Artist with penchant for experience

Lisa Grennell likes to get into her subject matter.

In You Be The Judge, a series of portraits that Grennell has been working on, she was not happy to simply paint other people. She wanted to know what it felt like to be on the receiving end of unfair judgment.

So Grennell shaved off all her hair. "I wanted to experience exactly what that would be like. It's quite a western idea that you can look at someone and judge who they are."

She was surprised about her confidence with no hair, but it was only after a child asked whether she was trying to be a "mum or a dad" that she started wearing a hat.

Grennell has come a long way. She gave up her job as a dental technician and began studying art.

"It is a dream come true; it is the best thing I could have done. If I ever saw another tooth I would scream."

Grennell most likely will not have to work on any more teeth when she finishes her course and hopes to become a fulltime artist.

• You Be The Judge by Lisa Grennell at Momentum Gallery at Equilibrium Chiropractic until January 30.

- © Fairfax NZ News