Held in Red (2026) Original Oil Painting by Laura Mead

This piece came from a place of emotional stillness—where everything feels quiet on the surface, but heavy underneath. I was drawn to the idea of surrender, not as defeat, but as a kind of pause… a moment where the body softens and lets go.

The elongated neck and tilted head push the figure slightly beyond realism, creating a sense of distortion that mirrors how we can feel in those in-between states—detached, stretched, not quite ourselves. The red background plays a big role in the work; it’s intense and consuming, but also warm, almost holding the figure in place.

There’s a tension here between calm and discomfort. The closed eyes suggest peace, but the subtle drips and unnatural form hint at something unraveling. I like that it sits in that ambiguity—neither fully serene nor fully broken.

Painted with a focus on softness in the skin contrasted against a more raw, expressive background, this work explores vulnerability, control, and what it feels like to exist somewhere in between.

Materials used:

Oil

Details:

• Oil painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 50 x 76 x 3.5cm (unframed)
• Ready to hang
• Signed on the back
• Style: Surrealistic
• Subject: People and portraits