Original oil painting on canvas. Framed (not shown) in wood with a red wood liner. 19 w x 23 h.

Painted by Skye with love xxoo.

“Ropes 1 “ is part of a 3 part series that could include “Ropes 2” and “Ropes 3”. This set is a beautiful collection when arranged together.

Ropes 1 is a closer examination of my body’s response to the pain of ropes through natural morphine-like pain-inhibiting substances such as enkephalins, dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin. In Ropes 1, I had just finished a bondage scene where I was tied and suspended in three different poses over a two-hour period. The removed ropes are on the ground behind me. There are rope marks on my chest to indicate the amount of pressure sustained from the rope ties. The remaining red ropes in the painting are still tightly bound to my leg. As in my previous paintings, the red nails, stilettos, and nude female figure all support my views of a confident, sex-positive female role model. In Ropes 1, I also explore the power of choice. I choose what I wear or do not wear in a performance. Binding my body may include temporarily losing my physical freedom. I enter into a state of altered consciousness called “subspace” where I feel safe, relaxed, and deeply connected to my rope partner. Subspace is defined as a type of altered consciousness characterized by diminished ego awareness, less cognitive behavior and inability to verbalize. It can best be described as an altered state of mind that the submissive partner or “sub” goes into; in this case, I am the “sub.” My emotional reaction to the pressure of ropes with or without suspension can go from pain to joy to spiritual revelation. As a masochist, I can withstand and choose to be in a level of pain that sends me into a feeling of ecstatic bliss that might feel painful or traumatize other people. As I further explore bondage, it becomes a profound personal journey. xxoo