I am so proud an honoured that my portrait titled 'Unnamed' of Midori Goto was selected as a finalist the 2022 Portia Geach Memorial Award, and was the recipient of the prestigious People's Choice Award.
This is probably the most difficult piece I have painted to date.
Not only because of the subject, but the method in which I chose to paint it. Perhaps a subconscious choice to aid in the discomfort of the emotion I was trying to capture.
I have a very close relationship with the subject of this portrait, Midori Goto,( Mother, artist/sculptor and my studio assistant) who I have known since birth. Due to our close bond, Midori felt comfortable to expose her rawness during a time of deep sorrow.
Midori sat for several works on the same day she sat for this painting whilst she was in the final stage of going through a miscarriage. To my surprise she did not cancel our scheduled sitting and I asked permission if I could paint something to symbolise her loss, to which she agreed.
I had explained the composition I had envisioned and when Midori adopted the pose her emotion just poured out. It was a truly spontaneous, beautiful, cathartic and healing moment, we cried together and the room took on a quiet ambience of acceptance.
This work is dedicated to all the mothers who have lost their unnamed babies.
