‘Unlearning’
It captures a woman mid-ritual—putting on mascara, looking at herself.
Confident. Soft. Unapologetically present.
I painted her because I saw beauty. And strength.
And then I realized I rarely allow myself the same gaze.
This painting holds a lot for me:
Years of struggle with body image,
The silent ways we punish ourselves,
And the quiet acts of reclaiming care—even when we don’t feel “ready” or “worthy.”
Sometimes healing looks like dressing up.
Sometimes it looks like painting a version of yourself you can finally admire.