Louise Clark is a mixed media artist, working primarily in the mediums of sculpture and performance. This process-based practice positions the journey as an integral part of the finished piece. Her practice considers the historical and contemporary lived experience of women as both disregarded and commodified objects. Influenced by her thesis, entitled The Representation of Black Women in 17th century European Painting, her practice continues this line of inquiry to explore the experience of women’s bodies as both seen and unseen objects onto which value has historically been placed upon. Her medium of raw, unwashed, sheep’s fleece, still contains all the minerals needed to protect the ewe. Their fleece has little commercial value. their meat and lambs give them status. She draws a comparison with the Black women portrayed in 17th century European painting of Colonial times of slavery when her progeny may have been sired by her owner. The sheep we trust lives blissfully unaware. The women I fear would not have had that luxury. There as a prop to raise the status of their white owner. Unnamed, anonymous, often situated in the shadows of the painting. Their black skin enhancing the whiteness and purity of the focus of the work.