When Tides Rise
"The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has pearls too."
- Vincent Van Gogh
These five pieces explore the profound capacities that emerge when life asks more of us than we thought we could bear. In our deepest challenges, we discover qualities within ourselves that only adversity can reveal.
Relinquishing Hope
This piece speaks to the beauty and ache of accepting what we wanted is lost—that sacred moment when we stop wrestling with what cannot be changed and find unexpected peace in surrender. There is profound beauty in learning to hold both the grief of what was lost and gratitude for what was given, discovering that the beauty lies not in what we seek, but in finding the grace in what we must release.
36 x 18
Fate’s Betrayal
This work honors the endurance and tenacity required to withstand the eroding obstacles that test our very foundation. When I see the trees and ferns that cling fiercely to stone eroded by the relentless, uncontrollable forces of time, wind, and sea, I think to myself: they did not choose to be there—the forces of fate placed them there—yet they hold fast and endure to protect the ground that nourishes them. Though their beauty makes them appear fragile and soft, there is an admirable strength in their flexibility and value in their existence.
16 x 12
Depths of Grace
This piece celebrates gratitude for the steadiness of unconditional love that remains constant in our lives. To have a solid stone that serves as a reliable foundation where we can go when the tides of life are high and we need a place to rest our soul. Grace is complicated and requires diving deep into our souls. It is a place where compassion and empathy help us find love and forgiveness in a harsh world, where we are reminded of the beauty and light that not only surrounds us, but is within us. In this recognition comes a deep thankfulness—not just for being held by such love, but for our capacity to recognize and return it.
6 x 6
The Merit in Retreat
This piece portrays the wisdom, value, and courage in deciding not to pursue a receding tide. This represents discovering that what appears to others as giving up actually requires strength, self-awareness, and integrity. Sometimes the most radical act is refusing to continue fighting for something that can’t be changed and finding a different path.
6 x 6
Shallows of Hope
This piece captures the beauty we can find in the fleeting moments of life. Even when life is muddy and messy and we have to push through thick brush and face many obstacles we can find the light even if it is just for a moment. These moments add up and they can give us the strength and comfort we need to keep moving forward.
These works invite us to see our most difficult experiences not as punishments or failures, but as revelations of our own extraordinary capacity for acceptance, endurance, and grace. They remind us that we are more resilient, more capable of beauty and grace, and more deeply held than we may have ever imagined.
6 x 6
