Where the Light Gets In – A Collection

About the Collection

I struggled a bit about what to call this series. I was originally thinking it would have something to do with fireflies. Something to do with hope. I kept coming back to the phrase “Hope lights the way” but it felt super cheesy. But maybe cheesy is what we need right now?

I settled on “Where the Light Gets In.” I’m sure you’ve heard the Leonard Cohen song Anthem. It’s beautiful and so timely.

There is a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in

I’ve talked before about living with depression. The current state of things in the US is not helping. The hate and racism; the self-destructive abandonment of science, reason, and critical thinking; and the smoke and ash filled air choking the West Coast are just some of the things that make the hole feel deeper. I think about the people that I care about who seem lost in a place of confusion and conspiracy and my heart aches.

With this series, I let my paintbrush do the talking. Murky and sometimes dark backgrounds fill the panels that my bird and animal subjects inhabit. Slowly, flecks of light appear – tiny sparks of hope and beauty. These sparks drift toward brighter spots that grow from the darkness. A reminder that the sun will rise again. That time will pass and the world will change. That there are so many people out there – like sparks of light – doing the hard work to guide humanity toward progress and I am so very grateful to them.

The painting process itself is a healing form of self-care. I hope my work brings some light and hope to your day.