I painted this because I, like all humans, have gone through heavy, life altering traumas.  

And I, like all humans, have built up some impressive coping mechanisms to get me through. 

But sometimes those coping mechanisms are no longer needed. Sometimes we forget that the storm might have actually passed.  We forget to check to see if it is still even raining.  So we walk in the dark heavy shadow of our walls and barriers, and we can't even see the sun has started peeking out.

I had an image of myself, walking with my umbrella over my head to protect myself from life's horrible storms.  I was so attached to my umbrella that I was walking with it casting a shadow about me, one so dark that I didn't even know the sky was filled with beautiful colors, rainbows and sunrises and sunsets that I was missing through my trauma scars.

The problem with holding tightly to that umbrella is that you miss everything around you right now -- you miss the reality of the current moment lost in a dark shadow from the past, no longer connected to the present.  

Well enough is enough.  Peek out from under the umbrella.  Test to see if you still need it.  There might just be a sky full of color over head.  

This original canvas is the perfect reminder to remind yourself (or your loved ones, or your clients, or your patients) that sometimes we no longer need the umbrella.

The details:

30” x 30” original canvas painting, painted using acrylic inks

comes framed in a custom hand made, solid wood frame (a $200 value) ready to hang

this will always be a one-of-a-kind original artwork, no prints will be made

signed by the artist (that's me, Dr. Laura Koniver!) 

xoxoxo, Laura Konvier, MD