Strong Calm

Strong Calm reflects the quiet balance between independence and comfort—the emotional space where strength does not need to be loud. Centered around a watchful cat figure, the painting explores calm awareness, subtle companionship, and the small moments that stabilize us while everything else continues to move.

The work was developed over nearly two years, beginning beside a fire while camping alone near Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire. That environment shaped the tone of the piece: reflective, grounded, and gently playful. Surrounding symbolic elements—floating forms, a small winged figure, and soft atmospheric layering—suggest passing thoughts and emotional anchors that appear throughout moments of solitude.

In this piece, calm is not portrayed as stillness, but as presence. The “good things” become the fleeting experiences that quietly support us and remind us to remain open, curious, and light.

Oil paint on wood

26 x 32 inches

Original artwork

2025