Holding Back the Waters - 36 x 24 inches, original oil painting on canvas
Holding Back the Waters - 36 x 24 inches, original oil painting on canvas
Holding Back the Waters began as an aspirational journey for me. I set out to paint a woman who is strong, centered, and balanced to the depths of her being in spite of what the world throws at her. Along the way, I struggled with doubts about myself as an artist, mother, wife, and friend. I painted all the dark and vulnerability I felt and it all showed up on this canvas. I honestly never thought I’d share it with the world. It felt too raw and personal…
Along the way, though, I learned more about how to look back to see how far I’ve come. I recognized my own healing from self-destructive thoughts and behaviors that plagued me for years. I saw accomplishments and strength I didn’t have just six months ago and the light began to shine through all that dark and doubt. When life feels hard, it’s so hard to find the joy and hang onto it.
Detail from Holding Back the Waters, an original oil painting on canvas by Chelsea Heresco Parker
The reality is, doubts and storms are a part of life. Here’s how I want to weather them when they come:
Strong: Finding new directions to grow and stretching myself beyond my comfort zone shows me what I’m capable of being and becoming.
Confident: Living unapologetically, willing to be vulnerable and honest with others, knowing that who I am isn’t dependent on others.
Generous: Finding balance between giving my time and energy to people and things that matter to me and holding back enough energy that I, too, can thrive.
Outside: By this I mean not shying away from the storms that come, but embracing and living life fully and freely. Also, literally getting outside for the emotional, mental, and physical healing that comes from embracing nature and finding our place in it.
Shipping and Logistical Information
This painting will be hand delivered, stretched and ready to hang with hardware attached if purchased in the local Nashville market. I can also have it framed and shipped directly to you ready-to-hang, in or out of market and can work with you to determine the additional fees for this service. I work with an incredible framer and have picked out a beautiful, natural wood frame, which I believe complements it to perfection! Please contact me directly if you’re interested in that service, here.
For shipping outside the Nashville market, it will be removed from the stretcher bars and carefully rolled and shipped in a tube. Paintings larger than 18 x 24 inches are often removed from their stretcher bars and carefully wrapped and rolled to be shipped in a tube. This is generally considered a safer way to ship large works on canvas (and is far more economical.) It will, however, require the buyer to take the rolled artwork to a professional framer to unroll and stretch the artwork onto new stretcher bars.