Female AF 5

“Female AF 5” Porcelain wall hanging, Peaches & Cream Glaze 10 x 8 x 4” $950 Julia Stanger   Artist Statement: For a large part of my life my identity and narrative was tied to my career, and eventually it shifted into my role as a mother.  Unlike in other facets of life there is no tangible way to measure success in motherhood. Somewhere along the line I let society influence me to believe that “just” being a mother was less than.  That being female was less than.  For years this was reflected in my creative journey. I mentally reprimanded myself for painting flowers or creating anything that screamed “feminine” and considered it something to avoid if I wanted to be taken seriously as an artist and to avoid the art gender gap.  “When men sign a work of art, it increases in value compared to a painting that isn't signed. But when a woman signs a work of art, it decreases in value.” (Forbes) Meanwhile on my journey to express myself I was denying literally the most fundament