Layers of Life

Ah, the complexities of life. We all have a story, layered with triumphs, tears, mistakes, redemption, tragedies, success, joy and pain. Most of our stories are hidden behind our personas, whether they be smiling faces or bitter scowls; woven so tightly together that the layers are unseen, making up one image. These thoughts were on my mind as I created my newest piece, a 16x20 cotton boll in soft pastel. I begin my pieces with under layers of dark black followed by bright colors: turquoise, fuchsia, purple, bright green, gold:

I finish the piece with a unifying neutral, in this case white, bringing the layers together into a single image; no longer separate pieces of the story, but a complex whole...very much like the layers of life.

We cannot separate our stories into separate pieces, discarding some and clinging to others. All of our experiences unite to make us who we are, individuals with layers of story. To me, this is a good and beautiful part of living life; also, something to remember when we daily encounter our fellow human beings, with our myriad of emotions and reactions. We are all living a story. "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

Southern Cottonfield

9x12 Soft Pastel on Pastelbord, Commissioned

For this piece, I combined several elements from previous pictures to suit my clients wishes...the swirling turquoise sky, the rust colored trees, the gray barn, and a Southern field full of cotton.