In times of deep sadness and distress, it can be hard to find moments of happiness or relief. I was told that every spring, my father would go into a period of quietness and mild depression. We don’t really know why, but assume it was because he was thinking about and feeling all that he left behind when he was forced to leave his home as a young man.
As a society, we aren’t great at holding space for grief, loss and trauma. The arts, however, are a way to express and work through difficult emotions and trying times using creativity. Since launching this project, I have come to hold a much deeper appreciation for the arts world as a holder of all emotion.
I don’t know what my father was processing when he painted this gorgeous watercolor, but I see and feel joy, power and freedom. I hope he was feeling that too.
Grateful that he left it for me to find in his collection.
Thank you to Wendy’s Frame Shop in South Philly for the beautiful frame job.
