Defiance

We’ve all felt defiant or acted defiantly at some point in our lives. Some of us on a daily – maybe hourly – basis. That’s what this painting is about…acting defiantly.

Imagine that you know you will have to move because of a job. Imagine that to some extent you have a choice of where to move for that job. Imagine that the little voice inside of you says Go for it! Take a risk! Let’s try something new! So, you listen to that little voice inside and move 1,700ish miles from Texas to Connecticut…alone…with no friends or family waiting to welcome you on the CT side.

Now imagine how you would react if at first your family in West Texas wasn’t quite so supportive of this leap. What if your parents – although they are very proud today – had the initial impression that you must not love them anymore if you wanted to escape to a “foreign” place so far from home. Even a cousin looked as though you’d punched him in the stomach to think that you’d even consider leaving the Lone Star State.

But what if that little voice inside is louder, more persistent, more certain than any of these outside voices? What if you knew you had to give this a shot and accept the adventure or you knew you’d regret it forever?

That’s how I felt when I painted Defiance. I knew this was my chance at a new beginning, a fresh start, and even though I had huge doubts of the unknowable outcome, I had to do it for me no matter how it affected others. The girl’s posture and facial expression are haughty – her eyes not quite in focus – seeing a future that’s not quite formed. She defied the naysayers and carved out a niche she could call her own life – a defiant decision she does not regret.