‘Leaving for Party’ is a painting depicting two of my daughters dressed up, about to leave for a child’s garden party. It was a several months after the second lockdown in Scotland, the  atmosphere is mixed between feeling relieved and excited, to  feeling fraught, anxious and rather off-balance.  

Just moments before leaving the house, my eldest daughter arched her back over the couch. Her pose was momentary,  striking and looking rather hysterical. There’s something very inwardly and awkward being played out by her body language. People talk about how resilient children can be  going through difficult times. I think it is true to some extent, however, they too can feel unstable and vulnerable. If we observe them close enough, we can find something raw,  beautiful and psychological about their behaviour and  expression.

Read more about Elaine Woo MacGregor.