A STAY at home mum is wowing the art world with her controversial hand-stitched mannequins.

Fine Art student Catherine Kaufman, 49, from Belthorn has had her work exhibited in London’s Brick Lane for the past two years and has also displayed her work in a solo show at Blackburn University Centre.

Catherine, who has just completed her final year project at University Centre at Blackburn College, said that her final year piece represented a host of controversial themes including fertility, creation, feminism, sex and Freudian notions.

She said: “I’ve been at home for the past 17 years – I knew it was time to get my creative juices flowing. I got in touch with the College who gave me great advice about the courses on offer and student loans. It was then all go from there.

“I am a trained upholsterer, so making soft sculptures seemed an obvious way to take my artwork.

“I then took the themes of fertility, creation, female strength and goddess worship and tied these in to each of the three mannequins Venus of Willendorf, Isis and St Mary of Egypt, as well as a painting, which presents the Garden of Eden and sculpture and scales which represent purgatory.

“My aim is to highlight the liberation of women from all the classical notions of temptress and sin.

“It’s been a really exciting year for me. I can’t believe how far I’ve come in the last couple of years. Having a solo show is as good as it gets.”

Catherine is hoping to go on to study a Masters at either Manchester or Liverpool University.