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I was a child of the 1980s, raised in a world that felt disconnected, sterile and technocratic. This work is my response to that world, a return to the rooted, the reverent and the embodied. I want to honour the sacred crossings and passages.
It allows me to become the person I longed for in my own youth, someone to offer guidance and support.
These portraits are not simply representations. They are living embodiments of the feminine in all her tenderness, complexity and power.
Through this work, I want women to feel truly seen.
To recognise themselves as whole. As enough.
To be quietly reminded they are not alone.
“I hated my vulva. I didn’t even know what it looked like to hate in the first place. I found it ugly and taboo. I never looked at it and always disconnected from any relationship with that part of my body. This, to me, was normal behaviour.
Through this artistic process of actually looking at my vulva and seeing it made into art, along with it being compared to others, I now understand that this is the creative and intuitive centre. A sacred place that I will be tapping into daily for guidance. It’s a shame that my learned cultural experience around bleeding, and my womb and the way it looked, was for a man’s pleasure and considered an ‘inconvenience’ if it were not available, or ‘right.’
I was not taught as a young adult to listen to my body and honour my cycles.
This process has allowed me to move closer to deeper self-acceptance.
Looking at my vulva compared to others eliminated my own criticism about what it’s meant to look like. I realised I am as unique as everyone else. There is no “right” way to look or feel. Everyone is completely different and stunningly beautiful in their own right. Mesmerising.
It is mine to use and be; I realise the power and magic that it holds. Women and men are created to create, and this space assists us in creating what we truly desire. After this amazing unlocking and personal journey, I now have a relationship with my body.”
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Being feminine in nature, the experience naturally amplified and multiplied, becoming a much greater offering. It became a sacred mirror for women who have crossed thresholds and now guide others with their wisdom. It became a legacy for the young women I have supported through rites of passage programs. I wanted to create something that speaks to the truth of their power, to the creative purity they hold. It also became a celebration of the women who never received a rite of passage, who are just beginning to build a relationship with their bodies, or who are ready to honour themselves more fully.
Whilst the subject matter has evoked reactions and conversations around culture, gender-specific values, experiences and opinions, this is not intended to be political or gendered. It is a rite of self-appreciation; an acknowledgement of the spiritual and creative power of the feminine essence.
Women deserve the chance to connect deeply with themselves and their femininity, to embrace it with joy and without shame.
Femessence is a legacy project. It can be shared in women's circles, in healing spaces, and in ceremonies for girls becoming women. It is a reminder that we are beautiful exactly as we are.
This collaborative painting, entitled “Road Trip,” was initiated with a group of girls aged thirteen to sixteen during a rite of passage workshop. Their energy is woven into this work. I later completed the piece, and it now hangs in Indonesia, waiting to be experienced.
It speaks to the enduring bond between self, others, and the natural world, encouraging reflection on the beauty and strength found in growth and the sacred rituals of becoming.
“Road Trip” intertwines the themes of nature, self-discovery and transformation. It captures the tender yet powerful journey from girlhood to womanhood, reflecting the courage, resilience and interconnectedness of young girls as they navigate the shifting landscapes of identity and connection. It serves as both a celebration and a mirror, inviting viewers to explore their own transformative journeys.
Caris Pepper is an Australian artist, therapist and healer whose work is deeply rooted in nature, spirituality and the essence of femininity. Raised in Australia’s Great Southern coastal forest region, her artistic practice is shaped by a profound connection to the natural world and the unseen energies that permeate it.
