Acrylic, ink, conte, gold leaf on canvas.47.50x47.50"Strength in Softness - part of From The Darkness Comes the Light collection 47.5" x 47.5" May we learn to be strong by being soft. May we gain our strength from the courage it takes to let our guard down; by letting others in and showing vulnerability; by allowing fear to come pouring out so that healing can begin. To be soft is to be without hard edges, without daggers, without swords or blades. Softness is gentle like the petals of a flower. Gentle like the downy carpet of a grassy field. Softness is always strong in its collective. One petal alone cannot guard the pollen of a flower, but many together form a barrier. One blade of grass is meaningless and insignificant, but many together make for a breathtaking surface of movement and colour that protects the Earth beneath it. In numbers, softness is strong. And in this vein of thought, I invite you to collect all the soft parts of your heart, mind and soul and celebrate them for their collective strength. For me, these parts of myself come together to create a strong person - not an invincible person, but one who has become strong in her conviction and truth. Your softness is your superpower: your ability to bend, break, crumble and come back again afterwards, tougher than before. Your softness makes for gentle hugs from strong arms, soft cushioning upon a courageous chest, gently rounded curves of the shoulders that have carried the burdens of others without hesitation. Your softness IS your strength. ____ The From The Darkness Comes The Light collection explores the intense feeling of levity that finally strikes after a heavy period of pain and suffering. These works are a reminder not to be afraid of the darkness. In order to release the pain that you’re feeling, you have to feel it. Pain is unpleasant, emotional and physical pain alike. We have associated pain as being a negative emotion, but what if we accepted emotional pain as just another feeling? Just like happiness and joy, it is merely a feeling, and it won’t last forever. This series serves as a reminder that sometimes the greatest joy follows times of intense pain.
