Now, now, get a grip. It’s not a scary painting. It speaks of your lineage, your gifts, and your ability to rewrite your story as you evolve. I painted it in the autumn of 2025, with the aroma of roasting chili wafting through the ‘hood and gleeful Goths coming into bloom. It was a rare period in which I simultaneously painted two images of a shadowy nature. Surprising to me is that the story told by the larger, darkly mysterious The Preciousness of Being is a comforting acknowledgement of our innate value while the smaller, brighter Shadow Work is a darker tale, reminding us to face our shortcomings to become better humans.
But then, isn’t that a dance we do in life? We twirl in the embrace of who we are and trip over our coulda, shoulda, self doubts. I guess if there’s a moral here it might be to remember we are beautiful star-dusted A-holes, uniquely capable of creating chaos and order as we go krumping through life.
The Key to The Preciousness of Being
Starry background - the dark abyss from which we were manifested.
Memento Banner - an overarching reminder of our temporal existence.
Archway - the sacred space we create in which we can ponder our existence.
Death’s Head Moth - extremely rare in the United States. Here depicting our uniqueness.
Misshapen Skeleton - the imperfection of our physical manifestation.
Decapitated Skull - it’s easier to cut off one’s head than it is to change the ideas upon which we built our life.
Purple Cape - the veil between this reality and the abyss from which we came. It becomes translucent and penetrable as we become curious.
Tree - the lineage by which we define ourselves in this reality; inherited physical attributes, and socio-cultural ideals. As different trees produce hard or soft wood, our lineage enculturates us to dogmatic or flexible thinking.
Marigolds - symbol of life, death, and remembrances. Used during Dia de los Muertos celebrations as a reminder of the vibrancy of this life and the next.
Easter Lilies - symbol of hope, renewal, and resurrection. Here representing the transformation that occurs when we let go of inherited ideas that are not in alignment with our best self.
You can read the story within this painting HERE.