“see the good days (version two)”
acrylic on upcycled canvas
37.75x26 in
about the highs and lows of emotions and how being open to the full spectrum of emotions we feel leads to greater emotional intelligence and happiness; without recognizing and being able to sit with deep sadness we cannot recognize the purest joy. and if we never know what joy feels like, we’ll never be motivated to get back to it. depression isn’t something to be ashamed of, to stay quiet about, to hide. when we hide, it comes out in a different way (rage).
feeling it and expressing it… that takes strength and that’s how we find ourselves back to sunshine.
based on the poem by kahlil gibran (see below)
700 CDN
available; please inquire
scroll to read about the process
process
i painted version one of this near the end of 2024 and while i still feel the concept and liked some parts of the original colour palette (which i redid similarly), the visual wasn’t quite it. a year later, i primed the canvas mostly white and started from scratch but i left some of the colour showing through at that phase intentionally for a bit more depth to the story. emotions are always layered and emotional intelligence takes work to build.
because of this, it took a number of layers in certain areas to get the colours something i was happy with. i also used a lot of high flow acrylic + water (which was a bit experimental) for more of a flowy and blended style so each layer went on really thin.
“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven? And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”
Kahlil Gibran