SARGASSO - Jean Rhys Painting

This is one of a series of works portraying ten 20th century women authors, some well known, others more obscure. The original images are taken from the publicity shots often used to promote the books that appear on the back cover. Some of these will have been specially taken for the purpose, others perhaps chosen from other sources. All will have been used to help the reader imagine more fully the process that led to the story they are about to read or will have read. Each says this is the source of this tale; it could ask, is this part of this woman's life, is it part of her fantasy? is about her? The paintings are deliberately roughly treated, sketchy, perhaps enigmatic. Each says think what you may, but you will not know all of me, maybe not even a part of me. Like all such images they are of the surface but are not superficial. They appear on the cover but might not tell you anything about the book and even less about its author.