“Searching for Peace, Craving Chaos” Original Oil Painting

In this piece, I wanted to explore the duality that often lives within us: the longing for peace and tranquility along with the pull toward disruption.

The person in this piece has no hair, like a monk. Monks shave their heads as a sign of simplicity, humility, and letting go of vanity or attachment to worldly appearances. There is also the symbolism that hair holds onto memories and the slate is wiped clean. The absence of pupils suggests a sense of introspection or a gaze turned inward, as if she's looking for calm within herself.

Across her face, there's a bird stretching its wings wide. This bird represents the element of chaos or freedom—something wild and untamed that disrupts the stillness. Together, the woman and the bird symbolize that constant human paradox: the yearning for inner peace even as we’re drawn to the beauty of chaos.

11”x14” Original Oil Painting