As a sculptor, my work has to do with materials, and there are far more choices I have to make than merely which paint medium to apply to canvas. Historically, the attributes of permanence in substances like wood or marble were serious, forcing me to think more classically. As did the subject matter of the female form, since for me it was also self-portraiture (a tradition since the Renaissance). I felt that I, as a woman, had an opportunity to deal with the female figure in a way that a man would not or could not. My idea was to counter the male assertion of objectification and idealization in classical art. I wanted to use my art to express my feminist feelings and, at the same time, to pay homage to the iconic female figures of the past – from my 20th century perspective. I knew I was walking a path fraught with ambiguity but I was determined to express my dual purposes. I wanted a connection with the past, but it needed an update.