Love and heartbreak is one experience that nearly everyone has in common. It is something that most of us have or will eventually experience to some extent. The works in “ONE” chronicle my own experience of quickly falling for someone and losing them. This exhibition demonstrates my personal journey of rebuilding myself, finding emotional peace, as well as realizing my life purpose as an artist. I came to realize how just one decision can shape whom we are and what we are supposed to do with our lives. I realized how deciding to attend a particular college, would lead to meeting “ONE” particular person who would serve as the inspiration behind my work, and lead me towards pursuing a career as an artist. Painting would serve as a means of finding peace with what I felt inside, use it in a positive way, and become what I was really meant to become.
I also threw myself into the pages of a book entitled “The Essential Teachings of the Dalai Lama” in an effort to gain some perspective on life. Painting would release the emotions I was feeling, but Buddhist teachings would heal them. This resulted in a few central themes of Buddhism arising various pieces. Whether it was a painting of Buddha, mediation, or just an abstract theme, Buddhism would provide the perspective needed to open my eyes and accept and understand what I was feeling as well as what I was supposed to do.
