Rise
Oil, Acrylic and Metal Leaf on Canvas | 34″ x 44″ | 2018
Original painting is available for purchase. Please contact me directly.
Darkness cannot exist when we shine light into every corner. The recent political shift in this
country gives us the opportunity to look closely at all the troubling places that still exist in
America. We must move through and RISE together.
The inspiration for “Rise” came to me a year ago. Deeply impacted by the presidential election
results, the vision of “Rise” felt like a messenger of hope. She resuscitated my broken heart
with a deep, core expanding, breath of resilience. While painting her I worked through a range
of emotions that took me from fear, shock, anger, grief, questioning, and depression into a
more awakened, hopeful, brave, knowing that much needed change was occurring. I came to
the awareness that I had taken so much for granted about my rights and my life. I was filled
with a new commitment to empowerment and a sense of my own strength.
RISE came to me as a representation of a modern American woman—with the strength of a
warrior, a blend of ethnicities, and an empowered leader of the tribe. She is wearing an
American Flag specifically covering her lower body as protection against our current President
who supports grabbing women “by their pussies.” Her chest is shattered from a grieving,
broken heart but there is healing occurring from a molten strength deep at her core, like Pele’s
fire…rising.
She is bare breasted as a statement of brave vulnerability. We live in a country with puritanical
roots. A women’s naked body is not a sexual object to be shamed and hidden. It is the vessel
she lives in and loves from and should feel safe in.
Perched on her right arm is our American symbol of freedom, the Bald Eagle. The light traveling
between them is meant to be their intuitive and divine connection and a passing of ancient
wisdom from the animal spirit realm to the human one.
The tattoos on her left arm are symbols of her mission.
A dove on her shoulder for peace.
The symbol of intersectionality and those who are interconnected through discrimination.
The lotus flower to represent resilience as we emerge from a struggle.
A phoenix representing rebirth and the act of rising out of the darkness and into the light.
The moon symbol honoring the divine feminine.
She is holding a budding olive branch in her hand as an offering of peaceful new beginnings.
Held by a gold crescent divine feminine moon, she stands strong, looking forward into the
future.
My intention is to create paintings that serve as reminders that we as women have a strength
beyond measure, and that we are here to raise one another up in this world. May this painting
serve as a reminder for all of us to draw upon our strengths and RISE.
As Oprah said, “I want all the girls watching here and now to know that a new day is on the
horizon! And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent
women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men,
fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody
ever has to say “me too” again.”
