New Soul: Hollyhock

4x5' acrylic and Farrow & Ball house paint on a canvas with a hole in it. 

This big, unweildy canvas followed me, unpainted from my old studio to my new studio. It sat patiently in the new space through demolition, renovation, sanding, drilling and painting... waiting to become something. When the space was finally swept clean of nails and sanding dust and debris, there it stood, ready to begin. I noticed a small hole torn in the canvas.

A scar. This summer of turmoil and change has left its mark on this canvas. It now has an imperfection, a reminder that I weathered a storm to build something beautiful. Scars are where the light comes in, no? 

I painted the canvas a muddy, briney olive green and filled it up with hollyhocks painted in muted whites, oxblood, velvety burgundy and even some of the "scallop" dusty pink that we painted our walls with from Farrow & Ball. Hollyhocks are fittingly a symbol of ambition. The various shades depicted represent new beginnings, optimism, spirituality and friendship.