2021, Acrylic on canvas
48 W x 36 H x 0.5 D in
 
What is the thing that is so hard to let go? What do you reach for when the stillness is too much?
 
This painting acknowledges the difficulty of moving on from the habits that have had a hold on us, and assures you that you are not alone in the struggle.
 
There is a beauty and an ugly togetherness in the painting, a sense of growth and decay, a push and a pull between sharp high contract black and white elements and an array of colors. This painting encourages you to persist and can be a companion on the journey, knowing that it is often a process of steps forward and steps backward.
 
I painted this piece while learning about codependency and working to let go of a trauma bond. Visually, I incorporated elements of a flower blossoming and elements of neurons, representing the physical reality of our nervous system creating tracks in our brain that have to be rewired to change.