My piece, When She Could Be Anything, is a portrait of myself at 4 years old. It’s an offering to her. She understood that life was an endless possibility, long before the fear of rejection set in. Painting her is my way of telling her: You will be okay. You will grow into someone who can create, who can be loved, and who doesn’t have to do it alone.
If I could speak to my 12 year old self, I’d tell her: You don’t have to disappear to stay safe. You don’t have to hide and make yourself acceptable to be loved. You’ll be surprised at how much your family is capable of. And most of all- you’ll be proud of the life you build.
