The women in the paintings

Sixteen women, each of them looked at for three seconds at a time, thousands of times a day. That is where these paintings start: a photograph they published themselves, saved without knowing why, painted months later, and then hanging on a wall for years.

Each page holds the canvases of one subject, and what the weeks of painting made visible that the photograph did not.

16 womeneach one written to once her canvas existed

Dailey Danique Dailey Danique Publishes as@daileydanique In the series1 painting Photographcredited Dailey is one of the few women in this series I have actually stood in front of. Dakota James Dakota James Publishes as@dakota.james In the series1 painting Photographcredited There is a detail in her face that I saw before I saw anything else, and for a while it was the only thing I could see. Dana Hamm Dana Hamm Publishes as@danahammofficial In the series1 painting Photographcredited One of the first canvases in this series, and there was no idea behind it. Dutch Deelee Dutch Deelee Publishes as@dutchdeelee In the series2 paintings Photographcredited Deelee (Black Straps) started with the pose, and then with the way the whole thing sat in the frame. Elisa Brandani Elisa Brandani Publishes as@elisa.brandani In the series1 painting Photographcredited Elisa (Appetite) is close to repellent and completely compelling at once, and it ought not to work. Katrina Moreno Katrina Moreno Publishes as@katrinamorenooficial In the series1 painting Photographcredited Shot from below, which makes her taller than you whether you like it or not. Kayleigh Swenson Kayleigh Swenson Publishes as@vikingbarbie In the series4 paintings Photographcredited Four canvases came out of one archive folder, and not one of them was planned as part of a set. Kindly Myers Kindly Myers Publishes as@kindly In the series1 painting Photographcredited Kindly (On Gold) is the one canvas in this series that is not aimed outward. Lindsey Pelas Lindsey Pelas Publishes as@lindseypelas In the series2 paintings Photographcredited Two canvases, and they work against each other. Marisol Yotta Marisol Yotta Publishes as@marisolfeelsgood In the series1 painting Photographcredited There is a child's gesture in this picture and nothing else about it is childlike. Mikayla Demaiter Mikayla Demaiter Publishes as@mikaylademaiter In the series1 painting Photographcredited She looks straight back at whoever is standing in front of the canvas, and she is in no hurry to stop. Natalee Natalee Publishes as@007natalee Photographcredited Two canvases, the same pose, the same woman, the same moment. Pandora Kaaki Pandora Kaaki Publishes as@pandorakaaki In the series1 painting Photographcredited Nothing in her face asks for anything, and the painting does the opposite. Riae Suicide Riae Suicide Publishes as@riae_ In the series5 paintings Photographcredited I scrolled past her and went back. Sharina van der Vliet Sharina van der Vliet Publishes as@officialmissnina.01 In the series1 painting Photographcredited Her eyes are closed. Veronika Rajek Veronika Rajek Publishes as@veronikarajek In the series1 painting Photographcredited There are two things in Veronika (American Girl) that were not in the photograph.

Every woman on this page was written to about the painting she appears in. Some replied, others never did, so this is an attempt to inform rather than a claim that everyone knows, and it is not consent. Nothing was done quietly: the message goes out as soon as a canvas exists.

1 Would you rather not be named here? Write to the studio and the page comes down. Contact

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