Gaping

This painting explores the cyclical nature of love and self-worth, particularly the idea that people often accept the love they believe they deserve. This pattern becomes a cycle; wanting love, being hurt, and then seeking it again, each time convincing oneself that the next experience will be different. Yet, without healing, the cycle inevitably repeats.

Love promises fulfillment, yet it also exposes us to pain, especially if you seek out toxic partners because that is what you know and what you think you deserve. The woman in my piece is trying to piece back together a gaping hole in her chest, but the wound keeps getting reopened as she experiences more pain within repeated dysfunctional relationships.

Reflective Question: When love lets you down, what makes you want to try again?

Gaping, 18 x 24",2024, oil on canvas

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