Say Cheese
9 x 12 inches, acrylic and oil on canvas
THE MEANING BEHIND THE PAINTING
“This painting captures one of the biggest transitions I felt in my grief - that stage where you start going out again, doing “normal” things. Living. It’s that feeling of being surrounded by people yet feeling isolated in grief. There’s the joy of being with others, but at the same time, the reality of death creeps in - sometimes unexpectedly - reminding me that, yep, I’m still grieving.”
“It’s an odd space to exist in, holding two extreme emotions at once, happiness and sadness, side by side. Before grief, I was either sad OR happy. But grief created space for both to exist together. And somehow, in that heaviness, there’s comfort in knowing I can still hold joy.”
“When I started shifting out of my moulding state - after aging in my little cellar long enough - it was time to step back into ‘society’ (I sound like a debutant lol). At first, when I was with people, I struggled to smile because I was conflicted with this grief that sat inside of me. But my mind was transitioning into this new space, one where happiness and sadness could coexist. Feeling both at the same time made something as simple as smiling feel unfamiliar. But over time, my body and mind adjusted, and now I see it as a gift - to hold multiple emotions at once.”
“You may have noticed the candle in this block of blue cheese. Its meaning is simple: each birthday we get to celebrate is a gift. We never know how much time we have. So buy the fancy cheese, just for you. Stick a candle in it, and celebrate you.”
