Original artwork description:

This painting speaks about protection — the quiet strength that exists in gentleness. The flower bends, not from weakness, but from surrender — an act of trust in its own fragility. The leaf beneath it becomes a refuge, holding the bloom the way time holds memory: softly, yet with purpose. Every droplet feels like a trace of something endured, a quiet testimony of resilience.

In the tension between exposure and shelter lies the emotional core of this work. It’s about the beauty of being vulnerable without collapsing — of letting oneself be seen, yet remaining intact. The darkness around amplifies the intimacy of this moment; it isolates the connection between what is held and what holds.

It reminds me that true strength is not in standing tall, but in knowing when to lean, when to rest, when to trust the space that catches you.

Reference photo courtesy of Bahman Farzad.

Materials used:

canvas board, oil

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