"Left Without It" 8x10 Print

Matte heavyweight paper print, 8x10.

"Left Without It" is the first painting in my trauma series. I decided after it was done that I would never sell the originals of my trauma series, as they are mine to carry. However, so many people liked this piece, I made prints of it to sell. Unfortunately because Left Without It has so many fine details, it is extremely hard to print without a professional printer, so I consider these B grade prints.

Left Without It is about having my "virginity taken" (I struggle with the concept of virginity and with it being "lost" or "taken" but this is the verbiage we have that most people can understand), through rape. A supposed friend was the one who couldn't take no for an answer, at just 15 years old. That might be late for some of you but as someone who experienced a lot of unwanted touching as a kid, I really tried to keep this one thing I felt at the time I had (my "virginity) until someone special or even marriage ( cause I was raised religious). So needless to say it truly felt as though something had been taken from me that I could never get back. I feel differently about it now, but as a teenager it felt like I was quite literally "left without it". This is not for you to feel bad for me in any way, we all have our own journeys. Hopefully this piece speaks to you and resonates in some way (even if you can't relate to the actual meaning).

I left my trauma series paintings a bit vague, so that more people could relate and find meaning in them, so please, let it mean what you want it to mean.