Zena Blackwell (b. 1977, Wales) is a visual artist whose work investigates various themes pertaining to childhood, be it her own experience of childhood and parenthood or general observations of her own two children. Blackwell is interested in the evolving dynamics between her children; their relationship with the environment, animals and the world in general (and all that it presents). Children can be strange and beautiful but also funny but melancholy. The presence of children in Blackwell's work provides glimpses into imagination, fantasy; story telling and sometimes surrealism, identity and gender definitions. Although recognisable faces often crop up in her works, Blackwell does not consider them as portraits with the character’s representing a universal portrayal of children/ childhood. She often find that the paintings are very relatable to other people - so they almost become like shared memories or a shared lexicon of
childhood.
childhood.