In 2021, I painted Mystic City, a piece that captured a moment in time but held untapped potential for transformation. Displayed during my solo exhibit at the Smelt Art Gallery in the fall of 2022, it garnered admiration but remained unsold, eventually finding a quiet home on my bedroom wall. For years, it hung there as life around me evolved, waiting for its own metamorphosis.
The summer of 2023 marked a turning point. In an abstract art class at Eno Arts Mill, guided by a brilliant teacher, I explored new ways of seeing and creating. The final assignment—a series reflecting a personal journey—challenged me to dig deep. Frustration mounted as my experiments faltered until inspiration struck: an older painting of a branch reaching through chakra colors caught my eye. That moment birthed a vision—a series infused with the vibrant energy of the chakra rainbow.
These were my creation for the final assignment for the art course, but…it didn’t stop with these three pieces….
Energized by this breakthrough, I revisited my 2020 painting Life in Pieces. Adding the rainbow hues, I reimagined it into Life in Joy, discovering that old works could be reborn with fresh vitality.
This realization opened a door: art is not static but alive, capable of evolving alongside its creator. It speaks to us, inviting change and renewal.
Fast forward to January 2025
Mystic City, once admired, now felt stagnant—its dark tones no longer resonated with the joy I sought to express. After of staring at the art pieces, and asking it how I could help, I took it off the wall and began anew. Keeping the original flow of the city, brushstroke by brushstroke, color by color, Rainbow City emerged—a brighter, more dynamic vision filled with growth and possibility.
Buildings multiplied; colors shimmered with life.
What was once dreary transformed into something inspiring.
This journey underscores the transformative power of art—not just as an act of creation but as a living dialogue between artist and canvas.
Art evolves, just as we do, reminding us that renewal is always possible,
and that beauty lies in embracing change.
To ponder:
What role does personal growth play in your own artistic evolution – whatever medium that may be?
How do you handle feelings of frustration or creative blocks in your artistic process?
In what ways does your art reflect your personal journey or emotional state?
In what ways do you see your art as a “living dialogue” between yourself and your creations?