ARTIST STATEMENT

TINA BLONDELL

The Temptation Series was inspired by the lives of twelve women whose accomplishments influenced my own life: Eve, Isadora Duncan, Frida Kahlo, Margaret Sanger, Marie Curie, Elizabeth I, Artemisia Gentileschi, Maria Montessori, George Sand, Antonia Bricco, Gertrude Simmons-Bonnin and Rosa Parks. It is my intention to honor all women by bringing the example of these twelve to the fore. The viewer is offered the opportunity to reflect on the strong stands women have taken throughout Western History ... from Eve in the Garden to Rosa Parks on the bus.

The first painting, "A Dozen Temptations," introduces the series by presenting twelve apples of assorted varieties floating in a dark red and black "womb-like" background suggesting the imminent birth of each woman when her time is ripe. In the twelve subsequent paintings, one by one, each apple comes center stage as the subject of its own canvas, but now the apple is held appealingly by the hand of the women it represents. The color, size and shape of each apple, as well as the hands that hold them, have been carefully chosen to suggest the character of these women. Hands were chosen to symbolize these women because I believe hands are the vehicle by which we bring our imagination and vision to fruition. The fourteenth and final piece, titled "A Dozen Redemptions," is the closing statement. Once again the apples are presented all together on one canvas but with a startling difference ... A bite has been taken out of each-signifying the women's temptation to take a bite from the fruit of knowledge and finding redemption in doing so.

In order to lend a voice to the women, I commissioned Kelly Ortago to create a series of related poetic essays. The companion writings capture the essence of each woman, her contributions, and the times in which she lived. In the interest of bringing these women to life, the writings are written in first person, allowing the viewer the illusion of hearing each woman speak for herself. In addition, a significant quote was chosen for each woman to punctuate the work.

The extensive research Kelly and I undertook in order to do this project made it a truly educational and rewarding experience. So little is generally known about even the most renowned of this dozen. Their struggle on the road to their accomplishments was filled with opposition. Against all odds they emerged victorious. The words of Margaret Sanger best describe my own perspective ... "I defined a woman's duty, 'To look the world in the face with a go-to-hell look in the eyes; to have an idea; to speak and act in defiance of convention."