Haley Thompson Arnold
Artist Statement

My recent work explores the acceptable and expected of female sexuality. By using my nude body as a reference I am testing my comfort level with body image as well as provoking the viewer’s attention to their own comfort level with nudity. Through color and composition I wish to highlight the self portrait snapshot in order to move away from the romanticism in nude paintings. I push the boundaries of what is thought to be acceptable; in watercolor paintings, in female nudity, and in my self-awareness. I began painting myself nude after becoming a model for the U of A figure study classes. I want to realize my sexuality by painting my own nude body; by modeling for other artists I recognized this. In my future work I will continue to challenge norms of sexuality by interpreting vintage advertisements from the 1920s-1950s; including female undergarment advertisements and sex toy advertisements.