A Mother’s Grace - The Culmination of a Dream

A Mother’s Grace

“The Culmination of Dream: A Mother’s Grace” painting speaks of courage – the courage of the tiger that resides deep within me, while the depth of the sea speaks of the motherly love that is so often unseen yet deeply felt. And the beautiful blooming golden lotus petals speak of the many dreams and efforts that have come before, culminating into today, paving the way for a future filled with promise and hope.

This promises us that, no matter how far we have come, no matter how far we have gone through the mud, the lotus will always bloom at the right time, even though it may seem like the dirtiest of environments, just to bring forth new life and remind us that all the efforts we have made throughout our lives have borne fruits – they are leading us to where we need to be at this very moment in time. Reminding us that although I felt I was drowning in the mud, that all my efforts in life were meaningless, I was wrong.”

During the somatic phase of the painting, back in 2020. I often just express myself onto canvases without any plans.

As the painting progress, images and ideas comes up to me, so I would sketch them.

This painting is a vivid manifestation of my experience several years ago, when I went through a “dark night of the soul” and lost my creative edge. It was a difficult time; the desire to create seemed to disappear. It felt as though all of the cells in my body had given up on hope and vitality. I found myself unable to pick up a paintbrush. I was convinced that I had lost my creative talent for good.

With an internal determination, I had to prove to myself that my creative energy was not lost forever. So, I picked up the paintbrush and began to paint furiously over an old doodle of mine from a few months back. It was the sketch of a mother with a child that I had begun painting. As I started to paint, visions began forming in my mind. I saw a tiger’s face and painted it out furiously. Then images of fish and flowers emerged one after the other, until I painted an underwater scene. Then, finally, a blooming golden lotus appeared!

Tracing the queen doodle onto the canvas.

Feeling the old doodle & thinking of its new look.

I was furiously painting and I felt I was mechanically transferring the images in my mind onto the canvas while simultaneously thanking God that I had not lost my creative powers! I was so frantic, I let my body and mind become “hollow” as mediums to transfer these images (using my brush), telling myself I would think about the meaning of this painting later! Amazingly enough, within a span of just 2 days, I had completed this painting. A flood of mixed emotions surged through me as I completed this painting. First, I was definitely relieved that I had actually not lost my creative spirit! Then, I was also very grateful that I had this sudden burst of creativity for a moment.

Little did I realize how this painting would become intertwined with my other dream at the time – my dream of starting the home studio - The Intuitive Art Hideaway. The Hideaway was born out of my wish to create a safe space to live for my elderly mother, while giving myself the chance to finally live the dream of an artist I had long yearned for. In some way, the two merged in my mind to become one dream. A dream to build a place for her, while giving myself a place to be. Little did I know how much this journey would take from me and how much my mother would become a part of this dream and its story.

As time moves on, today as I continue to delve deeper into the dream that has become my studio (The Intuitive Art Hideaway), I look at this painting again, trying to decipher its meaning from my current vantage point. From where I stand today, I am able to see this painting’s meanings unfold before me as tears of epiphany welled up in my eyes! It speaks volumes about the grace, depth and boundless gift of a mother’s love, and I find myself thanking my own mother for giving me the courage to have this dream with her. The tiger reminds me that it was always there, that it never left and that it remains with me even at this point in my life.

I dedicate this beautiful piece of art titled, “The Culmination of Dream: A Mother’s Grace”, to my mother – the one who unknowingly grants me the courage to follow this path while caring for her. Without her, I would never have had the courage to dream big! Today, this painting serves as a reminder of what lies ahead as I continue to make this dream a reality. Art gave me a chance to come out of my “dark night of the soul” and it literally helped me to find my way back to myself!

Perhaps this is also what The Intuitive Art Hideaway represents to me. It was born out of a dream that started with my mother and it continues to give me the chance to make art, slow down, and create a new life for myself.

Update: I revisited this painting again in 2025, varnished it in my studio and wrote a post on IG here.