There are moments as an artist that feel a little bit meant to be… and this week felt like one of them.
I had originally planned to enter a different painting into our local art prize exhibition, but after touching up the edges I realised (in a complete panic!) that I had the dates wrong and the work wouldn’t be dry in time for delivery the next morning.
After a brief moment of artist despair, I made a last-minute decision to enter another piece instead — The Stories She Wore.
This painting felt deeply personal to me. The figure is wrapped in a patchwork cloak layered with fragments of florals, script, texture and memory — almost like pieces of a life stitched together and carried forward. I wanted the cloak to feel symbolic of the stories, experiences, grief, beauty and resilience we all wear throughout our lives.
Because the exhibition theme was Whispers of the Past and there were no artist statements included, I spent a long time thinking about the title. In the end, The Stories She Wore felt exactly right.
And sometimes, things really do fall into place the way they are meant to.
Yesterday I found out the painting not only sold, but also received the Encouragement Award — essentially the runner-up prize for the exhibition.
I honestly couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome.
As artists, we spend so much time second-guessing ourselves — questioning our work, our pricing, our direction, whether people will connect with what we create. This piece reminded me again how important it is to trust that quiet inner voice and continue making work that feels authentic and meaningful.
I’m so grateful to everyone involved in the exhibition, and especially thankful to the collector who has given this painting a new home.
And perhaps the biggest lesson of all?
Sometimes the painting you weren’t planning to enter turns out to be exactly the right one after all.
