Sarah

A hand-signed black and white portrait from The Menopause Effect: An Appalachian Unmasking, Anna Mullins' ongoing series photographing women across Appalachia as they move through one of life's biggest changes. Each portrait is shown alongside the woman's own words.

The cigarette I most enjoy is the one right after I take a shower. I come out on my porch and get all stinky again. I'm waiting on the "power" they all talk about after you hit menopause. I haven't seen it yet. It's been hell, but I promised my therapist I would get more involved in my own healthcare. The travel to and from the doctor appointments is more than I can do right now. I take care of my family who are seriously ill. Time for me is at a premium.

People are always saying it's (menopause) is "a rebirth" but they don't talk about the dying it takes to be "reborn" and mostly it seems I've just experienced the death, so I'm still waiting to see what I'll be when I grow up.

Sarah Coleman

• Title: Sarah
• Artist: Anna Mullins
• Series: The Menopause Effect: An Appalachian Unmasking
• Medium: Black and white photograph, hand-signed
• Print size: 11 x 14 in.
• Framed size: 16.5 x 19.5 in.
• Framing: Black wood frame under glass, acid-free black core mat, acid-free foam core backboard. Ready to hang.
• Ships from: Formato Fine Arts, Wytheville, VA (available for gallery pickup)

About the artist: Anna Mullins is a photographer documenting women in perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause across Appalachia. Her ongoing project, The Menopause Effect, is powered by Patchwork Kinfolx and is, in her words, judgment free, gender affirming, and Appalachian rooted.