White River Creek

I created this painting last year (2024), it took me almost 6 months to create, and not because of the detail involved, but because I was

in a tremendous amount of pain. I would get up and do a little bit at a time throughout the days. It was part of my healing, it helped guild me though fear and keep my creativity going. 

I find after I complete a painting, its meaning and story appears. 

This was a commission. The family who contacted me were so incredibly patient and understanding of the long process. I let them know my situation and they expressed if it took two years it would be completely fine. I can't tell you the extremely deep emotions I was feeling at the time, the gratitude I had for them was huge. They even took the original to the printers and picked up the other originals I had at the printers after they were documented. The offer was there because this family wanted to make sure their painting was archived for others to enjoy. The drive is two hours to do this for me and they live in another town. I didn't ask, they just said they would do it for me.

A month or so later I had gotten to the point where I was feeling brave enough to drive again. I was learning to face my fears and heal in my own way. I wanted to pick up all my originals they had stored at their home for me. It was the first time in a year I drove to another town. Even just me walking around was surreal let alone driving that long. The healing process so eye opening. When I entered their home, the mother of the family expressed to me she went though something very similar, and now her job was to help people going though pain and her methods were very similar to what I was doing for myself. I couldn't believe my ears. I felt like I was supposed to meet this family. It was so beautiful we both shed tears of joy. She expressed how proud of me she was and we had a long chat about healing and life as the original hung in the centre of their home. 

This was an experience I will never forget and this is the meaning to me behind the painting. The creek path represents my journey to a lighter future with far less fear. Pain is now just something that comes and goes like the wind.

Prints of this painting are available.