Sequences proper: Psychiatric patient 8 - "Sharon"

4 artworks identified by Rita Simon's pseudonym "Sharon".

The descriptions of the artworks are taken from notes written by Wellcome staff during conversations with Rita Simon between 1995 and 1997:

Rita Simon's categorized the paintings in 2 styles: Archaic Linear and Massive Transition.

A patient who Rita Simon worked with around 1979. Accompanied by texts of stories about Denise and Jimmy written out by Rita Simon. She showed them to the psychiatrist who replied "Just stories, aren't they?"

As a child, the patient struggled to accept that she was fostered, while her other sister was adopted. She got a place at university but broke down, went to hospital, was let out, and was placed in the care of the Social Services. She was about 20 years old and had no contact with her own parents.

As a child, she pushed a stake through her foot. She imagined she was a boy called Jimmy. When with Rita Simon, she wrote a lot of stories about conflicts in the family. The foster mother was very critical of the girl, jealous of her, and over-fed her to make her over weight. Rita Simon proposed she may have had an unhealthy relationship with her foster father. She was tormented by the need to get away from the foster home, but terrified of living alone. The Social Services had nowhere to put her. Simon offered to keep her at her house for a month, and tried to separate therapy from ordinary life.

Later the Social Services found her a hostel, but she collapsed and went back into hospital. She was then placed in a children's home as a sort of helper. Eventually she did go to university and got a degree.

This information is taken from conversations between Rita Simon and Wellcome staff between 1995 and 1997.