At different times in my life, there have been periods of great sadness – and I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. Life is constantly throwing us curve balls and helping us grow as a result of them. In fact, I think difficulties can be a blessing in disguise. They reveal our strength and courage – without these lessons, we’d never know how truly capable we are.
I painted Angel and Child during one particularly challenging time, when I found it tough to find any light or hope. However, through painting this piece, I found it. It’s for every child who needs love but doesn’t feel like they have it.
In most of my paintings so far, I’ve used a spiral or swirl. It’s a significant symbol in my work – a universal symbol of life, seen in almost every aspect of nature. I see it in an eagle’s path, as he flies and spirals upward, reminding us that life can be seen from different perspectives.
The spirals in my paintings are typically in the background, there as a reminder to rise above, look up and change your viewpoint.
However, in this painting, the spiral is in the angel’s hair. She is at the top of the spiral, no one can get any higher than her. She is the mother of all mothers and an angel for all the lost children.
Angel and Child will always remind me that life has both dark and light. Once you experience both, you will fully understand who you are, and discover how strong and courageous you can be.
