Yesterday I had a very short night thanks to an especially brutal migraine attack that followed me into my dreams. I had one last dose of the German painkillers that are the only thing that help me in this sort of situation and lay there in the dark with an ice pack on my forehead, waiting for the pain to fade.

I wasn’t able to fall asleep, so I let my mind wander. And out of the dark, pale pink appeared. Luminous rose petals surrounded by deep, luscious green.

I used to get these images sometimes when my mind was idle. But it has been so long since I could even think about painting, my entire being utterly consumed by just surviving the pain. One breath at a time.

With the colors appearing so clearly in my head, I noticed I could move without a spike of pain. Without throbbing or pounding. The light from the window no longer hurt my eyes. I didn’t stop to think or marvel. I just got up and went to my easel. Barely thankful for the reprieve, only focused on bringing my vision to life. To see if I could paint something as good as it was in my mind’s eye.

This painting feels like my first quiet return to the studio.

I don’t know if this means I’m back yet. But for this moment I am just grateful, color found me again.

“Flowers are the first sign of life”

Painting (made 2026) - acrylic on canvas, 116,8x80,3cm (~45.6x31.5“)

Part of the “Secret Seoul Sabbatical“ Series

Will get signed at the bottom right and shipped within a week