Oil on Canvas | 30’12’1.5’

This piece explores the tension between perception and reality, reflecting the quiet conflict of wanting to see a person or situation in its best light while sensing a more difficult truth beneath the surface.

While the piece is carefully detailed, the eyes are void of the same precision - leaving a nearly unnoticeable absence and subtle emptiness within the portrait.

The roses in the foreground act as a visual metaphor for “rose-colored glasses” — the instinct to protect hope, soften edges, and search for goodness even amid uncertainty.

The piece considers the emotional complexity of optimism, attachment, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to hold onto what we wish to believe.