Braving the Storm

16x20" Mixed Media/Oil on professional grade gallery wrapped canvas, 1 1/2" depth “Fate whispers to the warrior, 'You can not withstand the storm. ' The warrior whispers back, 'I am the storm.” —Unknown This piece epitomizes a storm in multiple ways. Until a few days before I finished this piece, it sat in my studio untouched for a year, 80% complete, serving as a constant reminder that I failed to paint it well to begin with. Every painting has had its difficult phases, but this one was a doozy. I repainted the background a couple times, and the original snowy owl I chose was just not translating well onto the canvas. I decided it was time to ‘brave the storm’, regroup with a new plan, and push through my barriers. Looking at the finished piece, I see the reinvented owl, now standing strong amongst the swirling blizzard. Resistance can be one of the toughest things we face, as it can cripple us into a world of self doubt. But if we choose to push through the storm full of barriers, a