Oil on Canvas | 20” 20” 1”

This portrait explores the emotional weight of constant vigilance and the difficulty of trusting others. Inspired by an individual drawn to a life of movement and change, the work reflects the quiet fatigue that can emerge from always feeling the need to remain guarded.

Subtle purple undertones introduce a sense of compassion and vulnerability, while the orchids in the background symbolize the fragile nature of contentment and connection.

The portrait resists judgment, sitting instead with a quieter universal truth — in protecting ourselves too fiercely, we can up carrying the weight of our fears alone.