As an art history student, I sometimes find the novelty of trips to galleries has worn off. Unfortunately, less and less do I find myself greatly moved by what I witness. This, however, was not the case when visiting Nicole Farhi’s exhibition ‘Folds’. In the Beaux Art Gallery, Farhi successfully portrayed the typical ‘faults’ of the female body as beautifully rendered pieces of art. Herfragmented sculptures of voluptuous figures not only captivated me, but inspired me to begin a new series of paintings myself. Notions surrounding the theme of ‘Eden’ seem to tie in beautifully with this intimate exploration of female figures, wherein audiences can fall in love with their own imperfections and recognise their own sense of ‘Eden’. When creating Curled, my full attention was on painting the folds in the stomach and the rough texture of the skin. The earthy tones, blended with the deep fleshy tan colours, produce a realistically honest image: authentic and unforgiving. Leaving little brush strokes visible provided an uneven skin texture, further accentuating this truthful exploration of female physicality. Ultimately, this painting organically grew from an initial push of appreciation for the female form (triggered by Farhi’s sculptures) as an Eden within itself.