Defence, Awareness, Acceptance by Atelier Connie Kindermann

Acrylic paint, canvas

A narrative painting:

Something within yourself is being rejected. A trait? The little child within you? A life event whose impact has scarred you, or which is too emotional and has therefore been rejected?

By rejecting that 'iets'within ourselves, we become hard, angry or sad without meaning to. We ignore an aspect of our being. This is symbolised in this painting by the small child, who is, as it were, cut off from the painting on the left. The woman looks away in defence against this. She looks hard and unyielding.

But often, what we have been pushing away keeps resurfacing; it triggers emotions and reactions we do not want, yet ultimately we can no longer deny them. In this painting, the woman on the right becomes aware of the aspect she had been pushing away until then. She is looking at it. What does this mean for her? Will she explore it and feel the emotions that go with it? The woman seems a little softer and more open. Once we have explored this, felt the emotions and accepted them, we have become more whole. We have rediscovered a part of ourselves and feel more self-confidence. We understand ourselves better and, with that, the world too. The woman in the centre has accepted and embraced it. She can move forward as a more complete person. She radiates compassion – towards herself and towards the world.

A cherished painting that can symbolise multiple personal stories.