For Brushes With Cancer - Austin 2020

This painting, titled Darkness & Uncertainty, is inspired by some of the messages Jill Mathias conveyed to me rather early in her journey. The fear & depression that comes with receiving a diagnosis, which she described as “a wall of darkness & uncertainty”, led me to imagery of towering stone structures such as castles & fortresses. I was drawn to the idea of placing this structure on a remote island in space to further depict the isolation. We spoke of our similar inclination to release the heavy feelings through crying the pain out, hence the screaming woman at the top of the tower. One silver lining that Jill expressed was the incredible support system that emerged from many people, some of which she wouldn’t have expected. This is shown through the variety of vessels & spacecrafts making their way toward the crumbling island. From the top corner, a luck dragon appears. The whale toward the bottom symbolizes strength & longevity. A glimmer of hope shines through the rainbow in the waterfall. The satellite offers a beacon of optimism, that there is life & support on the planet below. If the castle falls, they will be there to catch it.

Acrylic on canvas - 30”h x 48”l x 1.5”d