I walk in nature almost daily, often stopping for an interesting photo. The bark textures in this piece were too beautiful to pass up. I added some of my seed pods for small details and to reinforce the feeling of organic. These photo collections were then collaborated together and manipulated into digital imagery, finished in collage style, hand painted and adhered to stretched canvas, completed with varnish for protection. I noticed a tiny cross symbol began to appear as I was finishing the piece, so I enhanced it a bit.
To me the partially torn apart heart images represent the heartbreaks we all seem to go through in this life. If we nurture our broken hearts and allow for the healing process to continue, they can be restored and become stronger with time and love.