‘After the Applause Never Came’

This work reflects on the quiet devastation that can occur when a sense of purpose is discovered early, pursued with total devotion, and ultimately feels unattainable. The ballerina becomes a stand-in for anyone who gives their life to a calling with absolute faith, only to face the possibility that it may never materialize in the way they imagined.

The image juxtaposes discipline, beauty, and aspiration with a moment of irreversible collapse. In the lower corner, a suicide scene suggests the ultimate rupture; not only of life, but of identity. When purpose is lost, it can feel as though the self disappears with it.

The work is informed by my own experience as an artist; the awareness that fulfillment does not always arrive through recognition or success. With time, I have learned that meaning can exist in smaller, quieter rituals: daily gestures, tenderness, presence, and the act of creating itself, even when unseen. This piece holds space for the fragile moment before that realization — a moment many do not survive — and honors the weight of devotion, loss, and survival.

Oil and mixed media on canvas panel

16 by 20 inches

2025