Episode 64 - Sara Gregory uses her art to illustrate the trials and tribulations of menopause

My guest this time is Sara Gregory - a contemporary portrait painter based in London. She belongs to a collection of artists called ‘Studio Fridays’ who have a studio space in Whetstone, Barnet. Having originally studied Fine Art in Stourbridge College of Art she became a teacher of Art which she did for 25 years before leaving to pursue her own practice. She is also an art tutor for children which she does in schools around Hertfordshire.  In 2022 she was a contestant on the popular ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’ competition. Her series of self portraits documenting her seven year struggle with the menopause before starting HRT cover such subjects as hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety and rage.

We talk about:

• Why she decided to begin her series of menopause self-portraits

• How perimenopause symptoms impacted her and how little help she was offered to help with her insomnia

• How showing the paintings to friends and fellow artists, as well as on social media, has opened up conversations and created permission for others to talk about their symptoms 

• Her creative process - the role of ‘acting out’ a self-portrait and how as an artists you convey a feeling

You can find Sara on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/saragregoryart/