This doodle is very close to my heart. It’s titled, "Ye that know the Lord is gracious," and it came from a moment that changed my life.
For most of my life, I felt like a butterfly that screamed. On the outside, I was quiet and composed, but on the inside, there was a constant, intense chaos. That feeling of being overwhelmed and disconnected is something many of us with Asperger's live with. For me, that feeling was amplified by my battle with alcoholism.
This painting is a window into that experience. Could you take a look at the two sides of the image?
On the left, you see a world of fire and chaos. The aggressive reds, oranges, and yellows represent the destruction and pain of addiction—a storm of emotion that consumed my life.
Now, could you look at the right side? The colours shift dramatically to a calm, serene world of blues and purples. That peaceful water and the distant city represent sobriety and the promise of a future filled with peace.
The person in the middle is my dear friend, Kath. She’s at a crossroads, with one foot in the chaos and the other stepping toward the calm. The lamppost is a fixed point of light, and the chain wrapped around her arm serves as a reminder of the bonds to the past—a poignant symbol of the journey.
But this painting isn't just her story. It’s a gift. I painted this for her after she read the final verse of the hymn "Ye that know the Lord is gracious" at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Her words gave me a moment of profound clarity and grace, a feeling that a solution wasn’t just possible, but was being given to me.
My artistic style—the distinct blocks of colour and bold lines—is a direct expression of how my mind works. I see the world in terms of systems and clear divisions, and this piece is my way of visually representing the two very different aspects of my life.
This painting is a symbol of a shared journey. It’s a gift of gratitude to a person who showed me grace, and it is a message to everyone who has struggled: No matter the chaos you’ve known, a path to peace and healing exists.