art Archives - HEY GIRL MAGAZINE

I’ve always loved to perform. When I was between the ages of 16–18, I belonged to a drama school. At the time, I was very overweight, and as a result of this, I was incredibly shy. I started life modelling (posing nude for artists while they draw you) to try and overcome my insecurities and build my confidence levels.

To begin with I modelled fully clothed, and although I wasn’t yet baring all, I found it really helped me to accept my body. When I became disabled at 26 years of age, I lost myself completely and became trapped not only in the chair, but also inside my own head. I began to hate my body, and all that it represented. I was always a sensual being who loved sex and exploring my body. I was not ashamed to pleasure myself and thought I looked amazing, but then suddenly that all stopped. I would change in the dark and never in front of people, I would close my eyes when my carers washed or showered me. I couldn’t bear to acknowledge my physical state. My loss of myself.

In 2015, after losing a significant amount of weight, I had a bad fall which kept me in hospital over Christmas. During this period I thought long and hard about my life, and the role I had to play in this world. I felt like a drain on society, I felt like it wasn’t fair for people to have to look after me, just because of this one incident that had changed my life forever!

But then it dawned on me; I had to get out of the negative headspace I was in, and start to view and use my body positively. A friend of mine told me I looked beautiful and that I should go back to life modelling. I laughed at her when she said it, but after thinking about it long and hard, I decided she was right. I would also love to add that the amazing nurses at Eastbourne District Hospital kept telling me to keep going, to fight, that I meant something. One nurse had a stern word with me and then hugged me. I needed it. I needed that human connection.

When I got out of hospital I started to exercise my legs in bed, naked. I watched all my muscles working, and felt really proud that I had not given up. I started to appreciate my naked body; I began to like my curves and “wobbly” bits. I’m not perfect but damn, I’ve been through hell and survived! My body is definitely stronger because of it. I need to work some more on certain parts of my body. I am still single so I am not sure if all of me works despite me trying myself. But I am sure there is the right woman out there for me and together we can explore.

2 years on, I am slowly reentering the world of life-modelling and commercial modelling. I am signed to Zebedee management. It isn’t easy, but I’m giving it a good go — I won’t let it defeat me! The first time I took my clothes off in front of all of those strangers I wasn’t nervous at all! I felt euphoric and liberated. I was beaming inside. The fact that a wheelchair user was naked, and being drawn by so many people felt empowering. I felt free for the first time in my life.

However, I have lost out on many modelling jobs because of my disability. Once employers find out the chair is a permanent thing and not a prop, it changes their perception of me. It is like I am not “allowed” to be naked, because I do not fit the normative mould. I blame the media for perpetuating and promoting this one-dimensional representation of the body. Also a lot of my amazing “portraits” of me naked have been removed from the internet for violation of rules, including from Twitter and Instagram, and yet the likes of Kim Kardashian and her ilk are allowed all over Twitter. I can’t help but feel that that is discrimination. I didn’t have a nipple on show. But maybe a bit of public hair. Oh the horror!!!

But I have also lost out on normal acting jobs also. Again, when they find out the wheelchair is not a prop for the audition, I get all the questions like: Are you able to act? How will you cope with long hours? I’m not sure we have wheelchair access. All that bullshit. It’s so heartbreaking. I am a trained actor and yet I can’t use my training because of the closed mind of those in casting — and yet they are willing to put an able-bodied person in a wheelchair. Something we call “cripping up” and want awards and all the adulation, as if they have done the world a favour. I will show the world that we are just as worthy.

I have also been told over the years that I am selling out the disabled community, that I should not take my clothes off. I was shocked, but I thought about it. These people have been told for years that they are ugly, not wanted, not allowed to be sensual and naked. And here I am flaunting my sensuality and nakedness. That must make them feel worse. My whole point is that I want to show we are all bloody amazing. In reality, we are all different, and that is what makes us beautiful.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US IS BEAUTIFUL!

Words by Fuchsia Fuchsia insta is @fuchsiaaurelius

A big thanks for this really creative and inspiring piece from Fuchsia

HG xx

Photos by Chris Dee

“I felt like it wasn't fair for people to have to look after me, just because of this one incident that had changed my life forever!”

Words by Carlita @carlita_the_gypsy

Meet the women behind a cool new Skateable Art Installation in Southern Spain “DINERO DIY” …..

So what are your names and where are you based at the moment?
We are Eve and Levanna. We are from the UK, but spend alot of time in Spain and the DIY skate culture is great in Southern Spain.

What did motivate you to get into skateboarding?
It was my younger brother who started skateboarding first, and we both started to enjoy skating too, travelling to different parks as a family. Myself and Eve are not the best skaters, but we love Skateboarding and the Skatelife. My brother often tests the obstacles we build to make sure they are skateable!

Is there any difficulty or impediment you?ve found about skating? Also?living in another country?
Skating is really fun in Spain, there are big parks, lots of smooth floors everywhere, and a freespirited attitude. Developing a DIY spot is actually so much here , as there are lots of abandoned places here. At times, the language can be challenging, especially when translating materials but I love learning and speaking Spanish

Have you ever felt intimidated at the park?
At the DIY spot we have only had lots of really great visitors who have liked what we have done so they say nice things . Sometimes locals give us a hand, but mostly they are really supportive and come and look at the progress every so often. Even the local Police look out for us, and told us to call them if theres a problem!!

I think the “Dinero DIY” skatepark it?s one of the greatest I?ve ever skated. So tell me, what did inspire you to build it?
We had helped on some other DIY spots in the past, but we had a bunch of ideas which needed more space to create. We looked all over the Malaga area, and found alot of great spots. This one though was the biggest and it was just so obvious to build here. There?s a builders merchant across the road, a good water supply and lots of perfect floors everywhere. We were just going to build the money as an art/skate piece. Thats how the park got its name. But then we grew fond of the place, so we decided to build more obstacles. It kinda became addictive, and we had loads of ideas we wanted to get down.

I find awesome the fact that it?s not about skateboarding it?s about also DIY and creativity together and, the fact that a woman can do it, it might be a bit weird for society. How do you feel debunking the theory of women can?t do DIY?
This is a great question! Overall, we have probably surprised ourselves a bit, not realising how much we enjoyed it. We have loved the challenge of Developing a whole new spot. Its been a learning process the whole way about everything. For example even our cement mixing was hit and miss in the early days. But we feel much more confident now, and we are always thinking of the skateability and the artistic factors when we design obstacles. It seems its new territory for women to build DIY skatespots but we are hearing more and more that it goes on. It?s great….. we believe women can bring something different to DIY, just like how girls skateboarding is growing, it surely will with DIY.
It always motivates us when you receive support from women like yourself. It inspires us to carry on in times when we come across certain views out there that women can’t be great builders, we have had some old school older men from the local village, always explaining to us how to do it, but we just take the benefits from their advice (even when they are wrong! Haha)?We are also very fired up about girls skating and love girls like you Carlita who are very supportive about us and and inspiring in so many ways.

I love the relationship you have with your family. Any funny story you?want to tell us?
Me and Eve are like the modern day Thelma and Louise, we always travel alot together and go to skateplaces, events, etc, so we always end up in crazy situations.
One time when we were looking for abandoned places to build, we saw a half built Castle shaped house on top of a hill. We immediately wanted to explore it. As we walked up the hill a huge dog came hurdling towards us and just when we thought we were dog food, its long chain yanked him back. We then saw this strange looking man emerge from behind the house waving at us to come closer. Most people would have done a runner but we were curious. As we drew closer to him, it became clear that he was squatting in the house by himself and his dogs and was totally harmless, just wanted some company. He took us on a tour of the house and told us stories about his life. Turns out he thought we were looking for a place to squat too and so he offered up half the house to us! A kind man but a very odd situation!

If you would have to ollie over someone, who would it be?
We would probably end up killing them and we don?t have a least favourite skater so thats a hard one.

Is it much difference between the Spanish skate scene and the British?scene?
Both have lively scenes, we can be really good fun, but the Spanish do generally seem to have alot more fun, and there?s alot more great places to skate in Spain than in the UK, and obviously the weather makes things alot easier.

Any kind of music that you like to listen when you are skating?
As DJ?s music is a big part of our life. We are both into Soul Music mainly, and funk and hip hop and other genres too. We end up drawing a lot of inspiration from music, for example the car we built is a Lowrider, because we love Lowrider Soul Music.

Big Love HG xx

Check out their insta page ….

Insta – @dinerodiy