Artist statement:
 
Last summer I was washing dishes. I analyzed a bubble floating in the air until it popped. That day I was struggling with anxiety & it reminded me to live in the present moment. I heard “bubbles and butterflies”. Honestly I had no idea what that meant, but I knew it would surface eventually. I created a piece with named “Freedom” that was a butterfly with bubbles in the background. 
 
I bought this canvas back in November of 2024. One day I had a vision of this piece when I was in the shower. I heard it again. “Bubbles and butterflies”. Months had passed by until I realized 2 days ago that I had been working on this piece for 7 MONTHS 🤯 Yep, gotta love artist blocks 😂 This was the hardest one that I have worked through to date and it was time to get this thing done.
Internally I was working through a lot of emotions that were coming to the surface.. stuff that I thought I had healed from. Sometimes you can feel like you healed through something and it comes to the surface again presenting a different part that you haven’t processed. 
 
The octopus represents the grip that we have on things that are out of our control. It also represents the grip that “invisible” things have on us on a daily basis such as anxiety, depression, OCD, bipolar, BPD, and the list goes on. It could be as simple as a small habit that negatively impacts us on a daily basis. It looks invisible on the outside, but these are all things that are consuming internally. It feels like you’re drowning sometimes. 
The black represents when an octopus inks. It’s a form of defense and self protection to flee predators. We all have our escape mechanisms and the things that we think “keep us safe” really make us feeling lonely and isolated. 
The heart is inside of the clam shell in place of a pearl. What makes pearls? Rough conditions… grit. The black ink oozing out displays the sand (grit) softening a hardened heart from life’s challenging conditions. 
 
The hour glass represents the time that we put into becoming better versions of ourselves. The dark times make us feel like we have taken 20 steps backwards at times. It takes a lot of grit & time to get better. 
 
The butterflies and bubbles represent the softness of life… the transformation that takes place in the depth of what seems like a literal hell in the moment. Sometimes it feels like you have hit rock bottom and that’s where change truly begins or continues. That is why it is an underwater theme. 
 
The name “Take Flight” came to me this year. Sometimes we are in a season of waiting… a season of pruning or stripping. It feels like God is so far and silent. Seasons of waiting can be painful, but I often have to remind myself that he is developing our character to get us ready for breakthrough. 
 
Personally I have been in a season of waiting for years. None of my art has gone “viral” and I haven’t seen a huge ripple effect in the algorithm yet. I know that in due time it will happen, but only if I continue to create. Consistency. 
 
Rest if you need to, but keep on going. God planted that seed in your heart for a reason 💫
 
 
This is called “Take Flight”.
 
36” x 48”
 
Over 80 hours was invested into this piece.
 
A clear polyurethane gloss varnish was used to protect this piece.
 
This original painting comes with a signed certificate of authenticity by the artist.