acrylic paint, ink, and marker; 20×16″ 
“Have you ever wondered what it would take to be excommunicated from the church? In some places, all it takes is being a woman that wishes to become a priest. To symbolize this social issue, I made an art piece that represents women that were silenced in their wishes to be priests. I painted a lamb behind the woman to represent the sacrifice they go through, an hourglass to represent how long this issue has been going on for, and finally the woman that looks down upon the cross around her neck. I used dark colors and smudged them into the background and all around the centerpiece to emphasize the importance of the symbolism being used. As of today, the issue of women wanting to become priests and not being permitted into the role isn’t talked about and can even be looked down upon if you do so. To have change, society as a whole needs to start thinking about the new and get rid of misogynistic past ways of thinking. Religious roles should not be based upon a person’s sex but by their faith.”
ARTIST BIO: Madison FAULKNER is a grade 12 student at Butler Tech School of Art studying art under art teacher Mary Catherine Ruby.