Supernova’ (2021), 76.2x76.2cm, 30”x30” acrylic on canvas.

This painting tells a story about the power of true love to endure life’s deepest despair. It was inspired by the movie Supernova, released early in 2021 and starring Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth as lifelong partners torn apart by early onset dementia. I watched it one morning with a friend, and we both sobbed through it, completely drained by the heart-breaking plot (I won’t spoil it) and magical performances.

As I left the theatre, my sadness morphed into ruminations about other displays of true love that I have witnessed in my life. Sometimes, love shines brightest in the darkest moments of our stories. The energy from these memories restored me, and I knew I had to paint to fully process this experience. Supernova means ‘a powerful and luminous stellar explosion’, and I wish everyone had such a love to guide them in times of despair.