A Piece of my mind, July 2025

This is a self portrait inspired by Rene Magritte, Untitled (Woman’s Face covered by a Rose) (1965)

I was inspired by the serene and stillness of the original painting, it was like a calm in the storm and wanted to place myself in the same frame of mind.

I wanted to depict the stillness of an oasis not in the absence of chaos, but at its very centre.

On the left, violent strokes of blue bend and twist under pressure, while on the right, the turbulence quiets into a delicate, vertical trickle. Both are valid expressions of peace one raw and kinetic accepting what is and releasing struggle.

The other serene and controlled carving through the noise to create your own outcome, not being defeated by it.

I need both states to create to breathe life into the rose that blooms from thin air.

Perhaps this rose is my rose tinted lens on the world, a vision and ideal that I cling to in order to stay whole. Is it limiting, my illusion is me trying to survive the storm, to stay alive. Becuase the unknown is far to terrifying to submerge to.

Once I let go and surrender the storm calms and the balance and stability of the yellow background shows this, yellow is a colour of energy and strength that radiates and all my power was depleted trying to survive the storm.

Which will give way to soft pink, my heart is opened and at peace in the present.