How I Built This: Resilience

Acrylic and foil on canvas

30x48

2026

Chrysanthemums are tough little things. They bloom when the weather starts turning cold, long after other flowers have decided they've had enough, and somehow manage to come back year after year.

These particular girls are grown by my fiancé, who has taken it upon himself to grow my favorite flowers in our community garden. And while chrysanthemums are known for their resilience, I'd argue that having someone who loves you tending to your every need probably doesn't hurt either.

This was the first painting I made for Love Trippin, back when I was still working my full-time job and trying to figure out how to make painting my actual full-time life. I think I saw a lot of myself in these flowers. Stubborn enough to keep growing through less-than-ideal conditions, but also incredibly lucky to have someone making sure I had everything I needed along the way.

The silver foil was my little light at the end of the tunnel. Something that catches the light even against the darkest parts of the painting. The stripes along the edges are a playful carryover from my first botanical show in 2022, a little reminder of how much has changed and how much has stayed the same.

I used to think resilience was something you built by getting through difficult things on your own. But maybe it's also something you build when someone makes those difficult things a little easier to get through.

Turns out, even the toughest flowers appreciate being watered