Help fund The Gender Divine Project
The Gender Divine is a series of life size figurative oil paintings by British LGBTQIA+ artist Sally Whelan.
TGD is an ongoing arts and human empowerment project that began in 2018 and is still going strong, attracting people from all corners of the globe. Whelan’s powerful work successfully immortalizes and celebrates the human form through her unique and unabashed approach to the canvas.
The sittings are an entirely unique experience altogether. Whelan holds a safe and creative space for everyday humans to get their kit off and share their stories, loves and losses if they so desire. Tears, laughter, nerves, worries, frustrations, sensuality, and creative play, and anything in between, are welcome. In the organic unfolding of the sitting, in collaboration with the hundreds of photographs and sketches, Whelan creates timeless and exclusive works that reflect the depths of the sitter’s character and story.
Whelan’s priority is to hold space where anything and everything is allowed, without judgement. Being witnessed and heard as we are is a powerful place to be and true liberation.
Post-sitting, Whelan immerses herself in the plethora of photographs, sketches, music, sound bites, words, and voices of her sitters. In this space, Sally works tirelessly to channel each individual; breathing life onto the canvas with an intuitive and extraordinary approach to colour, texture and brushstroke.
TGD inhabits the skill of figurative realism, whilst maintaining abstract in nature which is important to the artist:
“The abstract marks are born from the energy we created during the sitting and I don’t want to stifle or squash that in any way. It needs to remain wild and free; to be seen for what it is, just as these people are.”
The young British artist has a fascination with shamanic practices and considers her creativity a deeply spiritual practice. Each piece is created using ceremony and celebration. It is a way of allowing each sitter to remember their divinity; an invitation to unapologetically stand in their true essence and beauty.
The project has been mainly self funded, with a £600 Go Fund Me injection in 2019.
The Gender Divine Project requires energetic assistance in the form of money to help with art supplies, travel budgets for people to get to and from Sittings, and running costs of the studio.
Any help would be gratefully received.