A portrait exhibition and week of free community events celebrating stepmothers and blended families will take place at the Romantic Gallery in Cliftonville from 21–26 August.
The exhibition brings together portraits of stepmothers by artist Clare Evans and aims to recognise and celebrate a role that is often overlooked.
Alongside the exhibition, Clare will be hosting a programme of free events throughout the week, including:
- Drop-in portrait painting sessions for stepmothers who would like to be added to the collection
- A Saturday afternoon blended family drawing workshop
- Life drawing with the Margate Arts Club life drawing group
Clare, who is based in Westgate, graduated from Goldsmiths College with a Fine Art & Art History BA (Hons) in 2002. Alongside her studio practice, she has spent more than 20 years working in art institutions, live events, and wellbeing, including collaborative projects with Artist Briefs at Tate Modern and ongoing work with Tate Modern Lates.
She said: “This exhibition marks the beginning of an exploration of stepmotherhood: an experience shared by many women yet rarely represented in contemporary culture, and even more rarely celebrated.
“The language surrounding the role feels inadequate. The word ‘stepmother’ carries centuries of cultural baggage, while terms such as ‘bonus mum’ often fail to capture the complexity of lived experience.
“Using portraiture as a starting point, I invited stepmothers to participate in a series of conversations and paintings. The women represented in this exhibition responded to an open call on Instagram and generously shared their experiences throughout the process. Bringing together perspectives from heterosexual and queer families, the project explores the varied realities of care, partnership and belonging within contemporary family life.
“As the paintings developed, conversations often returned to questions of identity, visibility and recognition. What does it mean to occupy an important place within a family while existing outside its traditional definitions? The women I painted described experiences that were joyful, difficult, ordinary, complicated and deeply personal.
“I try to catch the person rather than the theme I am working to. These portraits are not illustrations of an idea, nor do they attempt to define a single version of stepmotherhood. Instead, they are paintings of individual women: reflective, tired, celebratory, at peace, juggling the care of their own children, supporting stepchildren, or navigating family relationships that continue long after children have grown up and left home. Some sitters were painted in their homes, others in my studio.
“Through portraiture, I am interested in making people visible and creating space for conversation.
“This exhibition is not intended as a conclusion but as the first stage of a wider enquiry into contemporary stepmotherhood and the women who inhabit this often ambiguous position within the family.”
Romantic Gallery is at 39-41 Sweyn Road, Cliftonville, and is open every day from noon to 6pm.
As a stepfather of three for the past 42 years I can but smile.😁
Good job Harry.As a son to a stepfather I can but say what a load of carpet munching dribble.
At least get your grammar right, I believe you meant, “drivel” which your comment is as well as being intensely offensive.
I can only assume that the twaddle of ”bonus mum” and ”blended family” was required to secure funding for this female dominated event.
Perhaps as a step dad you will get your recognition in the artist’s next funded exhibition . . .
This is a self- funded exhibition. I get up at 5am to paint until everyone in my house wakes up. I work in Thanet leisure centres and look after my 6 year old full
time. My focus is on stepmothers – as I am one. I also would never call myself a ‘bonus mum’ that’s what is written. Thanks for reading anyway and say hi if you come to see the show!
Thanks John and August. I don’t want an exhibition. I did it because I loved my wife and her children. That was reward enough. We also made another human too, who has a PhD and 2 children of his own.
That said. Stepdad and stepmum are two very different things. Especially for women who have not had their own children.