20″ x 24″ x 2″

Oils

Finished sides, ready to hang, deep box canvas

Left Behind is a work about secret emotions. I am working with my emotions this year, in discovery and revelation. I am working through my experiences and letting the art heal its way through my soul and battered spirit. Abandonment is the issue in this work. Emotional, physical and financial abandonment is a burden for the people left behind. If a child deals with abandonment, they can be left behind, in social development, trust development, and the ability to bond with other humans. Adults dealing with this issue can often find themselves wondering what is wrong with them, why are they left behind, what is the point of trying? It’s devastating and cruel. It’s a life eater. It’s a spirit crusher. This is my way of stepping away from my personal history of abandonment. It’s my promise to myself that I will not abandon those I love, they will never feel that pain from me. I will heal from my own wounds, I will, and I will work to make the world I live in a better, brighter more beautiful and loving world. End abandonment today, don’t be a coward in your own life or in the lives of those you love. Stay, work, trust yourselves, and hold tight to your loved ones. Don’t walk away from problems, face them. Your life will be larger and brighter, I promise. If the problems can’t be solved (and sometimes they just can’t) then work to find solutions that protect the family, in love and honesty. Be accountable. Take responsiblity. The answer is never to leave your family alone and wondering if they are loved. That can be very hard to do but folks, that is life sometimes. Embrace the Suck, and lean into to the work. Solve problems don’t run away. That, at least, is a start to ending abandonment for us all.