“Why do you paint naked women?”

This is a story about processing sexual trauma. Through sharing my journey, I hope others will feel validated, seen, and encouraged to heal.

At the onset of quarantine, I started to paint portraits of nude women. Now, I often get the question “Why Do You Paint Naked Women?” For a while, I didn’t know the answer. I knew I was captivated by the female form. I knew other subjects felt less compelling. I knew…