Again influenced by her couture background, Mila works with a combination of oil paints and varnish to achieve an astonishing level of accuracy and detail, and a glossy 'Vogue' finish. Describing her work as “controversial, sensual and feminine”, she juxtaposes the female figure with the masculinity of tattoos and cigarettes, thus challenging society’s expectations of femininity. She believes that the partial concealment of the face of the subject serves not to hide their identity but rather to highlight it, and she encourages the viewer to recognise that demeanour, confidence and strength are as much a part of our identity as our facial expressions.

For Mila, female empowerment through art is the rationale, the process and the goal of her oeuvre. This is highlighted when she occasionally leaves hidden messages in her paintings – a story hidden within a tattoo, a love poem suspended in the background - to hint at an unsolved mystery in the unknown world of the woman we are observing on the canvas. In this way each individual portrait packs a unique and powerful punch.

Mila Alexander is a determined seeker of culture and creativity, and her interests and passions feed into her depictions of very different women who reflect the glorious diversity of global culture. Her work has been bought by collectors all over the world and she counts many famous faces amongst her admirers, including legendary actor Antonio Banderas. “For me the masks create a sense of mystery, I want the viewer to wonder who is the woman behind the mask? Part of their strength is to not reveal themselves fully, these women are not vulnerable – they are symbols of strength”.

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