Cradling the Shadow

40” H x 25” W, mixed media on Dura-Lar

Acrylics, oil sticks, spray paint

Double-sided hanging display (Side A / Side B)

Cradling the Shadow is an intimate and layered work created on translucent Dura-Lar, designed to be hung with either side facing outward. Each side reveals a variation of a woman’s figure gently holding a darkened form—a shadow. The duality of the piece invites the viewer to engage with both perspectives, offering a layered reflection on the relationship between light and shadow within the self.

The semi-transparent nature of the Dura-Lar surface means the wall behind it becomes part of the experience. Hung on a blue wall, the piece may take on cooler, moodier tones; on white, it glows with clarity and softness. The background subtly influences the overall feeling, making each installation unique and responsive to its environment.

Using acrylics, oil sticks, and spray paint, this piece explores what it means to face the darkness within. The shadowed figure is not something to fear, but something to hold. To comfort. To acknowledge. This work speaks to the emotional courage required to sit with the parts of ourselves we often push away.

Cradling the Shadow is a visual reminder that healing begins not by avoiding the hard parts, but by embracing them. It honors the truth that the most difficult pieces of us are often the ones that need our tenderness the most.