Feminine. Watercolour Series: A Tribute to Softness, Strength, and Self-Acceptance

For as long as I can remember, I have been strong. Life demanded it—and I delivered. I raised children, built a career, moved across countries, adapted, fought, and strived. But somewhere, in the midst of this constant motion, I realised there was a part of me quietly waiting to be seen. A part that hadn’t vanished, only gone unnoticed. Gentle. Vulnerable. Soft.
 

My Feminine Watercolour Series is a tribute to that part of me—and of every woman—that endures quietly, even when the world expects us to always be capable, powerful, and composed. These works are deeply personal, but they echo a truth that many women recognise: the tension between outward strength and inner sensitivity.

“The Shadow Side(s)”

The series is made up of large and small-scale watercolours, each piece rooted in a desire to express emotional honesty. I explore femininity in its many forms—not the polished ideal, but the real, raw, and complex experience of being a woman.

Self-portraits show the hidden limits that shape our lives -restrictions that often remain invisible until they become too tight to ignore.

Watercolour, for me, is the perfect medium for this expression. It is fluid and unpredictable, just like emotions. It refuses to be fully controlled, and that’s what makes it so powerful.

“A Circle”. 

This work reflects how deeply a woman’s everyday life differs from a man’s. We have our cycle that affect our physical and emotional. It affects us profoundly, yet society often expects us to carry on as if nothing is happening.

The Tiny Watercolours Collection is especially close to my heart. These small, intimate works is a quiet tribute to the part of every woman that remains soft, gentle, and vulnerable—no matter how much strength life demands of us.

Each watercolour honours the beauty of the female body at any age, and the uniqueness of our skin—with all its so-called imperfections and marks.

They are a reminder to myself and to others that even as we carry on with strength, we should allow space for gentleness, too.

As I’m in my very late thirties, I can’t help but notice the changes in my body and reflect on my age.

"Vanishing Youth" is a farewell to my younger self, filled with tenderness rather than regret.

This series will be exhibited at the Kingston Artists Open Studios Exhibition. I warmly invite you to experience these works in person at FuseBox, 7–8 and 14–15 June 2025. All works are available for sale.

Feel free to reach me out at olgabonitas@gmail.com or via IG @Olga_bonitas

Thank you for being here, for reading, and for allowing my art to speak to something you may carry within you as well.
 

With warmth,

Olya