This painting is rooted in the contradictions I experienced growing up around creativity. My parents’ words often swung between admiration and doubt—one moment affirming, “you’re so talented,” the next suggesting I should pursue “something more practical.” That push and pull felt like shifting tides, at times carrying me forward, at times pulling me back. The ocean theme mirrors that ebb and flow, a reminder of the forces that shape us but also of resilience—the determination to create something real and meaningful despite the currents.