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Artworks
Erin Chaplin
Balancing the Feminine and the Bold
Erin Chaplin’s art is profoundly shaped by her gender, embodying both the softness and strength typically associated with femininity. “My work has moments of softness and vulnerability, but there is also a hard, bold, and brash movement in my painting which pulls away from being polite or submissive,” she explains. For Chaplin, her practice is about balancing the feminine and masculine, particularly through the use of needlework and tapestry. “Women are patient, strong, and selfless, and these traits are embodied in needlework, while my painting is fast, opinionated, and unapologetically bold—traits often associated with masculinity,” she adds. Chaplin encourages female-identifying artists to stay true to themselves: “There is no right way to be an artist, and being real is your greatest strength. Try everything and be a ‘yes girl.’” Her work is a powerful statement of authenticity, rejecting limitations and embracing the freedom to create unapologetically.
