How One Piece of Art Gave Me Hope For Better Days Ahead

I knew then that our life becomes how we choose to see it.

Donnette Anglin
4 min readMay 14, 2022

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Artist- Nicholas Anglin. Authors collection

The aim of art is not to represent the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance — Aristotle

The colors might be the first thing you see at a glance at this piece. Art should stand out.

But take a moment to look, see, think and feel.

What draws you in?

What speaks to you?

There is a story behind every artist's creation.

This piece was inspired by a conversation with my son one day while I dropped off groceries at his apartment during the lockdown.

As risky as it was, my motherly instinct kicked in, and I chose to do the grocery shopping during a raging pandemic. Safety was a high priority; I felt I would do a better job of it on the outside.

It was also my excuse to see my son and his girlfriend when socialization was limited.

I needed the connection with them more than anything.

My visits were usually short. It was necessary to exercise safety and move on.

But on one of my visits, I couldn't contain what weighed heavily on my mind. I stood by the doorway as I engaged my son in a conversation.

I expressed the hopelessness I felt in no uncertain way — The world seemed at a standstill. The smell of death permuted the air. A once busy NYC street felt like a ghost town.

The hopelessness was weighing me down.

I ensured my personal paperwork was in order the best way I could; I felt it was just a matter of time; I, too, could become a statistic.

It was like preparing him for the unexpected.

My son would later interpret my feelings by creating this masterpiece.

He wanted to give me hope for better days ahead — days when the sun would shine again and we no longer feel imprisoned by a pandemic.

We’re getting there.

Here's a brief introduction for those of you who may not have the pleasure of meeting my son.

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Donnette Anglin

Writing to make sense of life. Join me on the journey to becoming a better individual..