‘Diamonds on the inside’ (2021), 40”x40” 101.6cmx101.6cm, Acrylic on canvas, mixed media. Tasmanian oak frame

This painting tells the story of letting go of society’s expectations when it comes to beauty. I happened to be listening to the song with the same name by one of my favourite musicians, Ben Harper. I love the melody of his song, but realized that I wanted to re-interpret the lyrics.

To me, our world overvalues attractiveness, or at least gives it such a narrow definition that many of us spend years believing that we fail to meet it. Instead, we should focus on whether or not we shine on the inside: the purity of our intentions, the depth of our generosity, the warmth of our kindness and the fervour of our protection of those we hold dear. These are the diamonds worth celebrating.