"‘Her studio was always a private playroom where she could slay her dragons,’ says Willing. ‘She was fearless in her pictures. In here she had the courage of a lion, whereas in her private life she would have a hard time confronting people with the truth of how she really felt. She was actually quite timid in many ways.’"
'Anyone familiar with her work will find this rather astounding. Her ability to deftly portray powerful yet complex figures, even in states of duress, has led her to be celebrated as one of the greatest artists of our age. She was someone who relished the fantastical, conceiving entire worlds that contended with the various psychological traumas of human (particularly women’s) existence, and the darker corners of folk histories and childlike imagination.'
'If her subjects continually shifted, her materials were more fixed. Her love of oil pastels and etching long put her at odds with the fashions of the day, but she was steadfast in understanding their singular intimacy and power. It is clear that Rego also harnessed the potency of the objects that surrounded her.' — Holly E J Black
Image: Paula Rego's studioPhoto: Jasper Fry
