WHEN YOUR LIGHT SHINES

Acrylic on canvas,  8 X 8 IN.

When your light shines, an event horizon shatters across the universe. What was once inescapable suddenly feels  an explosion of possibility. When your light shines, galaxies expand. The heavens twinkle in the stardust you create simply by the curve of your lip. The moon glows a little brighter, even in its smallest sliver. The world is more vibrant for your presence in only the way you can give it color.

You are the singularity that defies logic and definition. Just by existing, you are an infinite catalyst. You give words new meaning. You give hope a shadow and promise an awakening. When your light shines, you are seen.

This piece is the smallest painting I’ve attempted to date. It’s not easy creating a piece with impact on such a scale but it shouldn’t be as hard as I felt like I was making it out to be. Then, the painting grew, got far bigger than I imagined. It became a metaphor for all of us when we feel small in our worlds. It became a talisman for sacred space and something to hold dear. It became that love we lose within ourselves when things get rough.

Just as the visual composition needed time to marinate, the words came difficult to page as well. Then, I thought of the myriad of pep talks I’ve given to friends and family and have needed to give to myself more often than I do… then, as well, I thought of a person I met a little over a month after the paint had dried. He charges my words, when he shines, effortlessly in the way his mind tumbles and grasps. His company inspired this accompaniment.

No matter the size we feel, we all have the capacity to shine so bright.