Amber Hardisty

How can I show self love and confidence in women with bodies that don’t conform to western beauty ideals even as they continue to struggle in the search for self-acceptance? I wanted to use my series to celebrate body shapes that don't conform to the idealized feminine standards as beautiful.

I began by using bright fauvist colors to show the vibrance and happiness of my subjects. This is inspired by classic artists like Matisse as well as more contemporary ones like Haley Josephs. Brightly colored plants act as a symbol of growth and self actualization. As a girl growing up with a body that's never been up to social standards, I wanted to illustrate how I have been trying to accept and love myself through the bodies of other nameless women. After the first five pieces, I evolved my theme from showing beauty and happiness to include the journey towards these ideals. In the later works I show how self confidence can spiral downward, but then you just have to slowly build yourself back up. As the subjects' emotions turn dark, the colors begin to grow dimmer, and the plants begin to wither and recede, but as they build themselves back up again, the bright colors and overgrowth of plants return.