{"id":5467,"date":"2014-02-08T13:02:36","date_gmt":"2014-02-08T18:02:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/ourladyofweightloss\/?p=5467"},"modified":"2014-02-08T13:02:36","modified_gmt":"2014-02-08T18:02:36","slug":"how-long-have-you-been-naked-an-interview-with-pamela-shields-artist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/ourladyofweightloss\/2014\/02\/how-long-have-you-been-naked-an-interview-with-pamela-shields-artist.html","title":{"rendered":"How Long Have You Been Naked: An Interview with Pamela Shields, Artist"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Interview with Pamela Shields, Artist<\/em><\/strong>
\nNAKED:\u00a0 The Masturbation Series<\/em> <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"art
art by Pamela Shields, now showing: Ceres Gallery, NYC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pamela Shields, artist, is presenting, for the first time, her \u2018Masturbation Series\u2019 of large drawings.\u00a0 Frank discussion or depiction of a woman as a sexual being, rather than as a sexual object, is still taboo.\u00a0 Shields breaks down this taboo by presenting women\u2019s sexuality as a beautiful thing \u2013 a natural part of being a healthy, whole, independent woman.\u00a0 Her monumental bodies challenge the viewer to examine the expression of their own sexuality, to question what is \u2018acceptable\u2019, what is \u2018normal\u2019.<\/p>\n

Here, Janice Taylor interviews the artist about her sexuality, her body, her nakedness\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

How long have you been naked?<\/em><\/strong>
\nI started to draw my own naked body about 30 years ago, simply out of necessity.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t have access to an art school and I couldn\u2019t afford to hire a life model, so I used myself.\u00a0 I found that it gave an edge to the drawings and brought an immediacy and urgency to the drawing process.\u00a0 This was especially true in the beginning, when I had my studio in my garage and started doing naked self-portraits using mirrors.\u00a0 While the garage door didn\u2019t have an automatic door opener, the fact that traffic was whizzing by on the other side of the door served to remind me of the potential for danger in the artistic endeavor.<\/p>\n

Are you ever really naked?<\/strong><\/em>
\nNo.\u00a0 There are always layers of yourself to be exposed \u2013 layers you are totally unaware of.\u00a0 Always mysteries, always discoveries to be made \u2013 hidden treasures to be found.<\/p>\n

What about your art is shocking? Or is it NOT shocking?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI have a bumper sticker on my car that reads \u2018Fear No Art\u2019.\u00a0 I truly believe this.\u00a0 I have found that the people who are shocked by my art are the people who do not accept that women have a right to enjoy their own sexuality.\u00a0 If you believe that it is OK for women to be sexual beings, not objects, then you will not be shocked.<\/p>\n

What people do find surprising is that I made the art.\u00a0 I am not flamboyant in appearance or nature.\u00a0 I am the lady you see at the check-out line in the grocery store.\u00a0 I live in a conservative suburban community.\u00a0 People would never suspect the erotic nature of the art I make, which is kind of a kick for me.\u00a0 I enjoy the anonymity of my secret existence.\u00a0 I use my real name for my \u2018PG\u2019 art and a pseudonym for my drawings exploring female sexuality to protect the professional careers of family members.<\/p>\n

How did you find the courage to get naked in your garage?\u00a0 Or was it no big deal?<\/strong><\/em>
\nAs I said, it was out of necessity and I did make sure the doors were locked.\u00a0 My main focus was to cover new ground.\u00a0 For me this was a means to an end, while at the same time allowing me to push the envelope.\u00a0 What really took courage was showing the art to other people.\u00a0 Reactions were mixed.\u00a0 Some thought the whole idea of portraying female masturbation in a beautiful way was empowering and long overdue.\u00a0 Others thought it was disgusting.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s it like to look at your naked self over a long period of time?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI\u2019ve been all different shapes & sizes over the years and I\u2019ve always had weight issues.\u00a0 At age 63, I am at my leanest and strongest.\u00a0 Even though I can see the aging process at work when I look in the mirror, I feel good about myself as a person and as an artist.\u00a0 So, it doesn\u2019t bother me to see sagging breasts and folds of skin.\u00a0 I \u2018feel\u2019 strong.\u00a0 Instead of looking at my body and seeing a steady decline, I see maturation and strength.<\/p>\n

You say that you\u2019ve \u201calways had weight issues.\u201d\u00a0 Always; as a child?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI have NEVER had a good ‘body’ self-image.\u00a0 Overweight as a child, I was teased, called ‘chubby’ and felt like I didn’t fit in.\u00a0 As a teen, I truly believed that I would never have a date or be kissed, let alone get married.\u00a0 I really, really believed this. This is a scary fact.<\/p>\n

Yes, scary and painful.<\/strong><\/em>
\nI think as a way to cope (both as a child and as an adult), I buried the hurt down deep and shut down the feelings I had about my body to protect myself from the pain.<\/p>\n

Since I never felt ‘attractive’, when I looked in the mirror, I wasn’t surprised or upset – this was what I expected to see.\u00a0 I’m guessing other people at one point in time considered themselves attractive and then gained weight and were upset by the change. I never really changed my perception of my body.<\/p>\n

I understand that your Masturbation series is about challenging the viewer to examine the expression of their own sexuality.\u00a0 On another level, perhaps a more personal deeper level, what are you using your naked body for?<\/strong><\/em>
\nWhen I started doing naked self-portraits, I think it was a visual shout to say ‘I exist’.\u00a0 The fact that I used my naked body to shout with was not an intellectual decision.\u00a0 It just happened – maybe my psyche knew this was what I needed to do (one of the truly great things about art).\u00a0 I see it as an emancipation proclamation of sorts.\u00a0 I think the masturbation series was a visceral response to living a life where the intellectual usually trumped the sensual.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re looking pretty svelte now.\u00a0 Has losing weight changed your perception of your body, of yourself?<\/strong><\/em>
\nSince I’ve lost weight and kept it off I feel much better about my appearance, but I still don’t wear make-up, jewelry or stylish clothes.\u00a0 This makes me think I perceive my body as more attractive but there must still be a part of me that feels like the ugly duckling.”<\/p>\n

That’s the way I see it – I’m sure a psychiatrist could give insight and say it better – I am figuring I’m not alone in this experience, given cultural attitudes toward women.<\/p>\n

For full viewing of Pamela Shield\u2019s exhibit visit www.ceresgallery.org<\/a>
\nFebruary 4 through March 1.<\/p>\n

Hungry for more courageous women?\u00a0 Join Our Lady of Weight Loss\u2019s KITT Club\/FB<\/a> !<\/p>\n

Spread the word\u2013NOT the icing,<\/em><\/p>\n

Janice Taylor, Life & Happiness Coach, Author, Artist, Positarian<\/em>
\n wise * fun * utterly useful<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014-
\nFor the best life, wellness and weight loss wisdom, visit Janice:
\nOur Lady of Weight Loss
\n<\/a><\/em><\/strong>sign up for the\u00a0Kick in the Tush Club<\/em><\/a> e-newsletter<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An Interview with Pamela Shields, Artist NAKED:\u00a0 The Masturbation Series Pamela Shields, artist, is presenting, for the first time, her \u2018Masturbation Series\u2019 of large drawings.\u00a0 Frank discussion or depiction of a woman as a sexual being, rather than as a sexual object, is still taboo.\u00a0 Shields breaks down this taboo by presenting women\u2019s sexuality as…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[397,2,70,82,3,60,1,2100],"tags":[3415,3416,671,3818,3826,3827,3825,3414,21,8],"class_list":["post-5467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-beauty","category-inspiration","category-janice-taylor","category-kick-in-the-tush-club","category-motivation","category-our-lady-of-weight-loss","category-weight-loss","category-weight-loss-success-coach","tag-artist","tag-ceres-gallery-nyc","tag-how-to-lose-weight","tag-inspiration","tag-janice-taylor","tag-kick-in-the-tush-club","tag-our-lady-of-weight-loss","tag-pamela-shields","tag-weight-loss-art-2","tag-weight-loss-coach"],"yoast_head":"\nHow Long Have You Been Naked: An Interview with Pamela Shields, Artist - 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