Dangerous Career Babes

Art

Dangerous Career Babe: The Stylist, 2008–2023 . High gloss enamel on custom-made board, 210cm x 160cm (6’10” x 5’3” approx). Private collection.

I started my Dangerous Career Babes series in 2008. Painted in high gloss enamel, they’re shiny, pseudo-perfect, larger than life action figures that reference – among other things – the ‘accidentally sexy’ female characters of video games.

Soon after, I developed a chemical sensitivity to the paint. Over the next several years I tried working with assistants. It was a disaster. High gloss enamel paint is a tricky medium and using it with precision is harder than it looks.

Resigned to completing them myself, I worked slowly and used additional protective gear: until I had a severe dystonic reaction to a medication prescribed during my hospital years. I couldn’t walk, talk or use my hands properly for more than a year. This experience seemed to intensify my chemical sensitivity. Incomplete works were distributed to commissioning collectors while I figured out a solution.

With Dangerous Career Babe: The Kogal Assassin (homage to Gogo Yubari) before my dystonic reaction, 2015. High gloss enamel on custom-made board, 210cm x 160cm (6’10” x 5’3” approx). Private collection.

Since creating my first public artwork, Ten Dicta for Young Women Who Are Artists, I’ve kept in touch with traditional signwriter Martin Boyle. He and his late friend Bernard Heuvel hand-painted a wall of lettering to my exacting standards during a tight schedule. I thought that if anyone could complete my enamel paintings, it’d be him.

So far Martin has completed two Dangerous Career Babes, in close consultation with me. I want to be transparent about the process and acknowledge Martin’s skills as an artisan. It takes a Buddhist-like lack of ego to do beautiful work on behalf of another artist.

The series is not yet complete but there’s light at the end of the tunnel. I’m thankful for the patience of collectors and, of course, to Martin. It’s been a wild ride but I’m determined to make it worth it for everyone involved.

PS
Remember: all paintings in enamel on board must be hung by two points if small to medium and four points if large to evenly distribute the weight of the artwork. These works must not be strung, doing so will pull against the grain of the wood and eventually break the support structure, damaging the artwork.

Dangerous Career Babe: The Stockbroker, 2008–2023. High gloss enamel on custom-made board, 210cm x 160cm (6’10” x 5’3” approx). Private collection.