When I started this painting, I didn’t realize just how deeply it was connected to my subconscious state. A mirror reflects our outward appearance, but it also symbolizes introspection, self-perception, and the search for identity.

At the time, I was going through a profound period of self-realization—perhaps the final stages of my frontal lobe’s development, or maybe just the natural reckoning that comes with growth. I began questioning not just what I was, but who I was. I knew my name, my history, my habits, but I wasn’t sure if I truly knew myself.

At first glance, the woman in the painting is simply getting ready, lipstick in hand, yet something in her expression betrays unease. I didn’t see the connection to myself at first—this isn’t a self-portrait. And yet, she is me. And she is you. She is anyone who has ever looked in the mirror and realized that something needs to change.

The apprehension on her face is the fear of stepping into the unknown, even when change is necessary. She grips the lipstick, hesitating. Is she masking her true self, or is she preparing for transformation? The choice is hers to make—just as it is ours. Mistakes can be mended, forgiveness can be given and received, and growth is always possible. Because realizing this is not an ending but the beginning.

If you are interested in buying this painting, please contact me through this website on the contact page.