My Hot Flash

As a Scottish journalist, I have always been passionate about storytelling, which is closely linked to my love of art. My background as a women’s health reporter inspired this submission.

As a teenager, I was diagnosed with early menopause, causing fatigue, brain fog, the loss of my periods, and excruciating hot flashes. In my BBC documentary and numerous articles, I described these hot flashes as feeling like being wrapped in cling film, so I wanted to bring that vision to life.

I hope this interpretation helps people understand the daily challenges women with early menopause face and the significant impact it can have on health at such a young age.

From the age of 12, I was nicknamed “Tomato” at school and was often told I blushed excessively during parents’ evenings. Growing up, I often related more to my friends’ parents because of this condition, constantly feeling like an older person trapped in a younger persons body.

I was heavily inspired by Sir Henry Raeburn’s portrait of Mrs Robert Scott Moncrieff (presented by the RAS in 1910), and my Scottish heritage for this piece. I was captivated by the portrait’s stance and the emotion conveyed through the canvas. The expert use of shadow and colour created a striking harmony, which inspired the ominous background and highlights in my painting.

Art has been a lifeline, helping me express my experience as a young woman living with menopause and navigating my very own version of Freaky Friday. This felt like the perfect opportunity to show the world through my eyes.