Layered Emotions

This piece was created during a recent major life transition. We moved from our homestead in Alaska to Arkansas to be closer to family as my wife's parents entered their final chapter. Things did not work out as planned, and we found ourselves starting over from scratch, in a new place, no friends, no connections. As we began to create a new "home" and a new life, and make new friends, I put my studio back together. New commissions began to come and new Second Chances were born. This painting resisted coming together. It continued to ask for paint without telling me why. It felt confused and so did I. Eventually, I learned to embrace the chaos and uncertainty and accept the painting for what it wanted to be. It became a lesson, and a reflection of what we were going through. Sometimes life is messy. If we take a moment to look through all the layers of what's happening, we might catch a glimpse of something that wants to take shape. Something that eventually will. And, even though we see it, sometimes we have to wait for it to come to us.