Skye Cleary
Skye Cleary's artwork challenges societal norms and empowers viewers to confront preconceived notions. Her paintings, which seamlessly blend imagery with empowering narratives, serve as a testament to resilience and self-acceptance. Spanning various mediums, her artwork challenges conventional boundaries and celebrates the complexity of female identity. Through her painting, Cleary combines images with words to create empowering messages of defiance, using irony as a tool of power, while addressing her personal life as a sex worker and the relationships she encounters.
Premiering over 20 acrylic on canvas paintings in her solo show at The Untitled Space, “SKYE CLEARY NEVER GETS OLD,” the exhibit unveils the artist’s introspective journey, drawing inspiration from her experiences as an exotic dancer and the exploration of her identity as a sex doll. The exhibit marks Skye Cleary’s most expansive solo exhibition to date, following successful showcases at SPRING/BREAK Art Show, Satellite Art Fair, and Arcade Projects.
Skye Cleary, the sex doll artist, was conceived by Lisa Levy in 2018. While doing research on the human imagination, Levy was gifted a sex doll from a prominent therapist. She realized that this symbol of a beautiful young woman could be useful to give voice to the messages of self-empowerment she imparts to young women on her radio show and in person. She called on her close friend and painter, Sharilyn Neidhardt to work with her to give voice and artistic presence to Skye Clearly. Like the creative process used to create advertising, copywriter and art director working in teams, Sharilyn and Lisa began creating paintings and therefore a life for Skye.