Thirteen women, whose ages span eight decades, were the models for the Real
Women sculptures and the subject of the accompanying poems. The women models embody
the sometimes difficult, always interesting stages that women pass through as
they journey through life. The pose each model chose intimately expressed her
individual experience of living. It was with difficulty that each women
made a personal decision to pose. In all cases being part of this project
had an impact in their lives and for some it was life transforming.
"I came questioning the use of a body my age (a few months short of 80 years)
and left feeling beautiful, spiritually renewed and looking forward to many more
years of quality life."
-Betty, age 79
"To be immortalized as a teenager...I can think of nothing worse at this
point in my life. Yet the question, ' Why should I do this?' never entered my
head. Not once. I did it so that when other girls my age look in the mirror
every morning, they will not see what I see, they will see what you see."
-Lily, age 14
"Twenty years of disease left me believing my body was my betrayer. Despite
my apprehension at posing nude I was amazed at my own acceptance of that very
lumpy, bumpy body...my body-my beauty. The experience brought me to another level
of healing and understanding and my desire to be a role model for health and healing."
-Beverly, age 51, breast cancer survivor
