Digress (2019)
Original 24" x 30" 
Oil on canvas
Black float frame 
Comes with Certificate of Authenticity
 
This painting represents the digression of how we think life is supposed to go versus how it actually ends up.
After studying Freudian dream interpretations in my psychology undergrad, I became fascinated with the meanings of owls.
In cultural and spiritual theory, these beautiful and mysterious creatures symbolize transformative change, intuitive development, knowledge, and wisdom. Within dreams, owls can represent subconscious intuition, and when spiritually connected to death, it can symbolize a higher understanding and an evolved perspective on life.
Owls symbolize value within learning and knowing, while also representing protection, luck, hope, and transition.
I was inspired by the painting and title, after seeing this ugly and cheesy wallpaper on a cruise line, that had owl stick figures on it going in different directions.
I was going through a transformative time in my life, in which I was planning on switching careers, and dedicated to focusing strictly on my psychology PhD studies. After making these changes, things still felt out of control in my life. I became more involved in painting, as a means of communicating my emotions and expressive states.
I wanted to portray things spiraling out of control, but also things under control at the same time. Since owls provide intuitive development, this painting is a way of trusting intuition, while dealing with the madness of life. The two owls, while next to each other, were not upright, failing to protect one another, while fearing the unknown, and lacking hope.
In Freudian theory, a black owl can symbolize betrayal. In my case, I was betraying myself with emotions that made me feel as if I was not being the truest version of my raw, authentic self, while feeling a need to put a mask on around others. In dealing with these emotions, this painting was created, symbolizing growth, wisdom, and trust in my intuition, while learning to look at the fear of the unknown as something to look forward to, while dealing with the madness, and colorful world in front of me.