The Inspiration

When I was struggling most with my chronic illness, I used to escape into my mind. I was trapped inside, in our living room, with nowhere to go and nothing to do.
I started imagining stories, creating kingdoms, and exploring different worlds. Daydreaming was all I did.
That’s where I met Hope, Determination, and Kindness. I saw them all differently. I found my power, my voice, my strength. I never left home, but found so much magic in our world.

In this series, I aim to capture what I have learned and created out of pain.

The Originals

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Faith

This painting is inspired by the feeling of finding Faith again.

Faith stays with you, holding you up, promising there’s still light in the deepest darkness.
You might lose her sometimes, she, however, will never abandon you. She’ll be there every day, patiently waiting for you to find your way back to her.

Vulnerability

I’ve always seen Vulnerability as a weakness, as something that people can easily attack. So, I tried to avoid her as much as I could. Now, looking back, I know avoiding her was the true weakness.


Vulnerability is gentle and cautious but also fierce. She notices every detail and holds so much power in her hands.

Dream

When the pain got worse, my world got so much smaller. Daydreaming was one of the only ways to get out and ‘see’ the world. Now, whenever I go outside, I feel everything more intensely. I notice things I have never noticed before.
Now, everything looks like magic to me.

Acceptance

Acceptance is soft, she’s pink and purple. She is soothing and kind. Acceptance can heal and push you forward toward your destiny. She cuts the ties that bound you to your past, your regrets, and your doubts. She doesn’t want you to be satisfied with you misery. She believes in change and growth. She believes in good and better. What she wants you to accept is that there are things that you can’t change, things that are out of your hands. She wants you to make decisions out of a place of strength and for your soul and all your good to bloom and make this world a tiny bit more beautiful.

Fight

I always felt like I had no Fight in me, not like all the fierce and powerful women I read about in books or see on TV. But Fight can show up in different forms and places. Like when you get out of bed and in front of the easel even though you’re in pain, tired, or exhausted.

This painting is a reminder that you possess much more strength and Fight than you think you do.

Hope

Two years ago, my chronic condition got so bad that I had to spend 1 1/2 years in bed. In all that time, I felt hopeless, like I was never going to get better and my life would forever look like this. Now I know that Hope never left me. She was always there, somewhere around me, fighting for me.
This is what she looks like to me. A powerful being that is never going to give up on you.

Hope is no delicate thing. She is not flighty or weak. Hope has dirt on her face and wounds all over. She gets up every single time. Ready to take another punch.

The Drawings

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Before you go…

I hope this series inspires you to dream more, find magic, and believe in your own power again.
If you connected with this collection in any way, please reach out or leave a note. I’d love to hear from you!
With Love,
Tina

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