Riot of Flowers: My Wild Heart, 5x4'

Riot of Flowers Series: My Wild Heart. Oil on canvas 5x4’.

“Hearts are wild creatures, that’s why ribs are cages. And we must be the gardeners of all that we find in our hearts.”

And this piece has most of the creatures that have wandered around mine my entire life.

It has been a week, and it’s only Tuesday!
I was sharply reminded yesterday why I paint wildlife and that’s because I’ve always painted as an escape from how awful people can be to each other.
The health care environment is incredibly stressful and brings out the worst in both patients and providers.
I say this all the time.
It is imperative you learn how to speak without hurting people when you’re stressed.
Take a moment.
Deep breath.
Think about how what is about to come out of your mouth will land on someone else’s ears.

Just a reminder to be a little more thoughtful.

Driving home yesterday, I usually tune into the radio and a familiar voice of @saulspady was on 97.3fm and he was sharing his own story relating to the leak from the Supreme Court yesterday. It was vulnerable content, you could just hear it in his voice. This was something hitting incredibly close to the vest.
He asked for listeners to text in and share their thoughts. Eight minutes in, I was mortified hear him read aloud someone with a gripe about some road construction going on.
How freaking callous have we become?

I’m going to go home tonight and paint the creatures that make me happy to be alive.

Humanity, do better.

Second photo by the indomitable shutterbug @somerrunner