, she said, yes, there had been an invasion, but now, she would have the energy to move on and heal.
SunBurst (part of The Acute Moment)
I remember trying to figure out a way to illustrate the feeling of having been invaded with blackness. The red and yellow and orange (which, as a child, I used over and over again) were dispersed and blasted right off the page. That red/yellow/orange center being the deepest part of me - sent to oblivion, to the black hole in the universe, to a death of sorts.
Almost everyone describes this piece as explosive. However, some have interpreted it as the fear of rape; others have seen this as the rage and anger that come after the fear. Still others see this as an expression of anger toward the rapist and view it with defiance – placing blame and judgement upon the rapist.