Help Me (1/1 AY ORIGINAL)

ORIGINAL hand drawn artwork, stippling/pointillism on paper. (Red AY Logo placed for watermarking purposes only. Original does not show watermark)

Matted and framed (16"x20" frame)

This piece was completed in 2020, at the height of lockdowns. Little did I know when I started working on this in 2019 how much it would speak to the situation our world would be in shortly thereafter. We were trying to climb out of a deepening hole, seeking normalcy, grasping at hope that things would be better with no idea if or when that would happen. Virus, quarantines, lockdowns, social injustices, political agendas, societal fear, and more. We were all in a dark place. We felt alone, empty, hurt, angry, and helpless. We had questions with no clear answers. We wanted to be free, from isolation, anxiety, sickness, discrimination, tension, hate, and fear. 

From a distance, you may not notice the hand reaching up...until you take a closer look. This represented our lives as well. From far away, behind our computer screens and home walls, we could smile at the screen, talk the talk, throw ourselves into work but at the end of the day we still felt alone, struggling with our own thoughts, emotions, and fears. It isn't until you look more closely behind the facades, check in with loved ones, and ask the right questions where you can see how much someone is actually struggling. 

It may be years later, but life continues to throw us our own struggles to deal with. As we take this day by day, may we find hope in every tomorrow. May we find peace in the midst of the turmoil. May we find joy in the little blessings. May we have patience with ourselves and each other. May we find strength to keep moving forward, doing better, and BEING better. And may we keep reaching for that light in the darkness until we are finally free.