Eliza Coulson, who is 20 years old, turned her its own experience into award-winning artistry after she was sexually harassed by a guy she had just met.
“He shaped me feel as if it was normal, although I knew I felt uncomfortable, ” she says. “I was scared.”
The events contributed to the creation of a project on “self-love, self-worth, and self-empowerment”.
“I applied my artwork as a means to process what I’d had been through, ” she says. Now, she applies her artistry as instruments to empower others.
A year later, she was named Young Photographer of the Year at the Scottish Portrait Awards 2018. Eliza has told the BBC Scotland news website how artwork helped her canal positivity into her life and the lives of others.
Image caption Eliza Coulson is a student at the Glasgow School of Art
Eliza grew up in Nairn in the Highlands, and attended Gordonstoun School in Moray. “I don’t consider myself as a hugely academic person, ” she says. “I’ve ever enjoyed more extra-curricular activities such as sailing and hiking.”
“I had a great experience at academy, and have always desired art. I’ve get A Levels in media, art, and photography.”
Following school, Eliza moved to Glasgow in 2017, and is now in her second time at the Glasgow School of Art.
It was while she was in her first time that she was harassed.
‘Red flags’
“I was on a first date with this guy. We moved for pizza, ” she clarifies. “It was a summer’s night so still very light outside.
“Looking back, some references were made during the date that should have been red flags to me, but as “theyre saying”, hindsight is a wonderful thing.
“If those red flag have never happened to you before then how are you supposed to know they’re red flags? You give people the benefit of the doubt.”
Image caption “Some people may look at this image and meet a defiant, strong woman, but I was documenting a fragile time.”
It was then Eliza’s date showed they go for a walk. Being a bright summer evening, she agreed.
“You only learn formerly you have been in that situation, and then you just never do it again.”
Eliza explained how he made her kiss him after she told him she didn’t want to.
“At the time I had really long whisker, like 15 inches of it, ” she says. “I couldn’t understand why he was pulling it and thinking I liked it.
“He threw his hand on the back of my head and then merely yanked my fuzz, and built “i m feeling” abnormal for saying I didn’t like him doing that.
“I’ve since cut it all off.
“Suddenly it was dark and I was alone. I had told him to get off. He physically pushed me. I pushed him off me and he retaliated. If I hadn’t pushed back, I know things would have wholly escalated.
“I felt like I got off lightly.”
Eliza received a text the next morning from the man who had harassed her merely a period before. The text speak: “Morning beautiful”.
