Speak Peace, 2026

This 8×10 inch watercolor, presented with a one-inch white border, depicts a young woman basking in sunlight. A delicate daisy held gently between her lips. The composition captures a quiet, contemplative moment, where light and subject merge into a sense of warmth and rejuvenation.

Originally inspired by the arrival of spring , the painting reflects nature’s cyclical renewal, a symbol of rebirth and hope. Yet as the work progressed through early March 2026, it began to take on more complex, political undertones, shaped by the United States’ military action in Iran. What began as a celebration of the arrival of spring evolved into a more layered reflection on conflict and a longing for peace.

The daisy, a familiar emblem of the 1960s flower-power era, carries many personal memories of the Vietnam War’s closing year, particularly the image of a flower placed in the barrel of a soldier’s rifle, the symbolism spoke to my young mind. While the gesture feels historically distant, its meaning persists. Today, conflict often manifests less through weapons than through language; words themselves can wound with a force comparable to bullets. In this context, the flower becomes both a fragile offering and a quiet act of resistance.

Visually, the painting is suffused with bright, sun-saturated color. The woman’s features are softened by the intensity of the light, with reflected illumination beneath her chin subtly guiding the viewer’s gaze upward toward her face, and ultimately to the flower, the painting’s focal point and thematic anchor. The bold palette also nods to countercultural aesthetics, suggesting ideas elicits tension with dominant societal norms.

Her pose reinforces this sense of quiet opposition. She gathers a thick leather coat around her delicate frame, a gesture that suggests both vulnerability and self-protection. In this way, the work proposes that peace is not passive; it is something that must be consciously held, nurtured, and defended.