Introducing Dahlias in Bloom - a part of my Freedom in Bloom collection!
After I had my twins, I had to come to terms with the fact that I had a rare femoral nerve injury that severely impacted my mobility. I never said anything about it online, because it was very hard to talk about at the time. I could not feel my left leg, and I couldn't walk, lift my leg, etc. It wasn't clear if I could make a full recovery, because this injury is very uncommon, so I had to confront the unknown and try my best! Thanks to the help of my incredible husband, family, friends, all my healthcare providers, and about 6 months of physical therapy, I was able to make a full recovery and run around with my twins.
That's where this painting series came into place. Thanks to my mom, my husband and I were able to take a little getaway to Scandinavia over the summer. Little did I know, that would be a very emotional trip full of immense gratitude. I can walk. I can feel my leg and lift it over rocks and climb mountains and push my foot against unlevel ground and jump over puddles! I could climb for hours and my leg actually functioned normally. Two years ago, I wouldn't have ever fathomed being able to hike and climb again. But God is good, and my body is healed. I was able to see resilient flowers blowing in the wind of a seemingly harsh environment. Kind of like me - this little resilient flower who had an injury, but I bloomed again!
Anyway, this series of florals is a very personal reflection of my journey through one of the hardest times of my life. I wish I could reach out to every single person who helped me along the way and give them a giant hug. I am eternally grateful for all the help and encouragement I had from people in my life. I think I'm in a healthy enough spot to share this journey through my art. I could've just shared these flowers, but I want to be vulnerable and share that life IS beautiful because it ISN'T always glamorous.
And that leaves me with a final message to my dear art family on the internet: if you are currently struggling, I want to send you my love through these florals. We can be in the most painful places, and it can be so incredibly hard to see the good in the midst of struggle. But you are growing, even if you don't see progress. You are worthy of love, even when some days feel gloomy and isolating. Your blooming days are not over - seasons come and go! If you're in a tough place, it's okay, because like my story, I believe yours is beautiful too.
Size: 8"x8" on heavy cotton cardstock (includes small white border)
All prints are hand-signed and numbered on the back. This print is part of a limited-edition run, and only 50 prints will be available.
