I read this quote somewhere recently and it perfectly sums up the sentiment behind this painting:

‘Learn to manifest your dreams or someone else will hire you to manifest theirs.’

When I began my journey as a single mother one year ago, I had nothing. I had a mountain of debt, no money, and no job. But I did have my art.

Over the course of the past year I learned how to reach my goals through dedicated hard work and I learned to use my art to manifest a living for myself.

In this painting, the parched desert represents the “nothing” that I started with. The dancer does not represent me, she represents Art. The tiny, single flower growing from the cracked ground represents the manifestation of my dreams and the life that has enabled me to live.

The storm brewing above stands for the future payoff of all my hard work. When the rain falls, it will water the desert and more flowers will grow.