Coming Back to Treasures of Our Heart
Foundations Collection
2021
"A reflection on the people and places we carry with us, and the love that gives us a reason to keep moving forward. "
The Question
What gives us the strength to keep going when the road ahead is difficult?
What are the people, places, and memories we carry in our hearts that remind us what we are moving toward?
About the Work
There are things we carry with us wherever we go.
The people we love. The places we call home. The memories that remind us who we are and the moments we hope to return to.
Sometimes, these are the very things that give us the strength to keep moving forward.
When life becomes difficult, it is often the thought of what waits for us at the end of the journey that gives us the courage to continue—to get back up, try again, and keep going even when the path ahead feels uncertain.
Coming Back to Treasures of Our Heart is a reflection on that kind of love.
The anticipation of returning home.
The comfort of being surrounded by the people we treasure.
The feeling of finally arriving somewhere that reminds us what all the effort was for.
Perhaps what gives a journey meaning is not simply where we are going, but who and what we are going back to.
Looking Closely
The figures and their relationship
The sense of connection between those who share this moment.
The surrounding environment
A setting that suggests movement, distance, and the journey toward home.
The handling of light
Light becomes part of the emotional atmosphere, guiding the eye and creating a sense of warmth.
The moment of return
A quiet pause between the journey that has been traveled and the reunion that awaits.
From the Studio
Every painting teaches me something I wasn’t expecting.
While creating this work, I found myself thinking about the things that keep us moving forward when life becomes difficult.
Sometimes it is a dream.
Sometimes it is a person.
Sometimes it is simply the thought of returning to a place where we feel that we belong.
We may spend much of our lives moving toward something—working, learning, growing, overcoming obstacles, and trying again after disappointment.
But what makes that effort meaningful?
For me, it is the people and experiences we treasure along the way.
This painting became a reminder that even when the journey is difficult, there can be something waiting for us at the end that makes every step worthwhile.
Pause & Reflect
Who or what gives you a reason to keep moving forward when life becomes difficult?
Where—or with whom—do you feel most at home?
What are you working toward that you hope will one day bring you back to the people or things you treasure most?
Within the Collection
Coming Back to Treasures of Our Heart belongs to the Foundations Collection, a body of work representing an important period of experimentation, observation, and artistic development.
These paintings document the years in which I was building the technical foundation of my practice while exploring the ideas, relationships, emotions, and experiences that naturally found their way into my work.
Looking back, these paintings are not simply records of what I painted during this period. They are records of how I was learning to see the world—and discovering the subjects that mattered enough to me to paint.
Studio Notes
2019
Oil on Canvas
25 × 38 in. (63.5 × 96.52 cm)
Recognition
ARC – 16th International ARC Salon Competition
Semi-Finalist, 2022
Availability
Available
$18,000
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Acquisition
Interested in making Coming Back to Treasures of Our Heart part of your collection?
For acquisition inquiries, please contact the studio.