The Essence of Strength: Featuring Florence Welch
18×24 Original Acrylic on Canvas
I've been a Florence and the Machine fan since 2008 when Kiss With a Fist was first released. Then, when I saw her on the VMAs in 2010, seeing her live quickly became #1 on my bucket list. In 2019, that day finally came to fruition, and it changed my life. Watching her own the stage with such a powerful voice and energy that expanded well outside of our city's range left me in awe. Seeing her move around the stage effortlessly, and being so authentically herself was enough to make me want to do the same. She was my first step into embracing who I truly am. I was a huge fan of FATM before seeing them live, but after that show, a fire ignited inside of me and every day I grew closer and closer to my purpose. Art is one of those purposes. Art was a huge part of my past. I used art to cope with depression and anxiety through middle and high school. After I graduated, life got busy and survival mode kicked in. Leaving me no time for art. Now, after all those years I've found art again, and in a different medium this time. Going from pencil drawings to oil and acrylic painting. When I paint, I channel my inner Florence. She's one of the most creative artists of our time. And lifetimes before that. She transforms her words into visual images in your head and then lifts you up into song, leaving you feeling weightless in her wake. She is a force. I am that force when I paint. I am unleashed. Free of fear, but when I put the brush down, I start to feel the self-judgement creep back in. This is where Florence and I are more of the same. If you listen to her music, you see her life evolve as she begins her journey as a new famed musician, glitter in her eyes and drink in her hand. Soon after you saw her sink into herself, bringing up her darkest wounds for the world to hear. Bearing her soul with each chorus. Then, turning to a hurt soul who was in and out of a lovingly abusive relationship. Not only with him, but with herself. She journeys from addiction to sobriety, leaving us breathless through How Big How Blue How Beautiful, to dancing and twirling with Delilah. That is when the magic really happened. Florence became sober, one of the most terrifying endeavors of her life, and found her strength like never before. Her lyrics take you through the story of her life and she bears it all. She gives herself time and time again for her loyal fans and for her love of music, but she's left putting her life on hold... Again. It is a constant struggle and you can see it in her eyes. She's longing to go home. But where is home? On stage or in love? Can it be both? Either way, knowing these things about her makes me love her so deeply because she is real, she is authentic, and she is what a beautiful human being really looks like. She is an inspiration to me in ways she will never know.
18×24 Original Acrylic on Canvas
I've been a Florence and the Machine fan since 2008 when Kiss With a Fist was first released. Then, when I saw her on the VMAs in 2010, seeing her live quickly became #1 on my bucket list. In 2019, that day finally came to fruition, and it changed my life. Watching her own the stage with such a powerful voice and energy that expanded well outside of our city's range left me in awe. Seeing her move around the stage effortlessly, and being so authentically herself was enough to make me want to do the same. She was my first step into embracing who I truly am. I was a huge fan of FATM before seeing them live, but after that show, a fire ignited inside of me and every day I grew closer and closer to my purpose. Art is one of those purposes. Art was a huge part of my past. I used art to cope with depression and anxiety through middle and high school. After I graduated, life got busy and survival mode kicked in. Leaving me no time for art. Now, after all those years I've found art again, and in a different medium this time. Going from pencil drawings to oil and acrylic painting. When I paint, I channel my inner Florence. She's one of the most creative artists of our time. And lifetimes before that. She transforms her words into visual images in your head and then lifts you up into song, leaving you feeling weightless in her wake. She is a force. I am that force when I paint. I am unleashed. Free of fear, but when I put the brush down, I start to feel the self-judgement creep back in. This is where Florence and I are more of the same. If you listen to her music, you see her life evolve as she begins her journey as a new famed musician, glitter in her eyes and drink in her hand. Soon after you saw her sink into herself, bringing up her darkest wounds for the world to hear. Bearing her soul with each chorus. Then, turning to a hurt soul who was in and out of a lovingly abusive relationship. Not only with him, but with herself. She journeys from addiction to sobriety, leaving us breathless through How Big How Blue How Beautiful, to dancing and twirling with Delilah. That is when the magic really happened. Florence became sober, one of the most terrifying endeavors of her life, and found her strength like never before. Her lyrics take you through the story of her life and she bears it all. She gives herself time and time again for her loyal fans and for her love of music, but she's left putting her life on hold... Again. It is a constant struggle and you can see it in her eyes. She's longing to go home. But where is home? On stage or in love? Can it be both? Either way, knowing these things about her makes me love her so deeply because she is real, she is authentic, and she is what a beautiful human being really looks like. She is an inspiration to me in ways she will never know.
18×24 Original Acrylic on Canvas
I've been a Florence and the Machine fan since 2008 when Kiss With a Fist was first released. Then, when I saw her on the VMAs in 2010, seeing her live quickly became #1 on my bucket list. In 2019, that day finally came to fruition, and it changed my life. Watching her own the stage with such a powerful voice and energy that expanded well outside of our city's range left me in awe. Seeing her move around the stage effortlessly, and being so authentically herself was enough to make me want to do the same. She was my first step into embracing who I truly am. I was a huge fan of FATM before seeing them live, but after that show, a fire ignited inside of me and every day I grew closer and closer to my purpose. Art is one of those purposes. Art was a huge part of my past. I used art to cope with depression and anxiety through middle and high school. After I graduated, life got busy and survival mode kicked in. Leaving me no time for art. Now, after all those years I've found art again, and in a different medium this time. Going from pencil drawings to oil and acrylic painting. When I paint, I channel my inner Florence. She's one of the most creative artists of our time. And lifetimes before that. She transforms her words into visual images in your head and then lifts you up into song, leaving you feeling weightless in her wake. She is a force. I am that force when I paint. I am unleashed. Free of fear, but when I put the brush down, I start to feel the self-judgement creep back in. This is where Florence and I are more of the same. If you listen to her music, you see her life evolve as she begins her journey as a new famed musician, glitter in her eyes and drink in her hand. Soon after you saw her sink into herself, bringing up her darkest wounds for the world to hear. Bearing her soul with each chorus. Then, turning to a hurt soul who was in and out of a lovingly abusive relationship. Not only with him, but with herself. She journeys from addiction to sobriety, leaving us breathless through How Big How Blue How Beautiful, to dancing and twirling with Delilah. That is when the magic really happened. Florence became sober, one of the most terrifying endeavors of her life, and found her strength like never before. Her lyrics take you through the story of her life and she bears it all. She gives herself time and time again for her loyal fans and for her love of music, but she's left putting her life on hold... Again. It is a constant struggle and you can see it in her eyes. She's longing to go home. But where is home? On stage or in love? Can it be both? Either way, knowing these things about her makes me love her so deeply because she is real, she is authentic, and she is what a beautiful human being really looks like. She is an inspiration to me in ways she will never know.