A retrospective look on relationships came about on the celebration of my seventh wedding anniversary. Initially intrigued by the idea of “the seven year itch” my focus shifted to absence in a relationship and the resulting myriad of emotions. Residing in the Middle East with its transitory lifestyle, I questioned the effect of this migration on relationships. My husband travels extensively and I find myself fluctuating from a singleton to a wife with him being here and then not here. There is a re-adjustment that takes place with every return: a change in routine and lifestyle attitudes. By researching absence in relationships through Rachel Ward, I identified with the general consensus on the apparent emotional roller coaster resulting from absence. My own experience with an absent partner was expressed by employing different mediums. I therefore drew inspiration from a variety of artists: Ghada Amer, Tracey Emin, Chiharu Shiota and Marina Abramovic. Hand embroidered portraits serves as a process of remembrance, while monotypes capture my emotional thoughts during those periods of absence.
