Three women with Multiple Sclerosis posed naked for a series of paintings by a Herefordshire artist to raise money for charity. | "The models I used have varying degrees of MS, but despite this they look whole" | | Melissa Mailer-Yates |
The internationally acclaimed portrait painter, Melissa Mailer-Yates, lives just outside Hereford. These paintings, all nude portraits, depict the innate femininity and sensuality of the female body, regardless of how it is affected by illness. They aim to challenge both the public's perception of disability and MS sufferers' perception of themselves. One of the Models is Tracey Kirkman who is aged 39 and was diagnosed with MS six years ago.
Tracey says: "I was a bit nervous about posing naked, but then I thought, 'why not'? "The exhibition will raise awareness of the disease and hopefully people will look at the portraits and think of the models, 'good on them'. "I love my portrait – it's feminine and it's me." Royal appointment Melissa Mailer-Yates has previously painted portraits of the Queen's favourite gundog and members of the Saudi royal family. She says: "I am particularly fascinated by the female form, which is depicted in much of my work, but the paintings I've done for this exhibition take my art a stage further.
"The pictures are specifically about depicting the power and strength of women through their innate sensuality and beauty, whether on a physical or spiritual level. "They focus on a woman's ability to be fully feminine despite anything that might cause people to question it due to their distorted perceptions, even when there’s a physical disability. "The models I used have varying degrees of MS, but despite this they look whole. "Their femininity is completely intact, because to be feminine, and to feel it, is beyond physicality." Portraits on display
The exhibition can be seen at Number Nine The Gallery, No 9 Brindley Place, Birmingham and it runs from Thursday 8 March to Sunday 1 April. Opening hours: Tues-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 11am-5pm (closed Monday). Tel: 0121 643 9099. The event aims to raise tens of thousands of pounds for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. | 
