This abstract painting draws inspiration from the marble seaside cliffs of Greece, capturing the untamed beauty of the wild, untouched land. The moment I experienced this scene was unforgettable. I was on a boat ride around Paros, when I leapt from the boat and swam 100 meters to the cliffside. There, I scaled the rocks barefoot, my hands gripping the jagged edges as the sharp surfaces pinched the soles of my feet. I was fully immersed in the raw, unfiltered energy of nature—the wind whipping around me, the sea crashing below, the sun burning overhead, and the earth beneath my hands.
This piece embodies that sensation of primal connection, of being one with the elements and the land, feeling both grounded and liberated at once. It reflects a deeper sense of eudaimonia, the state of flourishing and true happiness that comes from embracing the wild, unpolished moments in life. Even when I’m back home in Chicago, this memory remains with me, a reminder that peace and fulfillment are not confined to a place, but exist within the essence of how we engage with the world. It’s a feeling of being fully alive, in the present, and connected to something greater—a feeling I carry with me wherever I go.
