Monique Mahoney: Reimagining the feminine form

 

For emerging artist Monique Mahoney, being selected for ArtRage was something she “couldn’t quite believe”, especially in her first year studying art as a TCE subject.

“I was like… is it really going to happen?” she recalls.

Her featured work, The Bather, is part of a larger body of work exploring divine feminine energy, drawing heavily on Greek mythology and classical sculpture. Inspired by artists like Ferdinand Andreini, Monique reimagines these historical references through her own lens – transforming them into something both personal and contemporary.

“I kind of went down a rabbit hole,” she says of her research. “And then it just became everything.”

Working primarily in graphite pencil, Monique leans into realism to carefully build form through values, curves, and detail. But with The Bather, she pushed her practice further, introducing watercolour to bring movement and emotion into the piece.

 

“I’m a bit of a perfectionist,” she explains. “So realism came naturally. But I wanted that splash of colour… something that brought out the feminine energy.”

The result is a striking balance: precise, detailed drawing paired with expressive washes of pink and green. It’s also a reflection of her broader approach to making – one grounded in experimentation.

“This was the first piece I did, so there was a lot of trial and error.”

That willingness to explore is something Monique credits as essential to her process. Sketchbooks filled with ideas, references, and notes became a space to test, refine, and discover.

“Fill up your journal,” she advises. “Even if you’re not thinking about it, you’ll start to see your ideas come through.”

 

Across her full body of work, Monique created seven pieces, each inspired by different mythological figures and emotional states – from the softness of Aphrodite to the strength of Athena. Together, they form a series that explores the many dimensions of feminine experience – both delicate and powerful.

“I want people to hear what I’m saying through my work,” she says. “To really look at how we shape ourselves.”

Looking ahead, Monique plans to continue her studies in Art Studio Practice and hopes to pursue a double degree in Fine Art and Business at university. For now, she’s focused on following her instincts and letting ideas evolve naturally.

“It’s just one idea after the other,” she says. “Seeing where it goes.”

 

Explore Monique's work below. 

 

 

Explore more of ArtRage: The 2025 selection