Orchid Child is about coming home to myself. It’s a reflection of the parts of me I used to hide: the deeply sensitive, observant, emotional parts I didn’t always know how to hold. I’ve always been tuned into what’s felt more than what’s said, but for a long time I thought I had to tone that down to be understood.

When I was younger, that sensitivity didn’t feel like something to be proud of. It felt like a flaw; so I learned to quiet it. I followed the rules, stayed in line, and tried to make myself smaller. On the outside I looked like I had it together, but inside I was drifting further from the truest parts of myself—the creative, autonomous, powerful version of me I hadn’t yet learned to express.

This painting is about finding her again. The woman in the piece, with orchids in her hair and her eyes closed, represents that moment of turning inward and really listening. She’s not trying to prove anything or perform. She’s just existing—calm, grounded, whole. The mirrored face behind her feels like a reflection of that process, the moment when awareness starts to soften into acceptance.

Orchids are often seen as delicate but they’re actually incredibly strong. They just need the right environment to thrive. I think I’m the same way. I’ve realized my sensitivity isn’t something to fix or harden. It’s something to care for, to learn from, to build with.

This piece is a reminder to me, and maybe to you too, that softness is powerful. That it’s okay to be emotional, intuitive, bold, quiet, or all of it at once. You don’t have to armor up to exist in the world. You just have to support who you really are.