Private collection

Wave

A child stands at the center of a world already in motion.

Narrative

Inspired by Waverly, Wave explores the forces that shape a life long before they can be fully understood. Family, ambition, growth, change, hope, and history flow around the figure like currents beneath the surface of water. Fragments emerge and recede. Stories intersect. Patterns repeat.

The painting combines portraiture with symbolic abstraction to create a visual archive of a specific moment in time. While rooted in the life of one child, the work reflects a broader idea: that no individual exists in isolation. We are shaped by the people who surround us, the environments we inhabit, and the events unfolding around us.

At the center, the child remains grounded, curious, observant, and untouched by the full weight of the stories that precede her. Around her, the world continues to transform.

Throughout the painting, symbolic forms emerge and recede within the surrounding currents. Among them is a butterfly motif, representing transformation, growth, and unfolding potential. While rooted in specific experiences and relationships connected to the painting's creation, the symbol remains intentionally open, inviting viewers to reflect on the forces of change present within their own lives and histories.

The title references both the child herself and the movement that surrounds her. A wave can carry, shape, erode, build, and connect distant points through a shared current. In the same way, a life is influenced by forces both seen and unseen.

Rather than documenting a likeness, Wave seeks to capture a moment of becoming: the intersection of a young life with the people, histories, aspirations, and possibilities that help shape its future.

Materials

Date

08/2023

Medium

Mixed media on canvas

Size

4 ft by 5 ft