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Based on a Maori proverb, but I've also read it could be a African proverb. Try to focus on the positive, the negative falls away. This has been on my mind a lot lately, because like many other people, I have been affected by seasonal depression this year.
Chaos is indeed beautiful. I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder when I was 14, so I have learned to juggle many things in my brain. I can focus on many things at once, in my chaotic brain. The only opaque oil paint is the crown she wears, which is the chaos symbol. I have felt this many times, and it's okay. Acknowledging it, embracing it, using it as a super power, is the best approach.
This painting is inspired by love. The attitude that comes along with being in love is happy, confident, playful. This also originates from a love of old illustrations of sea creatures.
The concept of a past love haunting you. Something that is no longer there, but the residual effects still linger despite still moving forward in life.
Janus, the Roman god of transitions. One head looks to the past, one to the future. I fell in love with them while visiting Rome a couple years back. Janus is where we get the month name, January. This version also incorporates Memento Mori, (an idea more common in times when we didn't live very long, but still a good concept to remember) which reminds to live your life fully, do all the things, make the best of everything. We have a finite amount of time here. One more thing, roses used to be a symbol of this concept. There used to be a phrase, "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may."
This piece is about emotional imbalance, and not quite fitting the mold. She is surrounded by perfection, but she doesn't quite fit in. Her pearl necklace is broken, the pearls are falling. She is left of center but still maintaining the facade of perfection.
This piece represents a focus on how other cultures view death, and to focus on the positive. In many cultures, the mourning of one's passing includes telling positive stories about the person, consuming favorite foods and drinks, listening to their favorite music. It is a time of celebration of their life, not the sadness that they are gone.
The meaning behind this piece is about obsessing over the details. To be overwhelmed by the details so much that it obscures the big picture. It is the, "Can't see the forest for the trees", idea.
Not giving up, not letting the bad stuff pull you down. The beads of water show she has struggled, but she is still persevering despite the odds. Determination. This painting and concept mean so much to me. I struggle with anxiety and depression sometimes, but this has been my mantra. Do not give up. Things get better, always.
The meaning behind this piece is about allowing love to lead you. Surrendering to “the unknown” and the possibility of being hurt is scary, but so completely worth it. It makes life worth living. She is hanging by the heartstrings, carried away by love.
This is based on the story of Sadako Sasaki. She was a child growing up in Hiroshima, Japan when the bomb was dropped there. She developed radiation tumors and went to the hospital. While there she learned of a Japanese legend, if you build 1,000 paper cranes, you are granted one wish. She started building. She used medicine wrappers and napkins, everything she could find. She reached her goal of 1,000, and she wished for peace. She didn’t wish to extend her life, she wished for nothing selfish. She wished people would not do this to others. She died at age 12, and was buried with some of the cranes. Her parents kept some of the cranes as well. They send them to places affected by war, such as the 9/11 site in New York City. Her story touched me so much I had to do a painting in her honor.
The idea behind this piece is trust. Not worrying about whether your partner will be there for you, you just know that they will. I also love seahorses and how they exhibit a monogamy of sorts. While the male seahorse carries the eggs in his body, the male and female "date" during the entire time he is pregnant, which can be about 45 days. The couple meets at the same place every day, to reconnect and spend time together in a coiled embrace, until they separate and go about the rest of their day. Pretty romantic, I'd say..
The meaning behind this piece is the definition of a "Superhero". What does it mean to be a super hero? To me it is a person who puts others before themselves, always, even to the point of neglecting themselves (the cracks around her heart). She has given her heart to the people that need it. Her eyes are downcast, as it is sometimes a lonely place to be.
This piece is about endless potential and possibilities. It signifies the endless potential of our minds. Similar to the vastness of the universe and the galaxies contained in them, we are capable of changing our lives with our brain. The possibilities are endless. She also signifies the beginning of our civilization.
The meaning behind this piece is self image, specifically body image. There is an incredible pressure put on us to fit into society's standards of beauty, which is not fair. The skeleton is golden, to signify that true beauty comes from within. More back story: This is the first oil painting after 8 years of acrylic painting, so it is a very important piece. Those 8 years of acrylic painting was mostly comprised of property work (Paid jobs with other companies' ideas and characters), and not much of my personal voice. While very exciting, it had being weighing on me creatively for years and I was looking for something more. Supplementing these personal pieces with the property work is a perfect balance.
The meaning behind this piece is about moving forward in life. Leaving behind things that have hurt us or are not conducive to growth, for example: our past, our mistakes, our insecurities, abuse, and any other emotional baggage that weighs us down. She is falling, and she cannot see where she is going, but she has to trust that she will land in the right place. It is meant to be terrifying, because growth, and the unknown, can be truly terrifying. My most personal painting to date. This concept is very close to my heart, and is something I struggle with often. If it will serve as a reminder to me to "Let go", then hopefully it can remind others to do the same.
The meaning behind this piece is how my brain works. At age 14, I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (Inattentive). My brain is always going, thoughts represented by the red bubbles, but making decisions on which thoughts to pursue can be daunting. It is living in an anxious haze. The golden armor she wears signifies that this is an internal struggle. The fact that she is looking off in the distance shows she is determined to succeed, despite what she has been told was a handicap. This is one of the first few pieces of art where I used my art as therapy. It helps me immensely, and it helps others feel that they are not the only ones who feel the way they do.
